Poor Product Photography, Help

[eric-holmes]

-50% Crop
-18-105 Kit Lens
-SB-600 in beauty dish camera left
-White reflector camera right

Anytime you do a wedding, people want product shots of their rings and etc. I thought that I would attempt to shoot some shots of our own rings. I am glad it wasn't for pay. Everyone came out as soft as this.

 

[o hey tyler]

Do you have a VR lens, and did it have VR on at the time?

 

[eric-holmes]

It does have VR but I didn't not have it on at the time. I didn't think it would be necessary with a shutter speed of 1/200.

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D90
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Image Date: 2010-08-10
Focal Length: 105mm (35mm equivalent: 157mm)
Focus Distance: 0.45m
Aperture: f/14.0
Exposure Time: 0.0050 s (1/200)
ISO equiv: 200
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No
Color Space: sRGB

 

[KmH]

Were you inside the closest the lens can focus, 1.48 feet?

 

[eric-holmes]

I had the lens set to auto focus and it was giving me the "beep" so I am assuming that it was focusing.

 

[TJ K]

Well I would probably shoot around f/11 because the lens will probably be a bit sharper at that aperture but also maybe try to back up a little bit if you were focusing right around the minimum distance. Were you shaky when shooting it or pretty steady? Try the shot on a tripod just to see if the results are the same. GL

TJ

 

[Markw]

You might be getting some diffraction at F/14. Try switching the lens to your 50 and bump the f/ to about f/8. You should be good then. General rule of thumb, dont go about F/11 unless absolutely necessary. This gives you a nice cushion...for some lenses...to stay away from diffraction.

Mark

 

[Robin Usagani]

Did I make it better or worse?

 

[eric-holmes]

Well I would probably shoot around f/11 because the lens will probably be a bit sharper at that aperture but also maybe try to back up a little bit if you were focusing right around the minimum distance. Were you shaky when shooting it or pretty steady? Try the shot on a tripod just to see if the results are the same. GL

TJ

I was steady. I was balanced on a table. I have since went back and turned on the VR. I also back up a bit so and just decided to crop it more. I think that was the problem. Although it said it was focused, it was too close.

You might be getting some diffraction at F/14. Try switching the lens to your 50 and bump the f/ to about f/8. You should be good then. General rule of thumb, dont go about F/11 unless absolutely necessary. This gives you a nice cushion...for some lenses...to stay away from diffraction.

Mark

I really need to update my signature. I sold that 50. Lol. Diffraction? I will have to look that one up. I don't know about diffraction.

Did I make it better or worse?

I am interested about bits of your edit. I like how it actually looks like white gold. I like how you smoothed it out (mine is pretty beat up). I could do without the flare. That is just my opinion. Please share.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Topaz clean. If you really need help, send me the high res. I will do a better job without the flare.

 

[eric-holmes]

Is topaz an action? A free one? Let me get a better file together and I will take you up on that offer.

 

[kami]

Have you tried manually focusing?