Focusing

[smoke665]

Yes, I see that none of my photos are very sharp. I don't know what's wrong... I have a 70-200 f/4 and a 50mm f/1.8
All images above are shot with 70-200. I can upload some photos taken with 50mm tomorrow...

Also, my 70-200 is non IS version, maybe that's the problem? I tend to use high shutter speed so there is less hand shake... I really don't know whats wrong :/

No doubt image stabilization would help. Curious is this a lens you've had for awhile and have you previously gotten sharp images from it? Reason I ask is I bought a lens recently that I could not focus on either manual or automatic. It was defective from the factory. First one in a very long time. If you have a tripod try a test shot on it to eliminate any shake. Shoot both an auto focus and a manual focus. If it's still not sharp switch lines a try another set.

I had this lens for a few months only, and I always got photos like that. Sometimes photos would be awesome and sharp and sometimes (more often) blurry and not properly focused...

You told us your camera body but never specified the mfg of the lenses. I believe there were some compatibility problems with some lenses. I also think there were some focus problems with the camera, that required a firmware update. I believe this is the link for the most recent update EOS Rebel T5i / 700D Firmware Update, Version 1.1.4 Before you set up to do test shots clean the contacts on the lens and body with a pencil eraser. Make sure you battery is fresh and clean those contacts as well. When you set the camera on a tripod, go to live view to focus and magnify the screen up as far as it will go. Supposedly if you see the screen flicker it is a camera issue. Otherwise make sure you can focus manually using live view. Turn off magnification before you release shutter.

 

[weepete]

Yes, I see that none of my photos are very sharp. I don't know what's wrong... I have a 70-200 f/4 and a 50mm f/1.8
All images above are shot with 70-200. I can upload some photos taken with 50mm tomorrow...

Also, my 70-200 is non IS version, maybe that's the problem? I tend to use high shutter speed so there is less hand shake... I really don't know whats wrong :/

Ok, so on your 70-200 as long as your shooting above 1/200 shutter speed that should do fine in eliminating camera shake. The most likely problem her is that the camera is choosing an autofocus point that your not intending for it to choose. As a result the point of clearest focus is not the dogs face. Unless you tell it otherwise the camera will choose based on contrast, so that's most likely the culprit in this case.

For pets/people when possible it's good to put your focus point on the eyes - that's what your viewers eyes will be drawn to first so if those are sharp, the photo tends to look much sharper.

Astro already linked an article that will show you how to reduce the number of focus points, I suggest you reduce it to one and when you shoot put that on the eye or as close to it as you can get. If you want to leave it in the center you can, you can always shoot a little wider than what you need and recompose in post by cropping.

Quick Addendum - remember that moving subjects like little dogs can also introduce motion blur, so higher shutter speeds will help eliminate that as well. Assuming you have enough light maybe start at 1/400

I already reduced number of focus point, to one, one in the middle. I always put that dot on a dogs face and wait for it to become red and then shoot. But often focus is terrible and photo is blurry. I use high shutter speed to avoid hand shake but it's still the same :/

If you are getting a red focus point then your focus has locked (as in one shot mode), the trouble with using that for moving objects is that by the time the focus achives lock the dog's face may have passed through the plane of focus. AI servo mode (continuous AF) never locks but constantly re-focuses with the tracked point as the subject moves through the frame. In AI servo mode your focus point won't change colour or beep as the focus should never be locked. This can be a real issue especially if your depth of field is shallow.

Mind you that only looks to be part of your issue as in one of your shots there doesn't appear to be anything in focus where as in the other the crop looks sharp.

 

[beagle100]

Yes, I see that none of my photos are very sharp. I don't know what's wrong... I have a 70-200 f/4 and a 50mm f/1.8
All images above are shot with 70-200. I can upload some photos taken with 50mm tomorrow...

Also, my 70-200 is non IS version, maybe that's the problem? I tend to use high shutter speed so there is less hand shake... I really don't know whats wrong :/

Ok, so on your 70-200 as long as your shooting above 1/200 shutter speed that should do fine in eliminating camera shake. The most likely problem her is that the camera is choosing an autofocus point that your not intending for it to choose. As a result the point of clearest focus is not the dogs face. Unless you tell it otherwise the camera will choose based on contrast, so that's most likely the culprit in this case.

For pets/people when possible it's good to put your focus point on the eyes - that's what your viewers eyes will be drawn to first so if those are sharp, the photo tends to look much sharper.

Astro already linked an article that will show you how to reduce the number of focus points, I suggest you reduce it to one and when you shoot put that on the eye or as close to it as you can get. If you want to leave it in the center you can, you can always shoot a little wider than what you need and recompose in post by cropping.

