f-stop too high

  • Thread starter Thread starter RobC
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RobC

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Ok, so I'm finding myself in more and more 'hides' desperately trying to bag some birds. My set up is as follows, 50D canon ef 70-200 USM (non-is).

Iso usually set between 200 and 400, f-stop 4 or 5 and my images are not exactly pin sharp. I'm a total novice with photoshop so limit my sharpening to one pass of the sharpen filter. I know a lower f-stop will decrease my shutter speed but will it (if I keep the camera nice and still) sharpen my images?

examples can be supplied.
 
You have the sharpest 70-200mm lens in existance - it is pin sharp wide open.

What shutter speed are you getting? You can hold the camera as steady as you like but the wildlife you are photographing don't stay very still so unless you are lucky your shots will show subject blur.

How much are you cropping & are you shooting raw?

(Examples help lots)
 
RichardtheSane said:
You have the sharpest 70-200mm lens in existance
Click to expand...

Really??? Isn't it a Canon not a Nikon though :naughty::naughty::naughty:

Well at least that comment knocks the crappy lens possibility on it's head, so we are indeed back to shutter speed (unless you can't focus either!!!)

DD
 
I agree, concentrate on your focus and shutter speed. Wide open should be pin sharp with that lens.
 
Thanks for the comments. Here's one from today

4269442806_1e1f502d29_o.jpg


f4
ISO 200
1/500
60% crop
Handheld

Oh and in case it makes a difference editing/viewing on an IBM thinkpad (with very little monitor calibration capabilities)
 
It would be camera shake or subject movement, I have seen images with the 50D up to 1600 ISO, do not be afraid to use it in order to get your shutter speed up.

In a permanent hide rest the lens on the window ledge, or on a bean bag, anything to help keep the camera still.

For Birds you are looking at 1/250 min, 1/500 ideal and 1/1000 in flight as a rough guide.

Noise can always be removed with Noiseware / Noise Ninja or the like :thumbs:
 
Focus point needs to be over the eye - looks like the feet are sharper than the head/beak to me?
 
RichardtheSane said:
Focus point needs to be over the eye - looks like the feet are sharper than the head/beak to me?
Click to expand...

Cheers for all the comments and suggestions.

I think you're right, although in camera the focus point shows as over the head...... one of us moved I guess !!
 
OK it looks fine with a pass through "Adjust Sharpness"

Re-sizing images for the web can cause them to loose some sharpness.

Process your image, run noiseware if required then "Save For Web" at 1280 pixels on the longest edge, set at maximum on the quality slider, (put this in a folder 1280 temp).

Close without saving your original image, now open the 1280 pixel image from your temp folder and sharpen twice, now "Save For Web" at 800 pixels, adjust the quality slider to give 180KB (put this in a re-sized folder).

If it looks over done on the sharpening once you have it at 800 pixels and 180KB, just undo the 2nd sharpen and repeat the save process (at 800 pixels), this depends a lot on how much cropping has been done to the original image, and can only be judged image by image.

To be honest your shot is fine once I sharpened it a bit more, I had to reduce the size a bit.

 
Martyn... said:
OK it looks fine with a pass through "Adjust Sharpness"

Re-sizing images for the web can cause them to loose some sharpness.

Process your image, run noiseware if required then "Save For Web" at 1280 pixels on the longest edge, set at maximum on the quality slider, (put this in a folder 1280 temp).

Close without saving your original image, now open the 1280 pixel image from your temp folder and sharpen twice, now "Save For Web" at 800 pixels, adjust the quality slider to give 180KB (put this in a re-sized folder).

If it looks over done on the sharpening once you have it at 800 pixels and 180KB, just undo the 2nd sharpen and repeat the save process (at 800 pixels), this depends a lot on how much cropping has been done to the original image, and can only be judged image by image.

To be honest your shot is fine once I sharpened it a bit more, I had to reduce the size a bit.

Click to expand...

HOLY COW !!!!
Is that the same picture !!!

Thanks for this I've cut and pasted your post into a word doc :thumbs:
 
RobC said:
HOLY COW !!!!
Is that the same picture !!!

Thanks for this I've cut and pasted your post into a word doc :thumbs:
Click to expand...

It is something I picked up from a US forum, the theory is to make the first save at 1.6 times the finished size, so for an 800 pixel x 1.6 = 1280.

With cropped images you may only manage one sharpening pass on the 1280 image, sometimes after the second sharpening pass it looks awful, until you save at 800 pixels and set the quality at 180kb (or thereabouts), but you will see the result in the preview screen, if it still looks over cooked just cancel, undo the 2nd sharpen and save.

I could do the whole process in less time than it took me to type this post :thumbs:
 
speed as high as possible.. large f will differentiate the object from surroundings..its a portrait..go for the eye/s

focussing sounds like its hard to keep up with the movement of the bird?
 
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