still getting soft pictures

gaddypaid

gaddypaid

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gary
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18564408131_3d1f7a2c58_b.jpg

came back from an outing and alot of my pictures are soft. i got a large 150-600 tamron zoom not opened all the way my iso is low , my shutter was low since it was stationary and its a sunny day. whats going on i am loosing alot of pictures which i cannot recover. When i look through the viewfinder its clear focused but once picture is viewed on screen its crap. I am using a D5200 look at the exif stats on flicker even the focus position was right over the eye when viewed.
Im loosing confidence in my shots and rarely keep any. If i go back to my nikon 300 vr i wont get the reach and worried they will turn out the same.
Any ideas how i can fix this....cheers

picture wont load here is the link
https://flic.kr/p/uhtrLg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Shutter speed is too low. Increase ISO.

At that shutter speed (1/640) you would need some sort of additional support ie tripod/bean bag.

I've attached a pic of a cuckoo I took a couple of weeks ago,
1/3200 f8 ISO 1000

I use a 600mm lens all the time & for me I need to be about 1/2000 or higher &I usually stop my lens down to about f8 & I can honestly say I don't think I've ever had my ISO below 800. View attachment 38956
 
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Has this lens got IS, if so was it on?

You we're on the border line as far as shutter speed is concerned. 1/1000 would have been better.
 
1/640th isn't to slow for that type of shot. The bird is walking or standing only so you shouldn't such fast shutter speeds even at the longer focal lengths. It could be a combination of a poor lens, poor technique. Look at trying to take a similar type shot on a tripod or from a solid base and see how you get on, if that makes a difference then look at your long lens technique.
 
since the bird was not moving i thought the shutter speed would of been ok and the iso would of given more noise if i increased it.
 
gaddypaid said:
since the bird was not moving i thought the shutter speed would of been ok and the iso would of given more noise if i increased it.
Click to expand...

Birds are always moving,
You could've been moving too
Weather conditions also play a huge part
Sharp photographs with a bit noise always look better than blury ones.
As has been said before technique is crucial especially with longer lenses.
 
minnnt said:
It's not too slow. I have sharp shots taken at 500mm at 1/80.
Click to expand...

Yeah so do I, but If we are talking about bird photography, no matter how good your technique is you're relying on Lady Luck at those shutter speeds.
The slightest movement will be recorded as blur which I'm sure you're well aware of.

On reflection the photograph of the lapwing isn't out of focus, I think it looks a bit washed out due to being overexposed, the whites are blown & detail in the rest of the photograph is lost.
 
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minnnt said:
These were of birds. 1/640 is plenty quick enough imo. Obviously faster would be better, but it's hardly slow.

Have you done any testing?
Click to expand...

I think he's new to this lens so probably not used to longer lenses.
 
nice picture Drexyl thats how mine should come out.
Just took a test shot and this was my outcome most pics are similar.
https://flic.kr/p/tZYXwb
Is there a sweet spot for this lens and do you always shoot at 600.
Digisatman love your picture too want mine to come out looking that sharp.
when you guys look through the view finder is it the same once you have taken the picture?
 
i have had the lens for a few months now some good and some bad shots.
 
gaddypaid said:
nice picture Drexyl thats how mine should come out.
Just took a test shot and this was my outcome most pics are similar.
https://flic.kr/p/tZYXwb
Is there a sweet spot for this lens and do you always shoot at 600.
Digisatman love your picture too want mine to come out looking that sharp.
when you guys look through the view finder is it the same once you have taken the picture?
Click to expand...

f/22 is probably too small an aperture for that camera; that image looks diffracted to me. Try f/16.
 
Yeah I do mate. I use a 600mm prime ..
I sometimes add a 1.4 x t.c.

To find your sweet spot I would suggest stopping down to f8 & start taking some test shots of the same thing at different f stops

Make sure your camera is supported & if possible use a cable/remote release.
If you don't have one use the cameras self timer.

At least this will get you started.
By the way whereabouts are you based?
 
gaddypaid said:
nice picture Drexyl thats how mine should come out.
Just took a test shot and this was my outcome most pics are similar.
https://flic.kr/p/tZYXwb
Is there a sweet spot for this lens and do you always shoot at 600.
Digisatman love your picture too want mine to come out looking that sharp.
when you guys look through the view finder is it the same once you have taken the picture?
Click to expand...

Gary, why were you at f22 and ISO3200 - the image doesn't appear noisy but I'd have dropped the ISO down and brought my aperture down too.

To show your photos, you need to click on the arrow on your photo in flickr and then select the BB code.

gaddypaid said:
when you guys look through the view finder is it the same once you have taken the picture?
Click to expand...

Only if your focus screen is showing that the shot is in focus. The dioptre adjuster on the side can change the focus of the viewfinder to accommodate eyesight differences. Best way is to get the camera set up on a tripod and focus on a subject that is static then adjust your viewfinder until this too is in focus.
 
i am based in west midlands.
The reason it was at f22 it was in shutter mode to see if it helped but it went a bit high.
 
gaddypaid said:
18564408131_3d1f7a2c58_b.jpg

came back from an outing and alot of my pictures are soft. i got a large 150-600 tamron zoom not opened all the way my iso is low , my shutter was low since it was stationary and its a sunny day. whats going on i am loosing alot of pictures which i cannot recover. When i look through the viewfinder its clear focused but once picture is viewed on screen its crap. I am using a D5200 look at the exif stats on flicker even the focus position was right over the eye when viewed.
Im loosing confidence in my shots and rarely keep any. If i go back to my nikon 300 vr i wont get the reach and worried they will turn out the same.
Any ideas how i can fix this....cheers

picture wont load here is the link
https://flic.kr/p/uhtrLg
Click to expand...

The image posted looks like focal point was at least a couple of feet in front of the bird, which would explain softness.
 
gaddypaid said:
i am based in west midlands.
The reason it was at f22 it was in shutter mode to see if it helped but it went a bit high.
Click to expand...

F/22 is going to give diffraction based softness no matter what. As was eluded to earlier in the thread, poor technique is the cause.
 
if you read up on the tamron it states that diffraction creeps in above f/11, so in that aspect it has quite a narrow range (f/8-f/11 ) being where you want to be at for sharpest shots).
plus i think your overstretching yourself a little and expecting to much. for a 600mm lens you should be close enough to pretty much fill at least half the frame and your not even close to that. add in the handheld and you ahve to also factor in that your using a crop sensor camera so your focal length equiv is going to be 900mm so your shutter speed should be higher.
sure with IS you can go lower and in theory you shouldnt have an issue at 1/640 but combine a subject thats to far away in the first place even for this lens, handheld, an f stop thats going to cause serious diffraction and that really should answer your questions as to the problem.
suggest you try something a little closer shoot at f/8 around 1/800th sec or above with a subject that fills the frame then see the difference.
 
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