Hi Guys,
Struggling with this one, I'm using a D7000 & a 50mm 1.8. Trying to shoot portraits at F1.8, but they seem to be conning out really soft.
I'm focusing around the eyes.
Any advice?
The last picture looks like the focus was on the fern in the background, not the people.
I agree, but the focus point was on the couple. :-/
Maybe the lens.
Assuming that you have centre point selected the next question is why it missed focus. It could have missed because it couldn't achieve a lock, where abouts on which person was the focus point?
If you used centre focus, then reframed, at f/1.8 there's a fair chance that the subject won't be in focus.
for your second example F/1.8 is far, far too wide, you would only have some hair on the back of their heads in focus.
I suggest you start at f/4 minimum
I'm really looking for bokeh in my shots, so stopping down will kill that. :-(
I disagree with this.
Firstly, at the distance in that shot the depth of field will be more than adequate; here's a similar framing taken at f1.4 - you need to be pixel peeping to tell her face isn't quite as sharp at his, you'd never see the difference on an A3 print.
Secondly, even at much closer distances where shallow DoF is significant the results look fine. Here's a head and shoulders shot at f1.4 - the eyes are sharp, that's all that really matters.
Not necessarily. f/1.8 - f/2.2 won't make a great deal of noticeable difference in general terms. Certainly not in the single portrait you posted above with the sea that far in the distance.
The only lens of mine I'll happily shoot wide open is the 135L
A lens with an aperture of f/1.8 being shot at f/1.8 isn't going to be its sharpest aperture. The image I was talking about was the one of the back of a couple, its not a sharp eyes only image as you can't see them. It would be pointless to use such a wide aperture and small depth of field for this image. Please re-read my post and be aware what image I'm referring to - thanks
Maybe we'll just agree that we use different techniques - This is an example of what I mean. This image was shot at f/5, its more a snapshot and its a small file but the point I make is that at f/5 you can sufficient depth of field and also the background is put into bokeh and using my single focus point, half press to get focus on eyes then recompose:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61780014@N08/9580085491/
I one 100% agree with you that the OP#s issue is 100% to do with not getting the point of focus correct