Beginner Avian Photography Help

[NateS]

That would be one sturdy setup....9 tripod legs would be hard to setup though..

Something isn't right with the OP's setup though. I've seen a thread (this forum or another...can't remember) and somebody was using the 70-300VR with a Kenko TC....(don't know if it was 1.4 or 1.7) and they were getting very, very acceptable shots. I also did a quick flickr search and saw many nice photos at 300mm....in particular a hawk/eagle (don't remember) at 300mm that was stunning and sharp.

They most likely used a tripod.

Three of them in fact.

Then why can I take the same set-up, both on and off the tripod, and get similar soft images?

Wait...so you get similarly soft images as to the ones posted in this thread from your 70-300 VR? I wonder if maybe there is some sample variation with this lens. I've heard of some, but thought it was minimal. Click the image below...the data shows that it was shot wide open at 300mm on the 70-300vr. Even viewed large, that is very acceptable sharpness and much better quality than what our OP here is getting with his.

Merlin (Falco Columbarius) on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[farmerj]

Wait...so you get similarly soft images as to the ones posted in this thread from your 70-300 VR? I wonder if maybe there is some sample variation with this lens. I've heard of some, but thought it was minimal. Click the image below...the data shows that it was shot wide open at 300mm on the 70-300vr. Even viewed large, that is very acceptable sharpness and much better quality than what our OP here is getting with his.

Merlin (Falco Columbarius) on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Yes, I have been getting similar results with soft images.

More so with the 70-300VR than the 16-85VR that I have.

As to the other question. ON the tripod, I typically will turn the VR off than to leave it on.

 

[Josh220]

Strange...

I guess that's all the more reason for me to get the 70-200

 

[NateS]

You guys should print off one of those focusing test charts and test your lens out. It just seems strange that most of the people are getting relatively sharp images throughout the range (most that I see are like the flickr link I posted) yet you two are getting subpar images at best. I honestly get better images from my Sigma 70-300 APO at 300mm than these and that's not supposed to be the case. I bet if the focus is off, Nikon would fix it for free (if under warranty). Would probably only cost you the shipping....would be worth a call to find out.

 

[farmerj]

You mean like these?

This was taken with my lens, in the house with flash. About 15 feet away from the camera to the chart
ISO640, 1/60, f/11

 

[NateS]

You mean like these?

This was taken with my lens, in the house with flash

Yes, like those, but it's suppossed to be taken at a 45 degree angle so you can see if you have front or back focusing issues. Can't tell that when taking the photo head on.

 

[farmerj]

I will work on taking a 45 degree shot. House isn't really set up on that for me. But I can make something work this evening.

Resolution chart can be found here.

I don't believe it's the same one I have printed out that I use. Mine was specifically set-up to print out for an 8X11 sheet of paper according to the website I found it on.

I have a bad habit of not always bookmarking those websites.

 

[Orangetang]

Downloaded the 1956 Chart and did what I could for a 45 degree shot, indoors. Used a tripod at ISO 800 / F5.6. It's still windy out.

I don't really know how to do this properly.

100mm

200mm

300mm

 

[farmerj]

I went and took the idea off of one of the forums I go to. Found a brick wall, picked a spot out, largest aperture of f/4.5 on the 70-300 and f/3.5 on the 16-85.

They were spot on.

Since I went back in and reset all of my picture controls, I have also "modified" them to back off the Sharpness 0 and Saturation +1 on Standard and Sharpness -1 and Saturation +1 on Vivid.

I have also turned off the "Active D-Lighting" completely in the menu option.

Pictures are coming out MUCH better.

 

[Orangetang]

Really the softness only becomes excessive above ~150mm or so for me. Wide-open at 300mm is F5.6, so I did my tests at 5.6. I'm beginning to think the lens is just soft in that range. Those flickr images are impressive, and they are sharper, but who knows how much post-processing was done.

The sad thing is how much more a GOOD telephoto costs. The 300mm is good glass, but only F4, for almost 3x the cost of a 70-300VR. From there on it is just scary expensive.

So no operator problems? It is a regular Hoya UV filter, but it does not seem to be causing the problems.

 

[farmerj]

I stopped using a UV filter entirely. I had a Quantary and another brand I got from Ritz. Probably the worst money spent when I bought the camera.

Only "operator" error I see in my end is the "settings" I put into the camera. It was really additive to each other and causing my issues more than anything.

 

[Dao]

Try this

Nikon D70 Focus Chart