p.1 #5 · Out of Focus Images & Sharing with Clients
constellationX, put your post back - it's certainly nothing to be ashamed of.
A few things might be affecting your AF results. First and foremost you should use AF fine tune to get the best possible result from each lens that you use. You can assign one setting for each lens/teleconverter combination, which is a bit limiting for zoom lenses. A program such as FoCal will make it much more accurate than you might achieve by trial and error, but even trial and error can give remarkable improvements in AF.
Another variable that is more likely to occur with very large aperture lenses that have almost no DOF at maximum aperture is the direction from which focus is achieved. e.g. the results you get when the lens starts out focused beyond the subject could be different from what you get when the lens starts out focused in front of the subject. This is easily controlled by tweaking the focus ring a bit before starting the AF.
Another variable is that large aperture lenses often are not all that sharp at maximum aperture, which is the one the camera uses for AF. Some lenses are better than others. The more contrast the camera has to work with the more successful the AF is likely to be.
When judging the AF are you viewing the image at full size on the screen (i.e. 1:1 image pixels vs screen pixels) ? This is very onerous and can make you think something is softer than it really is. Try viewing at 50% size or from a greater distance at 100% to better simulate what a print might look like.
Have you applied what is called capture sharpening to your images ? This is essential for RAW files and probably already built into jpg files. It compensates for the way each pixel in the image is built from a physically larger group of pixels on the camera sensor.
By shooting RAW images you will have better control over your images but it comes at the expense of needing more work on your part. Well worth it unless you shoot many hundreds of shots that need to be processed and submitted in a hurry.
p.1 #7 · Out of Focus Images & Sharing with Clients
When I first started, I figured that if stopping down helped, then stopping down even more would help more. This works--up to a certain point. Then I went the opposite way. It got so I had to look carefully for something in sharp focus. Eventually I got good enough to use the aperture wisely. If I'm not sure, I will use several aperture settings to make sure I get the photo I want.
p.1 #8 · Out of Focus Images & Sharing with Clients
runamuck wrote:
When I first started, I figured that if stopping down helped, then stopping down even more would help more. This works--up to a certain point. Then I went the opposite way. It got so I had to look carefully for something in sharp focus. Eventually I got good enough to use the aperture wisely. If I'm not sure, I will use several aperture settings to make sure I get the photo I want.
I've begun changing the aperture several times for the same pose, just to make sure that it isn't because I'm shooting too wide that my images are coming up soft.
p.1 #9 · Out of Focus Images & Sharing with Clients
As to which aperture ... rather than taking multiple shots of same pose, I'd test my lens at various apertures in advance (non session) to know where my limits are. Then simply shoot within those limits, instead of "guessing" during a session.
Murphy's Law would have it such that "the one" that you wanted would be the one that was shot at "too soft" of an aperture. Knowing the aperture range for your optimal sharpness range is something you should figure out in a test setting, not as a bracketing exercise during a session.
Also, by running your tests, you'll have something you can compare against other lenses, or share with others to see if you have an issue with your lens being soft overall.
p.1 #10 · Out of Focus Images & Sharing with Clients
RustyBug wrote:
As to which aperture ... rather than taking multiple shots of same pose, I'd test my lens at various apertures in advance (non session) to know where my limits are. Then simply shoot within those limits, instead of "guessing" during a session.
Murphy's Law would have it such that "the one" that you wanted would be the one that was shot at "too soft" of an aperture. Knowing the aperture range for your optimal sharpness range is something you should figure out in a test setting, not as a bracketing exercise during a session.
Also, by running your tests, you'll have something you can compare against other lenses, or share with others to see if you have an issue with your lens being soft overall.
I have the biggest problem with my 50mm 1.8. But my 50mm 2.5 Macro and 40 2.8 also are struggling. Which is why I think its either me or the camera, itself.
As to the other lenses ... are you shooting these hand held, tripod mounted, ambient lighting w/ slow shutter speeds or fast shutter and electronic flash, manual or ETTL, remote release, etc.
Several different factors come into play for image sharpness. You could have a situation where you are front/back focusing also in conjunction with soft glass or other issues. Have you used the DPP software to see where your camera was using for a focal point and compare that with your image sharpness as to whether.
I'd suggest you should conduct some testing to compare your intended focal point vs. your image to see if you are front/back focusing. That and a full range of each aperture for each lens as a baseline.
I'm not a 50's kinda shooter, but the TDP images above wouldn't give me much confidence in that 50/1.8 II ... sample variation maybe, but ...
slrgear.com blur index looks to show some decentering and photozone.de reports some decentering also. photozone.de also points out that this is Canon's cheapest lens. So, given the indication from TDP, slrgear.com and photozone.de ... I think you may be expecting too much from the 50/1.8 II.
Technique, camera and other issues may be a factor, but I think the biggest issue with your 50/1.8 is probably your 50/1.8 ... it just looks to be a cheap soft lens, that doesn't get adequately sharp until you hit around 5.6-11 ... and may be de-centered in addition to that, which could be part of your "hit or miss" results problems too.
