picture clarity

ericv · Jul 15, 2009

Hi,

I'm new here and also new to photography. I just bought a nikon d300 and took some shots but I'm not happy with the photos.

Resize images- please click here to see some photos

Here is the link for full size images ---http://omh1.com/temp/victorycompare/

I started with continuos light (3x1000wat) and the best I could get is F7.1, 40, iso 400 and the photo show up just ok. (the last picture in blue bg. )

So, I took the whole thing out the door, and take a photo in the shade. 16,60,iso400outDoor.jpg, photo look ok, but it's not quite convenient for me to shoot outdoor.

So, i bought a profoto compact r600 and the pictures so far doesn't look good.

f22,60,200 profoto (2).jpg
don't look as sharp as the f7.1 mentioned above. I thought I should get a sharper image at a smaller aperture.

I tried at a smaller f stop and it seems that the image is sharper at F11, but still not as sharp compared to the one I took with continuos lightning at F7.1.

Could some one please help me?

By the way, I'm using the photos for omh1.com

Thank you very much,

Eric V

Dwig · Jul 15, 2009

OK, so you've told us what camera body you used and what lights. Now, how about telling us some important things like:

1. What lens are you using.

2. What camera support (e.g large tripod, wobbly cheap tripod, totally unstable hands, ...)

ericv · Jul 15, 2009

do I need tripod when shooting at 1/60 or shorter on my vr 18-55mm kit len? I know this is a cheap plastic lens, what lens should I upgrade? thank you very much.

Sachphotography · Jul 16, 2009

ericv said:
do I need tripod when shooting at 1/60 or shorter on my vr 18-55mm kit len? I know this is a cheap plastic lens, what lens should I upgrade? thank you very much.

Cheap.... NO....
Inexpensive.... YES
Plastic....YES
The 18-55 lens takes very good pictures for the price.
The problems your are experiencing are typical for an amateur.
1. Get a tripod.
2. Lower your ISO and Increase to about speed to about 1000-500
for what you are shooting about f/9 would be key.

ericv · Jul 16, 2009

thanks for the advises guys. when I increase my speed to 1/400 or faster, the images are darken on the top or even black out on top. I use strobes that has 1/850 flash duration. How do I fix this? thank you very much,

EV

Big Mike · Jul 16, 2009

thanks for the advises guys. when I increase my speed to 1/400 or faster, the images are darken on the top or even black out on top. I use strobes that has 1/850 flash duration. How do I fix this? thank you very much,

This is because you have exceeded the max sync speed (the fastes shutter speed at which you can sync up with flash/strobe lighting). You will have to keep the shutter speed lower than 1/250, give or take.