Canon 400D with IS lenses always soft/OOF

Brocks

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I have reached rock bottom.:help: Every time I go out and with the camera, no matter what the subject, I have a problem were most of my shots are very soft or out of focus. I have to do a significant amount of sharpening on the PC. I bought IS lenses thinking it was camera shake, But I still have a problem, I adjusted the the Dioptic but since i use AF this hasn't helped either. I guess its my technique so I have written out below what i think I do...Can someone tell me the correct techniques....PLEASE:bonk:


This is my technique I think…

Portraits, Animals

I set the central AF point as the only active point. And use that to focus on the eye.

I press half way to trigger the AF and metering. I often pause for the right expression, Then fire the shot. The images are usually fine for the missus, but always lack detail when viewed at 100%


Static subjects/landscapes


I have all the focal points active, I half press the shutter a check which point light up. If I think the right ones have been selected, I fire the shot. If not I try again repositioning slightly. I remember taking some shots in a park near workshop of a church. Used a tripod, and cable release....OOF!:bang:

I often use a tripod in low light.

Moving targets whether it be a car, a plane or the kids in the garden.

I’ve tried a few methods. Possible based on incorrect information from a training course. I was told that in continuous shot mode (3fps) the camera refocuses between shots.

Method one.

Set a zoom for the passing object and do a few practice runs. Set the AF to servo AF, and set all the Focal point to active. As the target approaches the shot point half press and fire the frames off till the target has passed.

I have since learnt that the camera does not refocus (it seams). So

Method two

Set all the Focal points active, pan with the subject with AF set to Single shot, and the firing method to single shot too Repeated Half press and fire the camera to get a slowed rapid fire collection.

Method three

Method two was clumsy to say the least, So on my last trip out (my Wirral Show sets)I tried Contiuous fire, Servo mode AF, all points set. As the target passes/approaches half press and fire a burst then half press and fire another burst and so on. i set the shutter higher than normal (800-1000/sec) hoping to freeze the shots get is sharp and add motion blur later! But no, max sharpening was still required.

Method four

Tried it once or twice with no success….manually focus on a point, as the target appraoches that point fire a burst and hope one is in the right place. No use at all if the path is inpredictable.
 
think it wold be a big help if you could post up some example shots with exif intact and probably some crops to highlight what you see as issues, also you don't mention other camera setting aperture can have a massive effect on what appears in focus.
 
:agree: some examples would be a great help. Without knowing your shutter speeds and apertures etc it's very hard to understand what is going on
 
:agree: in every particular!
 
Just looked at some pics on your Photobucket and they look fine to me, prehaps post some 100% crops here
 
If one compares my Le Mans shots with the Lemans shots on here or Piston heads, The difference is clear! Crystal clear!

Mine are on page 3 based on 40 posts per page.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=25&t=547140&i=0

From the talkphotography site:

Mine:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=67338&highlight=mans
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=67426&highlight=mans
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=67427&highlight=mans

Others

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=67368&highlight=mans
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=67249&highlight=mans
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=67090&highlight=mans


All mine had the sharrpness slider moved from 2 (default) to 9 out of a possibel 10 using Canon Digital Photo Pro. And they're still not as sharp. IIRC the track shots are generally aroun 640-800/sec in TV mode. using my method #1 or#3
 
is the lens back focusing? take a picture of something on a table like a ruler, pick your focus point and see if the lens focuses on that point, or a point further forward or back from that point, there are special focus charts around for this purpose...
 
Well I've just a quick look at some of your shots Brocks and I think you're being a little hard on yourself mate. You do have a lot of fences in front of your action shots, but that's not a fault of your photography, that's down to where you were shooting from. I can't really see a lot wrong with your shots that a bit of tweaking in post processing couldn't deal with. A couple of tweaked ones for you....


img_6097Custom%5b1%5d.jpg


img_6105Custom%5b1%5d.jpg


img_6158Custom%5b1%5d.jpg


All I've done with these is increased the contrast by using curves, tweaked the levels a bit and increased the saturation a little :)
 
here's a silly question for you, do you have a UV filter on your lens? I had a hoya green one that I've chucked as it ruined every photo I took made them look like I hade grease on the lens.
 
