Beginner Focus issues photographing fish.

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harry
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Hello, I have a second hand Canon 600d with a fixed 50mm lens. I mainly use it for fishing an photographing what I catch. However I have real issues with focusing on both me and the fish I have tried moving the fish as close to me as possible but that doesn't help, I mainly use the auto function as I'm no expert with the camera. Any help would be amazing ill attach a couple of pics of the problem.
 
You may have it set at a large aperture. If you are with the camera now view one of the images details. The aperture number begins with a f. If its a lower number try increasing it.
 
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How correct would one be presung an SNR 'Selfie' holding the camera at arms length, maybe 3 ft, pointing backwards?
If so,
1/ the closest focus distance on a 50mm lens will be something over a foot.. I have long arms, I might be able to hold the camera two and a half foot from my face if I lea back a bit but its stll rather a short subject range!!!
2. The Depth of Field, front to back focus on a 50mm lens between the nearest focus range and perhaps 3 feet will be measured in mm at almost all apertures.. focus will be critical and limited to a very slim zone infront and behind the subject range, that s small enough to see noses and ears drop out of focus, if you focus on the eyes.
3/ With a 50mm lens at that sort of close range, I would not expect to be getting full length photo's... it would be a bit tight to get head and shoulders portraits.. whch hints you may not be dong arms length selfies... but still... a 50mm lens, is probably a tad too 'telephoto' for this sort of situation, where I would imagine that a kit 18-55, and probably set at the wider 18,, end towards perhaps the middle 35mm zoom setting would, probably be the more appropriate

Basic advice would be to back up, put more space between your subject (you & the fish), and the camera, probably a couple of meters or more, get some-one else or a tripod to hold the camera, if needs! (You may need to use the self timer or a remote release) Use less zoom, or a shorter lens. Check the camera settings, you probably don't need it setting the very low f-number apertures a 'prime' 50mm lens can, so pick an con mode like the head and shoulders, to get the camera to pick a more moderate aperture, or go semi-manual, using aperture priority... to pick one yourself, something higher than f4 I would suspect....

BUT also eliminate the 'dumb' and check that the lens IS turned 'on' to Auto-Focus! and you aren't knocking it off adjustment how you are holding the camera or something, and read the manual to see what focus 'scheme' its using... if you are using a single point AF mode and that dots not on you or the fish when you aren't looking through the view-finder, the focus could be anywhere!
 
Trying to work out to attach a few pics but keeps saying size is to big.......
 
Here we go 2 examples one when its focused on the fish and one where its focused on me!!
 

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It looks like the depth of field, the 1st the fish is close to the face and the area in focus covers both the face and the fish. In the second there is a much greater distance between the fish and face and the area in focus goes not go back as far as the face.

To increase the depth of field change the F number to a larger figure such as F8 or F11 to increase the area in focus.

A youtube video which may help.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uU9O8c7Hss
 
Taking the photograph with a shorter focal length lens, or with a greater distance between you and the camera will also help increase the depth of field. Do this in combination with a higher f/number for a narrower aperture will make this easier. Most lenses are also sharper stopped down a little, with f/8 usually around the sharpest point for a large number of lenses.
 
50mm lens at f/8 at a distance of 8 feet should give you between 2 and 3 feet of acceptable focus area, which should be plenty.

For comparitive purposes,
50mm at f/4 at a distance of 5 feet will only give less than half a foot of acceptable focus area.
You have to bare in mind, as well, that there will be a point of critical focus that will be sharper than other things that are inside the area of acceptable focus.
 
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