Help with 50 1.4 focus issue

[billross77]

Hey all! I am now on my second copy of the Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. I sent the first back since I could not get it to focus correctly. Now, the second is in, and I took some test shots. All shots were done at ISO 400 (mistake on my part), f2.2 at 1/60th. From 5 feet away all the photos seem reasonably sharp. When I back up to 10 feet they are anything but sharp. I have attached unprocessed images. For the life of me, I can't figure this out. My 85 1.8 is sharp all the time. My Tamron 28-75 2.8 is sharp all the time. Did I get a second bad copy or is it me?

I know I should have shot faster than 1/60th and that it should be semi soft at f2.2, but I would assume that the focus would be similar regardless of a 5 foot difference in space.


family-16-2 by billross77, on Flickr


family-15-3 by billross77, on Flickr

FYI...please excuse the poor lighting, I am trying to learn FEC. Dont tell my wife either, I made her get out of bed to pose for me.

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[MTVision]

Full/half body shots won't look as sharp as close up shots. Have you done a focus test with this lens to see if it has any focusing issues?

In the the one further away her face is almost completely in shadow - maybe that caused the lack of sharpness. I don't know for sure...

[christopher walrath]

Just what is your problem with these photographs? Your wife's face and eyes and everything on that plane seem to be in focus. The background is out of focus. But at f​/2.2 I can understand that being the case.

[Sw1tchFX]

These look just fine to me...

[The_Traveler]

At 1/60th and 10 feet away, just a tiny tremor makes an enormous difference in the focus.

It's like trying to hold a pencil still in the air and a yardstick. That length magnifies any tiny difference.
Put the camera on a tripod - or a table -, set the time release and hold the camera down, then compare image sharpness.

[o hey tyler]

This is not really the best benchmark for judging sharpness.

Indoor, ISO 400, handheld, 1/60s on a crop frame... Yeah, you've got a lot of stuff working against you.

That being said, these look fine.

[billross77]

Thanks guys. Maybe I'm just being too critical. To be honest I had to do a 100% crop to see the issue. I'll give it another chance.

[xjoewhitex]

Thanks guys. Maybe I'm just being too critical. To be honest I had to do a 100% crop to see the issue. I'll give it another chance.

Its nice to get 100% sharp, but I wouldn't stress it too much. I'd say you're being a little critical.

[Big Mike]

An 'old school' photographers once told me (or maybe I read it)....that the best way to determine the quality(s) of your photos, is to print them out at 8x10 and hold them at arms length. If you can still see focus/sharpness issues then, then you have a problem...if you can't, well then your photos are likely 'good enough'.

[gsgary]

User error, 1/60 too slow