All mine had the sharrpness slider moved from 2 (default) to 9 out of a possibel 10 using Canon Digital Photo Pro. And they're still not as sharp. IIRC the track shots are generally aroun 640-800/sec in TV mode. using my method #1 or#3

What steps are you doing when re-sizing/preparing images for the web?
 
just had a quick look at your wirral show pics

i dont think there is anything wrong with the fairground rides shots,
if you are shooting raw they will come out of the camera on the soft side
and will require some sharpening
i have the 100-400 and i tend to find the is only any help in poor light on slow shutter speeds i tend to use centre af point most of the time
have you tried the is in both positions
 
Have you changed the sharpness in the camera settings? Menu2 > picture style (standard) > set > jump > set and move the indicator closer to #7 > set . Page 78 of the manual

Paul
 
Got bored, but i actuly think theres some great shots there. like the one with the car side mirror.


img_6097Custom5b15d.jpg

HTML:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k34/xsjado-man/img_6097Custom5b15d.jpg
 
I press half way to trigger the AF and metering. I often pause for the right expression, Then fire the shot.

You need to be wary of this when you're using Single Shot AF Mode. When you obtain focus and get the green focus confirmation light, the AF is locked as long as you maintain that half pressed position on the shutter button. It doesn't take much movement from the subject and/or yourself to throw your image slightly oof, so beware of holding that position too long.
 
Sorry to have to say this - but I found my 400D incredibly soft, no matter what lens I was using.
I used a 70-300mm IS USM for a bit, and this could produce sharp images, but all the other's I tried were no go.

I also used a Sigma 70-300mm APO DG Macro, 18-200mm DC OS lens.
Whilst they are not top of the range lens's (all two of them!!) I did expect a bit more than I got from them.

So for this (and a few other) reasons, I went to a Sony a300.
With the Siggy 70-300mm APO, and even the kit lens, I've noticed a huge difference in sharpness...........

I actually thought that either this body is in need of some professional attention, or my photo skills do!!
 
I compared my 400d to Pentax K10d and Fuji S5, both of them are much sharper than 400d, but bare in mind that these aim semi-pro users. On the other hand my 400d is sharper than Pentax K100d which aims the same group of customers.

I thought about sending my camera to Canon service, they suggested resetting camera and provide few test pictures. While I was doing test shots I started playing with picture style (as Hobbytog mentioned) and I got settings that quite pleased me.

Secondly, I realize that I have amateur SLR and the quality will not be as from 5d :)
 
I bought a 400d last October from Jessops in Portsmouth and found the shoots very soft compared to my old 350, took the camera down to my local London camera exchange shop and tried if against one of their new ones, took a few shoots with my 400 on manual setting, then swapped the card into the shop 400 took same shoots same settings. Couldn’t believe how bad my 400 was,
Took it back to Jessops and had no problem exchanging it for a different one which I’m more than happy with.

Andy Fozzy I see your location is Portsmouth, hope you haven’t got my old one!!
 
I bought a 400d last October from Jessops in Portsmouth and found the shoots very soft compared to my old 350, took the camera down to my local London camera exchange shop and tried if against one of their new ones, took a few shoots with my 400 on manual setting, then swapped the card into the shop 400 took same shoots same settings. Couldn’t believe how bad my 400 was,
Took it back to Jessops and had no problem exchanging it for a different one which I’m more than happy with.

Andy Fozzy I see your location is Portsmouth, hope you haven’t got my old one!!

:lol::lol::lol:

Not anymore I haven't at least! I traded for a Alpha 300!
 
Static subjects/landscapes

I have all the focal points active, I half press the shutter a check which point light up. If I think the right ones have been selected, I fire the shot. If not I try again repositioning slightly. I remember taking some shots in a park near workshop of a church. Used a tripod, and cable release....OOF!

I often use a tripod in low light.

1. I wouldnt use multi focus points
2. where did you focus in the shot?
3. what f stop did you use?
4. If you used a tripod, hopefully you turn off the IS ?
 
You need to be wary of this when you're using Single Shot AF Mode. When you obtain focus and get the green focus confirmation light, the AF is locked as long as you maintain that half pressed position on the shutter button. It doesn't take much movement from the subject and/or yourself to throw your image slightly oof, so beware of holding that position too long.

Indeed, much better to use AF-ON and servo focus.
 
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