Sharpness issue

merv

merv

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Mervyn
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Here are three shots taken recently at the Cotswold airshow which all exhibit softness after processing and sharpening. They were taken with a D3s with Nikon 300/2.8 and Nikon 2TC III converter. Shutter speed 1/1250 sec and camera on auto ISO. Any comments why they might not be sharp please. After seeing the quality of what others produce with this equipment it is quite depressing
1
DSC_0722.jpg

2
DSC_0721.jpg

3
DSC_0720.jpg

merv:bang:
 
I don't know the Nikon system, but maybe it would help others if you said how you were focusing...
 
Number of AF points active? AF Tracking settings? VR on or off? Tripod/monopod?

I havent got an EXIF viewer, but also you need to ensure that you are shooting around f10 to ensure the TC doesn't kill the IQ and not as much as f16 to avoid diffraction.
 
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I heard people say you need to be atleast 1/500th shutter speed for those jets..

I'm a newbie though, so don't take my word for it.
 
I think on a TC giving you 600mm you'd need 1/800th+

the last shot is the softest, others aren't too bad to be fair.
 
Just checked... all three are at f5.6, which is wide open for a 300 2.8 with 2x on it.

Thats simply not the sweet spot by a long way. Thats your problem.

Use manual and if you are faced with difficult changing light, use auto-ISO (unless its getting really bright because auto ISO won't drop below ISO200 into the L range)
 
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Your ISO seems rather high (450, 640, 560), which is probably increasing the noise level on your photos and affecting the sharpness. I always leave the ISO manually set at 100 unless poor light forces me to increase it. I guess you're also losing some quality by using a 2x convertor, though I don't know much about Nikon convertors.
 
ISO640 is not high on a D3S. He's probably getting about as much noise as you get at ISO100 :)
 
It's perfectly safe to leave auto iso at a max of 12800. No issues at all usually. During daylight hours it usually won't take itself above 1600. Unless it's a really carp day!


Kev.
 
It is also worth saying the light was pretty crap when those tonkas were displaying. I didn't get any pics even as good as yours but then I always struggle in situations like that.
I just checked a mates flickr and he has only posted one pic of them and that isn't as pixel sharp as he normally gets (D3 with 600mm) which I think says something about the conditions.
I also find my panning a bit hit and miss- I am quite capable of getting motion blur at 1/1000s with a 300mm DX lens so it wouldn't surprise me if that was a factor at 1/1250 on 600mm unless you are good at panning.
I'd guess it was a combination of low contrast light, large aperture combined with the TC and perhaps not perfect panning?

Toby
 
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