Blurred pictures at 250mm

Nev · Jun 1, 2008

Firstly hello to everyone on here.

I'm using a Canon 400D with a 55mm - 250mm IS lens and am having difficulty getting a really sharp image at 250mm in manual mode. I have tried a tripod and supporting the camera against an object like a tree, building or post. When reveiwing the photo and magnifying up to the point where I want to crop the photo it is blurred so the only way I can get a reasonable image is to mess about with it in photoshop.

Now with my Finepix F10 in auto mode at full zoom the picture is really sharp.

So what am I doing wrong with the DSLR? or am I overlooking something?

Nev

ann · Jun 1, 2008

if you have it on a tripod, etc. you need to take it off the IS mode.

IS, VR modes not like things too stable

also, what shutter speed are you using?

it should be at least 250 if not higher with that lens

Nev · Jun 1, 2008

Ann, thanks for the answer, I think the shutter speed maybe the problem, however I tokk a picture of a robin in a Hawthorn tree today in daylight about 15 feet away on full zoom at 1/250 and it came out too dark.

Still on a learning curve at the moment (at the bottom)

Last weeken I took 189 photos at a national shooting competition using the same lens on auto and most appeared to be sharp and focused, I think I may have a lot to learn using manual mode.

http://picasaweb.google.com/nev.ukahft/TawdVale2008

Nev

JimmyO · Jun 1, 2008

Probably to slow a shutter speed. If you need to raise the ISO so you can get shots upwards of 1/300

D-50 · Jun 1, 2008

if you are using a tripod shuttter speed is more or less irrelevant. Turn of the IS and also use a timer or remote to take the photo, if you tripod is not sturdy the pressure from your finger pressing the shutter will make the camera shake.

ann · Jun 1, 2008

not too worry, we all start out with a very low leaning curve.

if your going to use a tripod, you can also check to see if your camera has a mirror lock up which will help element camera shake. However, with birds this could be a real problem

rule of thumb, also use a shutter speed faster than the longest focal length on the lens, regardless of the length in use. i.e. 80-200 , shutter speed would be at 200 or better y;et 250 even if the lens isn't racked out , but at 80mm.

dylj · Jun 1, 2008

ann said:
rule of thumb, also use a shutter speed faster than the longest focal length on the lens, regardless of the length in use. i.e. 80-200 , shutter speed would be at 200 or better y;et 250 even if the lens isn't racked out , but at 80mm.

I've never heard this rule -- I thought it was just the focal length you're using.

JerryPH · Jun 1, 2008

It is a general rule, not a hard/fast one. You can do things like add a nice tripod then set shutter lengths for minutes and get sharp pictures.

This rule also doesn't take into consideration crop factors, VR (or IS for the Canon people), or good shooting technique.

Senor Hound · Jun 2, 2008

JerryPH said:
It is a general rule, not a hard/fast one. You can do things like add a nice tripod then set shutter lengths for minutes and get sharp pictures.

This rule also doesn't take into consideration crop factors, VR (or IS for the Canon people), or good shooting technique.

IMO it would still hold up somewhat. Cause lets say you have a 200mm, well, that would actually be like 320mm (so you'd shoot at 1/300 or 1/350), yet the IS would help, so you could probably end up shooting at 1/200 anyway. As a rough estimate, it should still hold partially true.

If it's blurry, increase shutter speed, and either raise your ISO or lower your f-stop. Your shutter speed should be around 1/250 when shooting at 250mm. Any less and you'll start getting blur.

Overread · Jun 2, 2008

hmm I would also say that if you are still at the learning stages try shooting in apature priority mode (ap on the dial). That is the mode that proves to be the best in many cases and you can read off your shots what shutterspeeds the camera used along with apatures (that you can set) so you can start to get a feel for the speeds you need in different situations

JerryPH · Jun 2, 2008

Senor Hound said:
IMO it would still hold up somewhat. Cause lets say you have a 200mm, well, that would actually be like 320mm (so you'd shoot at 1/300 or 1/350), yet the IS would help, so you could probably end up shooting at 1/200 anyway. As a rough estimate, it should still hold partially true.

If it's blurry, increase shutter speed, and either raise your ISO or lower your f-stop. Your shutter speed should be around 1/250 when shooting at 250mm. Any less and you'll start getting blur.

You missed the point.

No, it doesn't hold up well against digital cameras. This is an older film camera rule... where you cannot up the ISO and where back in the day, VR did not exist. These 2 technologies permit me to bend that rule quite a lot, not to mention that if I was using a tripod, I could set shutter speed to anything I needed if the subject was a stationary object.

I think you are also forgetting about proper shooting technique that promotes clear pictures like body position, breathe control, leaning against an object, the 20 cent tripod and on and on. Proper breathing alone let me retake a shot that was initially blurry at 1/60th, at 1/15th perfectly with more DOF and no blur.

Any or all of these contribute to let me slow down the shutter speeds tremendously underneath this rule and still get tack sharp pics. So why would I use this hard and fast rule, when I can break it so easily and in dozens of different ways to my advantage?

ann · Jun 2, 2008

that is why i said "rule of thumb".

of course ,experience , using a tripod and shooting techniques , factor into the decision on all fronts whether digital or film.

Early · Jun 2, 2008

Nev said:
Firstly hello to everyone on here.

I'm using a Canon 400D with a 55mm - 250mm IS lens and am having difficulty getting a really sharp image at 250mm in manual mode. I have tried a tripod and supporting the camera against an object like a tree, building or post.

Nev

When you say manual mode, do you also mean manual focus? Can you see if the lens comes in sharp focus at the long end? Some lenses aren't that great at the long end, and also, what might be unsatisfactory to you, might be perfectly acceptable to someone else.

Senor Hound · Jun 2, 2008

JerryPH said:
You missed the point.

No, it doesn't hold up well against digital cameras. This is an older film camera rule... where you cannot up the ISO and where back in the day, VR did not exist. These 2 technologies permit me to bend that rule quite a lot, not to mention that if I was using a tripod, I could set shutter speed to anything I needed if the subject was a stationary object.

I think you are also forgetting about proper shooting technique that promotes clear pictures like body position, breathe control, leaning against an object, the 20 cent tripod and on and on. Proper breathing alone let me retake a shot that was initially blurry at 1/60th, at 1/15th perfectly with more DOF and no blur.

Any or all of these contribute to let me slow down the shutter speeds tremendously underneath this rule and still get tack sharp pics. So why would I use this hard and fast rule, when I can break it so easily and in dozens of different ways to my advantage?

Because its still a good rule. If anything it will tell you that at this point, you will start having issues with blurriness UNLESS you apply the methods you mentioned above. And its not a hard and fast rule, its more of a guideline than anything, something to remember in the back of your head while shooting. And in photography, rules are meant to be bent anyway.

Plus, as a noob, it really helps you out until you build a greater repertoire of how to achieve great shots. Start with it, and as you learn more and more things, it becomes less and less important.