Erm.. Some questions & help (:

[talkplayandlove]

Hello people! Just want to ask if there is anywhere i can go to get my camera and lens checked? I'm using a 450D with kit lens and 50mm f/1.8. I usually use my 50mm to shoot stuffs though. Due to work and stuff i havent been shooting for long, and when i brought it out on Saturday, i just got this feeling that something is wrong. Haha~

I always use AV when i shoot with my 50mm, and always aperture f/1.8. However, i realised my shots when blown up on computer, they are blur.. And i'm talking about 90% of the shots, its not visible when view on the lcd though. However when shooting i had trouble with the auto focus because it just kept focusing on the wrong areas, haha. In the end i have to use MF or set the points (which is a hassle to me when im taking a lot of pics with limited time) ISO is always set to either 400/800.

Maybe i don't know my equipment well.. =/ I once saw somewhere in the forum that to check whether the pic is sharp is to zoom in 100% in the pic on the lcd right? I tried but it's blur when zoom in 100%.

So.. the summary of my questions are

1. Does the quality i set affect the blurness? Like i set to image quality Small normal and comparing with images taken in quality Large fine
2. What could be the cause of the blur pictures?
3. Where can i bring my camera and lens for checking (for free?Lol) ? My camera is still under warranty, my 50mm is not.

Thanks in advance! Still considered a newbie in shooting here!

 

[Dream Merchant]

Hard to say.

We have no idea since we can;t see any of your pictures.

Also, the 50mm f/1.8 is known to be soft wide open.

 

[zac08]

When shooting at f1.8, the DOF is thin... so slight movement will cause blurriness in your target area.

Also, ensure you use correct AF point for the target area and do not move your camera after that. At f1.8, it will be soft and may not be sharp enough for some, so consider stopping down to f2.8 or f4...

 

[Daedalus Trent]

yea, i think the setting your aperture to f1.8 is the main problem :sweat:

as zac08 said stop down your aperture to f2.8 or f4... or if you want everything in the frame to be sharp... all the way to f11! Try that and tell us if your blur problem is gone


and...one more thing... read up on Depth of Field!! ask google!! gogo!

 

[Buggy]

Hmm. Perhaps you can post a sample photo for us to tell whether it's a technical fault or lens problem.

In most cases.. Quality settings should not affect the sharpness that much.

 

[talkplayandlove]

Thanks thanks! I will post up a picture i took last night (While testing) when im home then you guys help me solve it ok! Haha, thanks for all the help so far

 

[catchlights]

Thanks thanks! I will post up a picture i took last night (While testing) when im home then you guys help me solve it ok! Haha, thanks for all the help so far

last Night? at home?
high chances that is hand shake issue.. if you are not using flash,

and if you are shooting at f1.8 only, more or less is mis focus.

 

[talkplayandlove]

uhm ok i uploaded the pics but i resized them a little cos i shoot in large and the file size too big =/

my cat taken at home at night though, was testing my camera on the blurness part
click on the link to view? i think its too humongous to put it up here hehe

cats
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l274/junsulove/test.jpg
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l274/junsulove/test2.jpg

flower (this was taken at a thrift store at bukit timah)
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l274/junsulove/test3.jpg

all unedited

do let me know if its normal? cos i actually never experience sth like this before (keep getting blur shots)

thanks!

 

[zac08]

Just OOF... stop down the aperture more...

 

[Dream Merchant]

uhm ok i uploaded the pics but i resized them a little cos i shoot in large and the file size too big =/

my cat taken at home at night though, was testing my camera on the blurness part
click on the link to view? i think its too humongous to put it up here hehe

cats
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l274/junsulove/test.jpg
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l274/junsulove/test2.jpg

flower (this was taken at a thrift store at bukit timah)
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l274/junsulove/test3.jpg

all unedited

do let me know if its normal? cos i actually never experience sth like this before (keep getting blur shots)

thanks!

They're not blur. Just that when shooting wide open and close-up, you get very shallow depth-of-field.

In the first shot, a plane somewhere between the fur on the snout and the feathering just behind the cat's whiskers is in focus. You might have a bit of motion blur or hand-shake.

In the second shot, the peennnkkkkk nose is sharper than everything else. Your camera may have locked onto this point, or somewhere just a fraction of a mm in front of the nose.

In the last shot, the petals on the right hand side flower, closer towards you is in focus.

As recommended, stop down the lens more, and learn to select the area you want/need to be in focus.

Hope this helps some.

CHEERS!

 

[Buggy]

The photo looks fine. Use a higher f. no so that more areas will not be blur (larger depth of field).

 

[megaweb]

1. Does the quality i set affect the blurness? Like i set to image quality Small normal and comparing with images taken in quality Large fine
2. What could be the cause of the blur pictures?
3. Where can i bring my camera and lens for checking (for free?Lol) ? My camera is still under warranty, my 50mm is not.

1. Quality settings does not affect blurness.

2. Depend. Could be user or camera fault.

3. You should find out the cause of the blurness first. It would be better to post your shots here with EXIF info.

 

[Octarine]

do let me know if its normal? cos i actually never experience sth like this before (keep getting blur shots)

Your shots are not blur but have a very shallow Depth of Field. Reason is that you shoot wide open and very close to the subject. Secondly, you seem to aim at the nose of the cats which makes the eyes being out of focus (OOF) already. All faces look sharp and good once the eyes are sharp. Check which focus point you are using and which AF method. I suggest using a single focus point (center) and the AF Single Shot mode. Then aim at the eyes with this focus point, lock the focus and recompose the image.
Take a look at this article about Depth of Field and use the calculator for your own checks. You'll see how your aperture affects DOF and which settings could be better for your cases. Any DOF of about 5cm should be ok to get nose, eyes and ears in focus - resulting in a picture looking sharp.
Btw: nice cat shoots, I like the expressions you have captured. Reminds me of my cats I had some time ago.

 

[talkplayandlove]

OH OKAY I GET IT NOW
Suddenly i feel very dumb, to have you guys explaining things to me but im glad i learnt some stuffs!

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will definitely read up more on DOF and aperture info