HELP...........blurry pictures

[Furby]

Hello to everyone and I hope I'm not too amateur to be here, I found this forum after googling for help with a photography problem I have and thought I'd register and see if anyone can help me.

Okay, my problem is blurry pictures. I'm pretty certain it isn't camera shake as I have the problem when shooting at a 200th with flash and from what I've read camera shake is very unlikely at such speed. I have a Canon 30D digital camera that I have recently got and I'm new to photography. If I am shooting close up pictures then all seems well, I also seem to be doing ok when using the centre focusing point, but the problems come when I use any other AF point. Let us say for instance I'm taking a picture of someone full length, so I have the camera sideways and select the top AF point so as to get the persons face in focus, I position to get the selected AF point on the persons face, it flashes red and shot is taken, but virtually every time without fail the persons face will be blurry (it is very frustrating). Can someone please tell me what am I doing wrong or is there fault with the camera? It is wierd but sometimes although the persons face will be blurry what's around the person may be in focus, which is so strange and leaves me feeling the camera has a mind of it's own.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

I would probably help if you could show up some examples and include the EXIF data (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, mode, lens used, focus mode etc)

At 1/200 with a lens of moderate length, you shouldn't have too much camera shake...but it's still possible.

Can you get it to focus accurately by using the centre focus point and recomposing? Personally, I never use the other focus points. In the scenario you described, I would use the centre focus point to focus on the person's eyes/face and then recompose the shot without focusing again (lock the focus) then shoot.

It is possible that the problem could be a mis-aligned lens or something in the camera's focus system. In which case, you would need to send/take it into a Canon service depot for adjustment.

 

[sabbath999]

What lens are you using? Camera shake may be unlikely if you are using a short lens, but if you are using a 70-300 then it is most likely the problem.

I will wager dollars to doughnuts that the problem is not with the camera. Not to worry, we have all been there.

 

[Furby]

Thanks for the very quick replies. The lens is the Canon 24-105 with Image Stabilizer as I got a good package deal and I have the IS always on.

I never thought about just using the centre point and recomposing but I will give that suggestion a try to see how I get on with it.

 

[subimatt]

hmm, was it the 28-135 IS that came with the camera? or the 24-105L IS? Could it possibly be back focusing/ and or bokeh confusion?

 

[sabbath999]

Thanks for the very quick replies. The lens is the Canon 24-105 with Image Stabilizer as I got a good package deal and I have the IS always on.

I never thought about just using the centre point and recomposing but I will give that suggestion a try to see how I get on with it.

Unless I am trying to track multiple fast moving objects (birds in flight), I only use the center focus point, lock focus where I want it, and recompose...

Coming from the old days of "split screen manual focusing" this comes natural to me, but I think it is a good place to start looking at your problem.

With IS on and 200th of a second, your issue certainly shouldn't be camera shake.

 

[Furby]

I've tried using only the centre focus point, locking focus and recomposing but no improvement whatsoever, infact if anything the results are worse.

What it looks like to me is that either I don't know what I'm doing or the cameras focus is faulty and is focusing wrong. I don't want to post photos just at the minute because so far I've only been practising on family and don't want to put their pictures up so I'm going to have to describe as best I can what's happening.

Ok, let's say I'm taking a picture of someone, either full length or head and torso, whatever, I aim the focus point over the persons face and half press to get focus lock and then recompose and take the picture. In the picture though the face is blurred, but often what's around the face might be in focus as if the camera has somehow focused wrong.

One thing I'd like to ask, does the focus point that flashes red, is it at that precise point where the camera should focus or can it be around that red box? What I'm trying to figure out is if even by me aiming the focus point over the area I want in focus could the camera be somehow choosing an area close to it?