Quick Addendum - remember that moving subjects like little dogs can also introduce motion blur, so higher shutter speeds will help eliminate that as well. Assuming you have enough light maybe start at 1/400

I already reduced number of focus point, to one, one in the middle. I always put that dot on a dogs face and wait for it to become red and then shoot. But often focus is terrible and photo is blurry. I use high shutter speed to avoid hand shake but it's still the same :/

If you are getting a red focus point then your focus has locked (as in one shot mode), the trouble with using that for moving objects is that by the time the focus achives lock the dog's face may have passed through the plane of focus. AI servo mode (continuous AF) never locks but constantly re-focuses with the tracked point as the subject moves through the frame. In AI servo mode your focus point won't change colour or beep as the focus should never be locked. This can be a real issue especially if your depth of field is shallow.

Mind you that only looks to be part of your issue as in one of your shots there doesn't appear to be anything in focus where as in the other the crop looks sharp.

AI servo (continuous AF) mode definitely helps with moving subjects but you got to keep pressing the shutter button

 

[weepete]

Yes, I see that none of my photos are very sharp. I don't know what's wrong... I have a 70-200 f/4 and a 50mm f/1.8
All images above are shot with 70-200. I can upload some photos taken with 50mm tomorrow...

Also, my 70-200 is non IS version, maybe that's the problem? I tend to use high shutter speed so there is less hand shake... I really don't know whats wrong :/

Ok, so on your 70-200 as long as your shooting above 1/200 shutter speed that should do fine in eliminating camera shake. The most likely problem her is that the camera is choosing an autofocus point that your not intending for it to choose. As a result the point of clearest focus is not the dogs face. Unless you tell it otherwise the camera will choose based on contrast, so that's most likely the culprit in this case.

For pets/people when possible it's good to put your focus point on the eyes - that's what your viewers eyes will be drawn to first so if those are sharp, the photo tends to look much sharper.

Astro already linked an article that will show you how to reduce the number of focus points, I suggest you reduce it to one and when you shoot put that on the eye or as close to it as you can get. If you want to leave it in the center you can, you can always shoot a little wider than what you need and recompose in post by cropping.

Quick Addendum - remember that moving subjects like little dogs can also introduce motion blur, so higher shutter speeds will help eliminate that as well. Assuming you have enough light maybe start at 1/400

I already reduced number of focus point, to one, one in the middle. I always put that dot on a dogs face and wait for it to become red and then shoot. But often focus is terrible and photo is blurry. I use high shutter speed to avoid hand shake but it's still the same :/

If you are getting a red focus point then your focus has locked (as in one shot mode), the trouble with using that for moving objects is that by the time the focus achives lock the dog's face may have passed through the plane of focus. AI servo mode (continuous AF) never locks but constantly re-focuses with the tracked point as the subject moves through the frame. In AI servo mode your focus point won't change colour or beep as the focus should never be locked. This can be a real issue especially if your depth of field is shallow.

Mind you that only looks to be part of your issue as in one of your shots there doesn't appear to be anything in focus where as in the other the crop looks sharp.

AI servo (continuous AF) mode definitely helps with moving subjects but you got to keep pressing the shutter button

Aye, not quite if you use BBF but still kinda the point.

 

[astroNikon]

robbins.photo
not at all... it focuses very quickly..

astroNIKON
yes I have 50mm lens. Yes, not always, but sometimes I get out of focus shots, and sometimes I get a prefect shot.. When I do get out of focus shots it's same as with my 70-200 lens..

Are there any photographers in your area that can test your camera? Try a camera shop, club etc

 

[Kibii]

I don't know, I read that BBF can help with taking action shots... so I tried it out... I use AI Servo for moving subjects always, but I always get out of focus shots... well, not always always but most of my photos are out of focus..

 

[robbins.photo]

I don't know, I read that BBF can help with taking action shots... so I tried it out... I use AI Servo for moving subjects always, but I always get out of focus shots... well, not always always but most of my photos are out of focus..

Back button focus is just using another button to activate the AF system. Some folks really like it, I tried it and really didn't.

Took to long to figure out which button to press and when. Never really did get the hang of it and always seemed like more trouble than it was worth.

I guess some folks use it with great success but for me at least I never became a fan

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

 

[astroNikon]

I use the BackButton to lock focus. I find this invaluable in sports when someone kicks a ball and you track it a bit. It keeps the ppl in focus but you can track the ball a bit, otherwise the AF will focus on anything but a moving ball - like other people.

 

[smoke665]

I use spot metering and AE lock quite a bit, but not the AF lock.