Beginner Looking for tips on getting images sharper please

Graeme Mills

Graeme Mills

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Hello all,

Been taking pics for a few years now, but now feel I really need some input from those in the know (thats you lot). I have many many questions, but thought i'd start with tis one: I really struggle to get really sharp images of birds (both stationary and in flight)- often end up with blurred edges etc. I have attached some images to illustrate my prob. Absolutely any feedback much appreciated.

Many thanks

GraemeView media item 13041View media item 13040
 
Settings seem to be right.. camera decent.. what lens are you using ?
 
Looking at the EXIF settings look ok (shutter speed is high enough) basically they look ok, but the subject is a little small in the frame. Oyster catchers tend to be a little twitchy and difficult to get close to so 300mm is probably a little too short. You need to try to get closer to the subject, either find something tamer or be more sneaky. For birds in flight practice makes a huge difference when it comes to getting good results, try the local park or anywhere there are gulls they make for good practice subject (numerous, large and tame).
 
Thanks very much. I do wonder if Im not getting close enough to some subjects, and (overly) rely on cropping to fill frame. I'll take your advice on gulls etc. Can I also ask- would I be correct in thinking I should always be on Servo mode for birds in flight (w/cross hair focus) and AI focus mode for stationary birds that may take off?

Thanks again- its really appreciated.
Cheers
 
I think you have to get closer to the subject. I suffer from the same sort of problem as you do. My reckoning is that you should be nearer than 30 yards to get a reasonable shot of a medium sized bird. Preferably 10 metres. But this is often difficult to achieve. (I use a Oly Em1 ii with a Panasonic 100-400mm)
 
The birds are quite small in the frame, I wouldn't rely on cropping.

Also, atmospheric haze/heat distortion play a big part in image sharpness when working with long focal lengths, something that's simple but often overlooked. I've seen people, locally, leaning on the door of their, car while it's running, to steady themselves too!
 
Distant bird/large crop obviously leads to loss of detail, seen as loss of sharpness. Always use servo af, even for something that appears to be standing still. Birds are never still! I presume you are using the centre af point? I'm not familiar with the af system on the 7D but with many (slightly older) cameras the centre point is more sensitive than the others. Other things to consider - How are you supporting the camera/lens? Is your lens still functioning at its best at 300mm? With some lenses it can help to pull back slightly. The light on the bird and the contrast of the bird affect how well or otherwise your af will work. The oystercatcher is a good example. It's small in the frame, the light looks like it wasn't great and it's basically a black bird. Your af might struggle even though it appears to lock. With birds, as with everything else, the light has to be right and you have to be in the right place - in this case, close.
 
Graeme Mills said:
Thanks very much. I do wonder if Im not getting close enough to some subjects, and (overly) rely on cropping to fill frame. I'll take your advice on gulls etc. Can I also ask- would I be correct in thinking I should always be on Servo mode for birds in flight (w/cross hair focus) and AI focus mode for stationary birds that may take off?

Thanks again- its really appreciated.
Cheers
Click to expand...

Cropping is the likely problem. It substantially reduces all aspects of image quality and effectively turns your DSLR into a small-sensor compact.

So always try to fill the frame, and shoot plenty - there's safety in numbers. When servo-tracking moving subjects, the focus is constantly shifting and may not always be spot on, and even at high shutter speeds you can get caught out (check your hand-holding technique is optimum) and birds tend to move in short jerky movements.

Other things that sometimes get overlooked: good light with a bit of sun increases contrast and enhances detail way more than a dull, overcast day. Atmospheric pollution is another thing that often plagues long lens photography - heat haze, moisture and dust in the air. Then there's the possibility that your camera/lens focus could need calibrating with the AF micro-adjustment feature but proceed with caution there and eliminate other obvious issues first.

Edit: welcome to TP :)
 
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Sharpness is not the be-all and end-all of photography. The oystercatcher looks, to me, to have been over sharpened. It is best if the bird looks like the real bird rather than like a sharp bird - birds are actually quite soft things.
 
Thanks all- a lot of really useful pointers. I think distance is a big factor as is the fact I shot both handheld (at 300mm).
Need to work on my technique (and my stalking skills..).

john.margetts said:
Sharpness is not the be-all and end-all of photography. The oystercatcher looks, to me, to have been over sharpened. It is best if the bird looks like the real bird rather than like a sharp bird - birds are actually quite soft things.
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Both pictures have been cropped, but neither have been sharpened (I've never really got into post processing, but maybe that's something I'll look into in the future). Thanks for the feedback.

Thanks again everyone- its a big help.

Plenty more questions where that came from... ;-)

Cheers all

Graeme
 
Jannyfox said:
Distant bird/large crop obviously leads to loss of detail, seen as loss of sharpness. Always use servo af, even for something that appears to be standing still. Birds are never still! I presume you are using the centre af point? I'm not familiar with the af system on the 7D but with many (slightly older) cameras the centre point is more sensitive than the others. Other things to consider - How are you supporting the camera/lens? Is your lens still functioning at its best at 300mm? With some lenses it can help to pull back slightly. The light on the bird and the contrast of the bird affect how well or otherwise your af will work. The oystercatcher is a good example. It's small in the frame, the light looks like it wasn't great and it's basically a black bird. Your af might struggle even though it appears to lock. With birds, as with everything else, the light has to be right and you have to be in the right place - in this case, close.
Click to expand...

I mostly use the crosshair (Canon) AF point, but sometimes use the centre "zone" for servo. Mixed results. Would you recommend the single af point?

Thanks

Graeme
 
Graeme Mills said:
I mostly use the crosshair (Canon) AF point, but sometimes use the centre "zone" for servo. Mixed results. Would you recommend the single af point?

Thanks

Graeme
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with cameras that have so many af points they're zoned. Mine has just 9, the centre being the cross type therefore the most sensitive. I focus on the eye if I can, but if I know the af is going to struggle I might use another part of the bird, so long as the dof is going to keep the critical area (head/eye) in focus. With your oystercatcher I'd be tempted to use the base of the bill, but really, with a 300mm lens you need to be closer. If you can get the bird large in the frame, in good light, you may find a lot of your perceived problems go away. Birds in flight is just practice, practice, practice, and remember that behind every pin sharp bird in flight image you see there'll be a huge number in the bin.
 
Graeme Mills said:
I really struggle to get really sharp images of birds (both stationary and in flight)- often end up with blurred edges etc.]
Click to expand...

Caution :) pursuit of this can end up being very expensive. Once you are sure you are getting as close as possible and getting the most from your gear and post processing, if you’re still not satisfied then better glass is the way to go. In my case 600 f4. Took a bit of getting used to, but finally delivering the results I was looking for.
 
It looks like both are out of focus to me. The plane of focus is underneath the oystercatcher where the strip of water is sharp. The second one all appears soft but it looks a little sharper on the rocks
 
OK, as a non-birder it seems there's 2 issues with these images that's a combination of technique and kit:

1) BIF - the photographer has failed to pan with the bird, so the water below the bird is sharp but the bird blurred, when it should be the other way around. Also the focus point may be a little behind the bird.
2) Looks a lot like a combination of camera shake (odd considering the 1/3200 shutter speed) and focussing in front of the bird.

None of these issues require expensive lenses to fix, but it would be worth checking that your kit is able to focus accurately at the sort of distances & conditions that you normally take pictures.
 
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