Shots not sharp?

[WillW]

Hi,

I keep finding that many of my pictures are not as sharp as I want. I'm still using Av mode at the moment, gradually getting better with the camera. While there are some shot's I've taken that are perfectly sharp (my portrait pictures I posted the other day as an example), others I find I just can't get them in focus.

This has probably been asked many times, but any helpful tips you could give to try and stop this?

 

[gramps]

Camera shake?

 

[WillW]

I'm not sure, here is an example of whats happening with my pictures:


(Just a test picture - has nothing nice about it aside from the pose)

 

[punkuate]

Tripod/monopod, fast shutter speeds, check focus mode, watch how you're recomposing if you're doing focus-recompose, narrower apertures.

 

[punkuate]

Could you tell us the settings for that shot, please?

 

[WillW]

55mm, f/5.6, 1/30s @ ISO 1600, Canon EOS 500D

It was on Av mode, with Auto ISO

 

[Dave Stone]

1/30th is too slow for hand held so camera shake is more than likely the cause of the softness. Also ISO 1600 isn't going to help. Try using the flash and drop the ISO.

 

[tdodd]

Live subject shot at 55mm and 1/30 on a crop body using, I believe, an unstabilised lens, and I assume hand held. The clue is in the shutter speed.

 

[WillW]

Ok, thanks

Yeah, my lens doesn't have IS, but it was all I could afford at the time.

I will try using manual shutter speed more, I'm still getting used to everything.

 

[punkuate]

Shutter speed too slow! I generally don't hand hold below 1/80 if I can help it!

 

[tdodd]

You can raise the shutter speed but then your shot will be (even more) underexposed. You need more light.

 

[punkuate]

Ok, thanks

Yeah, my lens doesn't have IS, but it was all I could afford at the time.

I will try using manual shutter speed more, I'm still getting used to everything.

If you were using the 18-55mm, this was at widest aperture. I'd zoom out and get closer so you're able to open the aperture up a bit more.

I'd also check your exposure compensation, I've never really used AV, but this seems rather underexposed.

Any help you need, give me a shout

 

[WillW]

Thanks all for your help

I think in most cases where I've experienced this it's actually been due to poor lighting, and then the auto settings of the camera to compensate for the light.

Still learning the basics, but hope to get some much nicer portrait photo's soon.

 

[tdodd]

If you were using the 18-55mm, this was at widest aperture. I'd zoom out and get closer so you're able to open the aperture up a bit more.

That's not going to yield an especially flattering perspective. There's nothing wrong with the chosen focal length at the moment.

I'd also check your exposure compensation, I've never really used AV, but this seems rather underexposed.

Even by dialing in exposure compensation, where would the extra light come from? An even slower shutter speed.

There's more light on the background. The subject could be repositioned so that the light actually falls upon the face and eyes.

 

[punkuate]

Ok, thanks

Yeah, my lens doesn't have IS, but it was all I could afford at the time.

I will try using manual shutter speed more, I'm still getting used to everything.

That's not going to yield an especially flattering perspective. There's nothing wrong with the chosen focal length at the moment.



Even by dialing in exposure compensation, where would the extra light come from? An even slower shutter speed.

There's more light on the background. The subject could be repositioned so that the light actually falls upon the face and eyes.

Zooming out a bit on a crop sensor isn't going to make it mad wide angle or anything.

I just found it odd that the camera would pick that as correct exposure, but I really know bog all about AV, depends how its metered, I guess?

 

[Stratman]

As a very rough and ready rule of thumb, the slowest shutter speed for hand held shots should be the same as the lens focal length. So for your 55mm lens, you should be using no slower than 1/55, the nearest available speed being 1/60th of a second.

 

[tdodd]

As a very rough and ready rule of thumb, the slowest shutter speed for hand held shots should be the same as the lens focal length. So for your 55mm lens, you should be using no slower than 1/55, the nearest available speed being 1/60th of a second.

Just to expand on that, the guideline formula should be....

Shutter Speed >= 1 / (focal length x crop factor)

and it applies to a 10" print (or image) viewed from 12" away.

Thus for a camera with a 1.6X crop factor the guideline for a 55mm lens would be a shutter speed of at least 1/88, which becomes 1/100 for the next nearest faster speed. Of course, that would be for a 10" image, which many of us probably do not see displayed above, so some slack can be cut.

Even so, since some individuals can do better than the guideline, while others may do worse, it's a good target to aim for. IS would obviously influence the speed needed, if available, but that only deals with camera shake, not subject movement.

All things considered I think 1/30 was too slow. 1/60 would be safer and 1/100 much better. The problem then becomes the light. There needs to be more (flash, for example), or a faster lens which can suck in more light.

 

[lensflair]

Just to expand on that, the guideline formula should be....

Shutter Speed >= 1 / (focal length x crop factor)

and it applies to a 10" print (or image) viewed from 12" away.

Thus for a camera with a 1.6X crop factor the guideline for a 55mm lens would be a shutter speed of at least 1/88, which becomes 1/100 for the next nearest faster speed. Of course, that would be for a 10" image, which many of us probably do not see displayed above, so some slack can be cut.

Even so, since some individuals can do better than the guideline, while others may do worse, it's a good target to aim for. IS would obviously influence the speed needed, if available, but that only deals with camera shake, not subject movement.

All things considered I think 1/30 was too slow. 1/60 would be safer and 1/100 much better. The problem then becomes the light. There needs to be more (flash, for example), or a faster lens which can suck in more light.

Yep shutter speed too slow, some people can handhold down to very slow speeds but check your holding technique. Search for Joe macnally and what he calls 'da grip' it works well for hand holding at slow shutter speeds.

As mentioned a good guide is whatever your focal length is, ie 100mm no slower than 1/100th of a sec. Unless you have IS.

A lot of people say you can handhold down to 1/60th sec. And I think that is a misconception from the old days and flash sync speed on mechanical shutters. You can go much slower with flash so long as your subject is being substantially lit by it (won't work for fill flash) because its the short flash duration that freezes the movement.