I took this today..

[Live_free]

So, is it me, my eyes, camera or lens?

Is my camera broken?

How is the focus on this?

worse

 

[burstintoflame81]

If you are shooting in Av or Tv mode, it should have chose the correct exposure for you. Perhaps the camera is a little off, or you should try a different metering mode. They are all just different ways that the camera comes to its decision of what to set the camera to in order to achieve the correct exposure.

When I said what lens, I mean, brand, model, etc. If you are using a Cheap as dirt lens, then your advice might be a little different. If you are using a Canon L series lens with a 7D, you should have a tack sharp image.

 

[Natural_Disaster]

So, is it me, my eyes, camera or lens?

Is my camera broken?

How is the focus on this?

Even more out of focus than the first one to me....

 

[mostly sunny]

Oh snap. I said I was using a 50mm lens, I was using a 28mm. My lenses are Canon. That is a lens that was my Dads. I carry it with me.. I don't know if it's a cheap lens. all it says is Canon LENS EF 28mm 1:2.8

Then the one I just bought was says-
Canon lens EF 50mm 1:1.8 II

Then the one that came with my camera says..

Canon 28-135mm ultrasonic.

I did not use a tripod

 

[Tulsa]

so you used a non auto focus lens and no tripod? Thats your problem.

 

[mostly sunny]

So that switch on the lens that says...AF and MF mean? When I put it on MF the camera doesn't auto focus.

 

[Tulsa]

I was thinking the 28mm is an older MF lens.
I hope thats a sarcastic response

 

[mostly sunny]

I was thinking the 28mm is an older MF lens.
I hope thats a sarcastic response

Tulsa- Not sarcastic at all. I actually thought I was using the 50mm lens. So, I too, was surprised to find that I was 1, using the older 28mm and that is DID have the switch in it.

All this talk of lenses is making my head

But on that pink flower I had it on MF- Just, for.. no reason for it.. I just felt like trying it that way..

 

[Tulsa]

OK, if you were shooting in MF without a tripod I would say thats the reasoning it was not fully focused and sharp. Do you own a tripod? If not get one, even if its a cheap Walmart one.

And to answer your non sarcastic question, if its MF, its not going to AF.

 

[mostly sunny]

OK, if you were shooting in MF without a tripod I would say thats the reasoning it was not fully focused and sharp. Do you own a tripod? If not get one, even if its a cheap Walmart one.

And to answer your non sarcastic question, if its MF, its not going to AF.

I do have a tripod-- at work.. :blushing:

Ok good, I got the AF and MF-- The older lens only says M not MF, but I am pretty sure it means that same.. right? I am also under the impression that I could not use a lens that didn't have the little computer thingy on it with my camera. I do have a really old lens.. should I go see if that will fit my camera?

So, tomorrow I will take the same pictures in the same light and try to focus. I am working on nothing more than focus, and under exposing a little.

 

[rufus5150]

If not get one, even if its a cheap Walmart one.

For the love of god do not put a 7D on a cheap tripod! Unless you like buying new 7Ds, that is.

For most applications, mostly_sunny, the AF system, especially in the 7D, will be more than adequate in 99.9% of situations you're going to encounter. There's a lot of smarts in there and it'll free you up to learn the other features of the camera. Save manual focusing for when you're doing 1:1 macro or such. Learn the AF system on the 7D and you'll be impressed at how accurate and controllable it is.

That being said, my 7D is 13 ticks off focus for every lens, but you can micro-adjust that.

 

[potownrob]

Do you guys think that using spot or center-weighted metering would help much with these shots versus evaluative or matrix metering (or whatever Canon calls it)?? In the white flower shot, the dark green background looks to be causing the flower to overexpose (not to point out the obvious). Otherwise, I would recommend adjusting the exposure compensation settings, if the metering mode isn't the problem.

 

[Tulsa]

If not get one, even if its a cheap Walmart one.

For the love of god do not put a 7D on a cheap tripod! Unless you like buying new 7Ds, that is.

I didnt notice she had a 7d, Wow, thats alot of camera for a newb! I agree, dont use a cheap tripod for that.

 

[KmH]

So, is it me, my eyes, camera or lens?

Is my camera broken?

How is the focus on this?

No your camera isn't broken.

Digital camera image sensors have a filter in front of them (there are others too) called an Anti-Aliasing (AA) filter. You can read more about AA filters here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-aliasing_filter

The AA filter softens the focus of every image you make. Some of that softening is recovered by the processing from the RAW image data the image sensor captured to the JPEG image format the camera wrote to your memory card. It's called 'sharpening'.

Many photographers skip the in camera processing to JPEG by having the image RAW data recorded directly to the memory card, prefering to make any necessary adjustments to each image individually since the amount of sharpeing an image needs is generally unique to that image.

 

[sojourn]

I wholeheartedly agree to start shooting in RAW and bypass pre-engineered processing. I just switched recently and am very pleased with the results.

I did take a picture of one of my red Gerberas to show you what a PF can do to help shiny-petaled flowers. I desaturated just a hair.

Also, I would practice with manual focus for such close up shots and go for the center of the flower as your sharpest focus.

I agree, also, not to invest in a cheap tripod! Even the $80 one I bought gives me trouble on occasion...but that was all I could afford.