Help with focusing on Ef 85mm f/1.8

[GorillaJJitsu]

There are some good answers above but I would also add to take note of your shutter speed. A longer focal length will need a faster shutter speed to negate hand shake, etc. Also the heavier the lens the faster your shutter speed will need to be. You will get to know your equipment and how you can handle it as you play around with it.

Some shots from my first maternity shoot today

 

[GorillaJJitsu]

What the photo of the little girl shows is something that many people refer
To as "veiling glare", which is a form of low image contrast,typically only present at the widest openings of the lens.

With many 50 mm F1.4 lenses there is a pretty high degree of veilin glare when the lens is used wide open but by stopping down to F2 Or to f/2.8, contrast usually goes upward markedly, and by F4 most 50 mm lenses are performing very well.

It is Saturday at 11:30 on the West Coast, so I assume that your shoot has already begun or has already finished. I hope you got some good shots. In my opinion the photograph of the little girl is pretty good.

You are awesome man. All your input and positivity. I appreciate it. I uploaded Some shots from the shoot today. I set my camera up for back button focus and it made a tremendous difference.

 

[Derrel]

Good deal! I will go look for your shots...been out for a few hours...your note of thanks is appreciated!!!

 

[Original katomi]

brilliantly photos

 

[ac12]

Some shots from my first maternity shoot today

Nice.
But in the 3rd pic, it appears to me, that the camera focused on the rock, rather than the couple.
Or it could just be how my computers is displaying the image.

 

[GorillaJJitsu]

Some shots from my first maternity shoot today

Nice.
But in the 3rd pic, it appears to me, that the camera focused on the rock, rather than the couple.
Or it could just be how my computers is displaying the image.

No you’re right. It is. Damnit. How do i avoid That? Higher aperture?

 

[GorillaJJitsu]

Some shots from my first maternity shoot today

Nice.
But in the 3rd pic, it appears to me, that the camera focused on the rock, rather than the couple.
Or it could just be how my computers is displaying the image.

Here’s a better shot

 

[wfooshee]

No you’re right. It is. Damnit. How do i avoid That? Higher aperture?

If you have multi-point AF the camera generally picks the closest thing it can see. To force a focus point, use single-point (but not continuous) AF, hold the shutter button in half-press with THAT POINT centered in the viewfinder, and compose the frame while holding that half-press (which keeps the focus distance locked) and trigger the shutter. Don't lean forward or back when you recompose, or you ruin the focus distance.

 

[Soocom1]

THIS is what I was wondering with the 85mm that I got.

GorillaJJitsu: I am glad you posted this thread because this is highly informative.

Looking at your work, me thinks that you have the idea down pat and the functionality well figured.

The one picture with the rock is a good point that I too have had trouble with.

So figuring out the AF point (in my case it’s a manual) is super important. Otherwise, great job!

 

[photoflyer]

I have the same lens and body. I love the combination. The lens does produce a little chromatic abberation shot wide open but that is only an issue under certain lighting conditions and has been a problem for me. I'll just shoot at f 2.5.

I skimmed other replies so this may be redundant but Auto Focus Microadjustment may be necessary. As noted, when shooting wide open the DOF is razor thin.

One easy way I have used to check this is to shoot the same object at 1.8 with the viewfinder and then Live View. If the focused object is not sharp in the same place you may need AFM for that lens body combo.

 

[Derrel]

When shooting at wide apertures like f/1.8 , f/2, f/2.2, f/2.5, f/2.8 at even at f/3.5, depth of field at close-up ranges is exceptionally scant. SOMETIMES, one eye may be in crisp focus, but the other eye, 1/2 to 3 inches farther or closer away, may be slightly out of the depth of field plane. As distance increases, so does DOF. DOF is to a great degree, distance-dependent. At 10 to 15 feet, there is enough DOF for most portrait subjects; at 35 feet,on a crop-frame camera (DX in NIKON-speak, or APS-C in other lingo), the 85mm focal length gives a picture area that covers 8.47 feet in height, enough for a standing couple, with room for head space and foot space.

 

[GorillaJJitsu]

THIS is what I was wondering with the 85mm that I got.

GorillaJJitsu: I am glad you posted this thread because this is highly informative.

Looking at your work, me thinks that you have the idea down pat and the functionality well figured.

The one picture with the rock is a good point that I too have had trouble with.

So figuring out the AF point (in my case it’s a manual) is super important. Otherwise, great job!

Hey thanks a tons!