40d Problem/Question

[itsanaddiction]

Hey y'all! So I have a Canon 40D with an 17-85 mm IS Lens (Sorry if it's a little off, it's not in front of me). I took pictures today and it seems as if every other picture is out of focus. It's the strangest thing. Would you happen to have any thoughts/suggesions!? Thanks

 

[Jon0807]

Do you have any examples of the photos?

 

[El2]

Make sure you have the focus on the lens set to AF (auto-focus), it could be on MF (manual focus) that's why your pictures are coming out blurry?

 

[Big Mike]

We would need to see the photos and it would also help to have the shooting (EXIF) info for the shots.

95% of the time, it's user error (or user ignorance).

What was the light like at the time you were shooting? When there is not much light, you need a slower shutter speed to get an exposure...and a slower shutter speed will cause blur if either the camera or the subject are moving.

 

[itsanaddiction]

This is one:

I hope I linked it right. It was 12PM. The camera was on AF. And I'm not sure how to give the data. The ISO was 400 though.

 

[clbowie]

It may not be the photographer, but the camera ....

When hubby bought his 40D he had to return it because it wouldn't focus either.

 

[itsanaddiction]

Wow! I would cry if that was the case!

 

[Sim]

It's a bit hard to tell at that size how sharp the picture is, but it looks to me that the woman (mom?) on the right's hair is in focus. What aperture were you using?

 

[El2]

I agree with Sim. It looks like the focus fell on the woman's hair.

 

[itsanaddiction]

Photos by
Danielle

Nov 2, 2008
172 photos - 53 MB
Unlisted

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Photo information
Nov 2, 2008
1600×1068 pixels – 188KB


Filename: 121.JPG
Camera: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 40D
ISO: 400
Exposure: 1/80 sec
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 53mm
Flash Used: Yes
Latitude: n/a
Longitude: n/a

 

[itsanaddiction]

http://picasaweb.google.com/StJohnSugarLX/SwampFest?authkey=6vm9DgUJy3U#

This is the entire album, if anyone wants to look. I'm wondering if the baby was just moving too much....I just don't know. The baby pix are towards the bottom!

 

[Photog]

Looks to me like a simple case of a too shallow DOF. Your aperture of f/5.6 is too narrow to allow both the woman and the baby to be in focus with them at different distances from the camera.

 

[Big Mike]

This is one:

I hope I linked it right. It was 12PM. The camera was on AF. And I'm not sure how to give the data. The ISO was 400 though.

This photo isn't "out of focus"...but it has a very shallow DOF (depth of field) which makes parts of it sharp and parts of it blurry. In this case, the woman is sharper than the baby. The farther away from the camera, the blurrier it gets, just look at the baby's hands.

There are several ways to control the DOF, the most important way is to use the aperture of the lens. A larger aperture (smaller F number) will give you a more shallow DOF. A smaller aperture (higher F number) will give you more DOF.

When you are using a large aperture / small DOF, it's important that you concentrate on what the camera is focused on. Many people don't use the 'all points' focus mode and instead choose a single AF point and use that to lock the focus on what you want it to be on. I like to use the centre point almost all the time.

There are other issues that go along with this, but let's leave that for later. For now, concentrate on focusing on what you want to be in focus....and see if that doesn't help.

 

[itsanaddiction]

How do I use the "All Points" focus? I've never used that. Thanks.

Oh and I know there are issues with this pic, but it was just a snapshot and spur of the moment. Thanks for helping!

 

[Big Mike]

How do I use the "All Points" focus? I've never used that. Thanks.

You camera has several AF points, correct? They are the little boxes in the viewfinder that light up red when they are focused on something. The default setting is usually for all of them to be active, and the camera chooses which one (or ones) to use. That's the problem, because the camera may choose something that is different from what you want.

There will be a button (or menu function) that will allow you to scroll through the AF points, so that you can choose to use just one or all of them. Read your manual for exactly how to do this.

I have my cameras set to use only the centre point. Then when I'm shooting, I put the centre point exactly where I want the lens to focus and activate the AF. When the lens has locked onto that spot, I will move the camera and recompose the shot to how I want it, then fire the shutter. Some people would just choose an AF point that is closer to their target, so they don't have to 'focus and recompose'.

Either way, the important part is that you are deciding what to focus on, not the camera.