Just got Canon SXi but not so impressed with all hyped about it

[Harix]

Hi gang!
Just got it 5 min ago, install the lens and battery. Took couple of test pictures with fully automatic, but pictures not what I expected. Look like not focus correctly. What should I do? Get a better lens?

 

[elemental]

When you say "not focus correctly" what exactly do you mean? There is certainly a focal point in those photos. Did it not focus on what you wanted it to? Were you using manual focus or auto?

 

[julie32]

what kind of lens is on there?

 

[dslrchat]

It is not a Point & Shoot.

Different AV TP for different effects and outcomes.

 

[Big Mike]

A whole 5 minutes?

You had better send it back?


(not really)

 

[dEARlEADER]

yeah... thats a problem with Canons... you should take it back for a Nikon to make things easier......:greenpbl:

DSLR's don't make great pictures... great photographers make great pictures.... keep shooting for a week and experiment.... it'll get better....

 

[julie32]

also--the fronts of the cars are focused great. Your lens is focusing on what is closest to you and bluring the background some it looks like. What are your settings?

 

[Alfred D.]

Hi Harix,

Congrats on that XSi. That's a fine dSLR, if I read the reviews correctly.

As elemental said, there is offhand not something visibly very wrong with the focussing. Bear in mind these are your first shots with that new machine. You still need to get used to it. You probably also still need to go through all the settings to finetune them to your M.O. Remember, it's not the camera that makes the image, it's the photographer. So if something's wrong with the image you know who you need to talk to.

Have fun!

 

[Overread]

Ok first off when posting shots on the forum resize to at most 1000 pixels on the longest side - 800 though is a better number - makes it easier to see the whole thing.

Secondly chances are that in the auto modes notice the little squares in the viewfinder with a dot in the middle that go red when you half press the shutter? Those are your focusing points, now in the auto modes the camera chooses which of them it thinks you should be using. Its a good fallback, but at times it just does not get the focus of the shot where you want it to be.
Now if I were you I would spend time playing with the auto modes and take note of the results you get - now when you feel ready set the camera to ap mode (apature priority mode). Its about the most used setting and is very versitile. Now in this mode you can define which focusing points the camera will use when auto focusing in on a shot - the centre is often set as there is where you are looking at.
I strongly suggest reading the manual as few times over and experimenting with things (the manuals for cameras contain good information on use andgetting started whilst one of the joys of digital is the ability to shoot and experiment without having to pay or wait for developing.

Good luck with the new camera!

 

[peterbj7]

Those images look fine to me, though they're not as I would have taken them. With your new camera you now have far greater control over depth of field than you ever had with a compact, and this is both a strength and a weakness.

You need to experiment with different apertures, which largely determine DoF for a given lens. But of course that also influences shutter speed, which can affect picture clarity. You have a lot to learn, by which I mean you're starting on a fascinating voyage of discovery. Just don't expect to learn it all at once - it ain't going to happen.

Someone asked what lens you have with the camera. That's a crucial point.

And no, don't take camera or lens back!

 

[Harix]

Wow, you guys faster than rabbit

When you say "not focus correctly" what exactly do you mean? There is certainly a focal point in those photos. Did it not focus on what you wanted it to? Were you using manual focus or auto?

I used the auto focus. The setting at the automatic. I meant not focused correctly, because as you can see.. the pictures aren't sharp.

what kind of lens is on there?

The lens was came with it. It's EF-S 18-55 IS kit.

also--the fronts of the cars are focused great. Your lens is focusing on what is closest to you and bluring the background some it looks like. What are your settings?

The setting is Automatic, and autofocus, stabilizer on.

yeah... thats a problem with Canons... you should take it back for a Nikon to make things easier......:greenpbl:

DSLR's don't make great pictures... great photographers make great pictures.... keep shooting for a week and experiment.... it'll get better....

Will try that. At this stage, I found my Sony DSC-H1 took a better, clearer picture than this. And it cost only 1/3 of the SXi

Again thanks for great response guys.:hugs:

 

[Alex_B]

.. the pictures aren't sharp.

They are very sharp. Just the depth of field is quite shallow since you used a wide aperture. Hence only objects at the distance you focused at appear un-blurred.

 

[joey-cakes]

are you shooting in raw or JPEG?
If you want it sharper you may want to do that in PP.

 

[dslrchat]

are you shooting in raw or JPEG?
If you want it sharper you may want to do that in PP.

Fully Automatic would be JPEG

 

[Alex_B]

I can only repeat, they are sharp, in particular the first one is very good in terms of sharpness.

If you want control over your depth of field, do not shoot full auto. Also, when you focus, decide where to focus and don't just let it happen randomly.