Missing Focus?

[astroNikon]

If you want start testing things.

Pick an object (lamp, stuffed animal, etc) then use a tripod and then handhold. And use various shutter speeds/ISO. then check the sharpness of the photo.

Practice getting sharp photos and figure out if it's your technique or equipment. ie, replicate the image by a variety of settings and compare tripod vs handheld.

it might be the lens is sharp at f/8 and fuzzy at f/4. I don't know that lens at all so I cannot comment.

fyi, I was going to ask if there was a filter on your lens too.

 

[AndyH]

Thanks for the link to the video. I tried sharpening but it didn't help any. I hope my camera is not messed up. I agree the pictures straight from the camera do not look good!

 

[dennybeall]

Most zoom lenses have a sweet spot at about mid-point in their range. Try some shots with a tripod and fast shutter speed to see if your lens is that way.

 

[Piccell]

Check this out:

Focus pdf

Focus 2

Test chart

 

[smoke665]

I'm not into Canon, but just curious, as no one else has mentioned it. Doesn't this lens have IS with a switch to turn on/off. Is it possible you have the IS turned off??

 

[table1349]

It is an IS lens however I would suspect from viewing the photo that if it an IS issue it is because IS was left on and the camera was on a tripod.

 

[Designer]

I hope my camera is not messed up.

If you know someone with a really good Canon lens, ask borrow it for a few shots. Compare those shots with the ones out of your current lens.

If you don't know anybody with a better Canon lens, take your camera into a photography equipment store, and ask to do that with one of theirs.

It's probably not your camera so much as your lens.

Did Canon offer an update to the firmware that you haven't yet downloaded?

 

[OGsPhotography]

The lens is pretty decent IMO. A better lens wont matter but one thats not broken will.

That 18-135 IS STM should take sharp photos in the regular sense of the word easily.

Probably you just need to add light and stop down the aperture a bit. At 5:30 where I am the sun can be behind trees and pretty low on the horizon, very shadowy and not a lot of light. Your pic seemed to have enough light though the girl was squinting.

What was the camera body I missed that info.

Can you get any sharp shots or was it this one particular photo?
Turn AF on.
Use single point focus?
Maybe your back focusing?

I dont personally think IS affects much for portraits Inalways leave mine in but Im just learning the ropes.

Use a flash you'll see if it can be sharp or not.