Canon 40D - soft focus?

kmp1191 · May 19, 2008

I just purchased my Canon 40D about 6 weeks ago. I've shot a couple of kids, a stage performance w/ funky lights, and a wedding w/ studio lights and outdoors. Everything I've shot is looking really..REALLY soft. Almost out of focus. I'm using a Canon 17-85mm IS lens, and the IS is on. Some of these have been hand-held, as well as on tripod and they are still soft.
Is it my camera, my lens or me?

I'm at work so I can't really post anything right now, but if anyone has had these issues with the 40D, can you help me out? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. (I know it's gonna be hard to see what I'm talking about w/out pictures...sorry about that.)

marie

kmp1191 · May 19, 2008

Here are a couple that I had on Photobucket and could repost. I've posted these on here before.

Thanks again,
marie

Rachelsne · May 19, 2008

is it your first DSLR or have you used one before, I found when I first got my camera the images were not overly sharp-they are getting better for me now with practice.

Were you using a tripod? or a remote, these are two things that may help you.

kmp1191 · May 19, 2008

I started off w/ the Canon Rebel 35mm, moved up to the 20D about 4 yrs ago and just upgraded to the 40D.
The photos posted are handheld. When I was shooting the wedding this weekend, I had it mounted on the tripod and was using the cable release, so as not to have any camera shake. After a few test shots, I zoomed in and looked at the shots....almost out of focus....not what I expected at all. I didn't want to risk it, so I went to my backup (boss's camera) and shot the formal portraits and ceremony on a Nikon D200. On zoom/close up, they are fine.
I wish I had them with me to show you.....

eta: I don't remember having this issue w/ the 20D...also using the same lens.

RKW3 · May 19, 2008

I think I heard somewhere that some 40d's are soft straight outta camera, I don't remember exactly.

If the images aren't out of focus than I think PP sharpening may work.

EDIT:

I think I found a link talking about your issue:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?message=27691463&changemode=1&forum=1019

kmp1191 · May 19, 2008

Thanks for the info....looks like I have one of the bad ones. I'll be calling Canon to see what they suggest to fix it.

Again, thanks for the info!!
marie

Garbz · May 19, 2008

Why not just increase in camera sharpening? Nothing about this image looks like you have a bad camera.

Jeff Canes · May 19, 2008

What focus modes & points along with the shutter speed mode are you using?

kmp1191 · May 20, 2008

Garbz said:
Why not just increase in camera sharpening? Nothing about this image looks like you have a bad camera.

What do you mean "increase in camera sharpening"? I did sharpen these in Adobe and they don't look as bad as they did, but I think they are still soft.

What focus modes & points along with the shutter speed mode are you using?

I wish I hadn't deleted the original shots from the wedding this weekend. I took some test shots of my assistant, camera on tripod, modeling lights on, shutter cable to trigger, ISO 200-250, manual mode, auto focus on, IS (on lens) on, ....I'll have to look when I get home to see what my ap & shutter was set at, but the settings were all correct for what I was shooting...and the camera was dead still...and still the blur.

I'll post some tonight to show you what I mean.

Also, I don't want to "have" to sharpen every image after a wedding where I've shot 400 photos. A few here and there is fine, but not every one!

I appreciate the link, and all the information. Again, I'll post some pics tonight to show you what I'm talking about.

thanks,
marie

Jeff Canes · May 20, 2008

Have you tried using the back dial to manual move the auto focus point to the subject you want to be sharp, then focus on the subject, then lock focus by holding trigger halfway down.

Could also be the lens, but I would look first at mixture of the focus points, f-stop shutter speed mode and ISO causing a larger and softer DOF[FONT=&quot]. [/FONT]Had this same issue when I got my first DSLR a Canon 10D and this with the same Canon L-glass that I had been using shooting film

Garbz · May 20, 2008

Well unless you shoot RAW the camera always applies some level of sharpening. Some cameras (my D200 included) do a pretty average job and the pictures seem to come out much nicer if I go into the image menu and bump up the sharpening to +1 instead of it's default setting.

If you are shooting RAW don't forget that you have to sharpen the image, it's not optional. A RAW image from a standard RGBG camera (most digitals) is not sharp.

Sharpness can be a lot of things but it is rarely if ever a camera electronics / sensor problem.

kmp1191 · May 21, 2008

Sorry it's taken me so long to get these on there....no excuses, just life.

Let me know what you think. I have done nothing to these.

Yes, I know it's a busy background...no excuse, I know better. Just see if you can see what I'm talking about. The softness/blur.

This one seems ok....but it is also a closeup. I don't see it as much on the close one's as I do on the one's that are at a distance.

Please tell me if I'm losing my mind, or just a lousy photographer.

Garbz · May 23, 2008

Neither. Those are tac sharp. Look at the moire pattern in the veil, every hair on the head is visible or the lace in her dress on the top image.

This images have all the detail they need. What I think is that you're comparing them to images taken with some point and shoot cameras which all have ludicrous sharpening applied to them, often to the extent where haloing is clearly visible.

If you insist they are not sharp enough for you then all you need to do is either increase the camera sharpness Read pages 61-64 of the 40D Manual, or add an unsharp mask filter in photoshop with a really low radius and a high value. Just note that this will sharpen the noise in the image too.

kmp1191 · May 23, 2008

Thank you.
I guess when I'm looking at them on the screen on the camera, I zoom in to see the eyes etc and when it gets close, it looks blurred.
I'll re-read my manual and check the settings.
Thank you again for your time and expertise. I appreciate it greatly!:hail:

marie

Big Mike · May 23, 2008

I took some test shots of my assistant, camera on tripod, modeling lights on, shutter cable to trigger, ISO 200-250, manual mode, auto focus on, IS (on lens) on

When the camera is on a tripod, IS should be turned off.