Tamron 150-600 G2 Sharpness

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I for the life of me can not get a sharp image at the long end of this lens! I'm using a canon 80d handheld, even at 1/2000 f11 on auto ISO i'm just not getting the sharpness i was hoping for. Maybe it's my technique, maybe it's the lens... who knows. Before owning this lens i haven't used anything longer than a 75-300 Non IS. I do love the VC in this lens and it works well on the short end but at 600 i get soft images. Is it the nature of APS-C? How do i go about diagnosing whether it's me or the lens? How do people get beautifully up close shots on wildlife that are so sharp you can see bits of dirt on their feathers? My photos look like i dropped a kit lens IN the dirt and shot with it. Hints? I don't have any shots because i deleted them all lol.

 

[dxqcanada]

Canon DLC: Article: Canon EOS AF Microadjustment Guidebook

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Canon DLC: Article: Canon EOS AF Microadjustment Guidebook

Is this an article on back/front focusing? On my phone right now so I will read when I can get to my computer. If so, there's no focus issue, is more just soft focus as far as not being sharp on the long end. Kind of like what digital zoom does to an image.

 

[DarkShadow]

Set it up on a tripod or something stable then focus on something and use the self timer or remote shutter release @ 600mm thats not 100 yards away keep it simple and be sure your focus point is on target, turn off VC if needed and Shoot in good lighting conditions, if its still soft back off from 600mm a bit say like 550 and repeat the process if its still soft you may have a bad copy or need micro adjustments use the charts to be sure it is not front or back focusing.Also there is a bit of a learning curve for such a big lens like good hand support, good focusing on the subject and no matter how good the vc is good technique. I don't have experience with the tamron but have been shooting with a few big lenses like this for a couple of years like the sigma 120-400,150-500 and the sigma 150-600mm and have got tack sharp results in ideal lighting conditions and being mindful on my hand holding techniques.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Set it up on a tripod or something stable then focus on something and use the self timer or remote shutter release @ 600mm thats not 100 yards away keep it simple and be sure your focus point is on target, turn off VC if needed and Shoot in good lighting conditions, if its still soft back off from 600mm a bit say like 550 and repeat the process if its still soft you may have a bad copy or need micro adjustments use the charts to be sure it is not front or back focusing.Also there is a bit of a learning curve for such a big lens like good hand support, good focusing on the subject and no matter how good the vc is good technique is needed.

I was thinking that, but I figured at the shutter speeds I was shooting is be fine. I will try this for sure though

 

[DarkShadow]

Yes the shutter speeds should count for camera shake with or with out VC but won't help for missed focus or front or back focus issue's it's not uncommon unfortunately so just to rule out user area.My first copy of my sigma 150-600 the OS Optical stabilization was a dude so I returned for a replacement, the second copy was fine.

 

[Derrel]

I have not been following this lens since it went to G2...but the original release was noted for being decidedly SOFTER at the top of the zoom range, compared to at 500mm. And also, at f/11, the 80D's high-density, high-MP sensor will likely be showing a pretty fair amount of sharpness loss due to the small, f/11 aperture causing diffraction.

Also, 600mm is a long lens length, prone to showing environmental issues like heat waves (mirage), air pollution or pollen/dust/haze/fog/suspended sea spray, camera movement; shutter vibrations; mirror slap; oscillation withing the camera/lens combo; and so on. Every.Single.Thing,That.Could.Go.Wrong.Can.Show.Up.At.600mm.

How does it look at 500mm? How does f/8 look versus f/11, at various lengths?

Can you do a straight comparison of a 500mm image versus a 600mm? One reviewer noted that he thought it better to shoot at 500mm, and crop-in at the computer, rather than rely on 600mm in the field.

 

[DarkShadow]

Yea I never found a need to go above f/8 good points above and beside the diffraction setting why starve from more light and they are certainly better backed off then always pegged at 600mm

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Good points to consider. it's rainy here today but i will try mid afternoon on wednesday at 450-500-550-600 and see what it looks like. I know it CAN be sharp as i've shot indoors with it and the pictures come out amazing, but i'm bummed on the long end. We'll see.

 

[DarkShadow]

Omg some one brave enough to shoot indoors with that lens.

 

[zombiesniper]

If you need to focus adjust here is a link to a DIY focus chart.

 

[Derrel]

Well, keep in mind that outdoor atmospheric conditions can have a big impact on images; subtle heat waves coming off of roadways, or sidewalks, or parking lots, and so on, can cause "shimmer" or "mirage", especially over longer distances where a 500 or 600mm focal length might be used. At the Camp Randall 1,000 yard rifle matches, some of the competitors ahev reported that "compensated" aim points on targets can be as much as 6 to 7 feet, due to heat mirage.

In the winter, if you shoot across a roadway let's say that has had some sunshine for a couple hours, it could actually be releasing heat (!) that screws up pictures of things behind the roadway. Rain? That is a factor. Same with slight fog. here today it is sliughtly foggy...I can see about 800 yards...and then, nothing. By my way of thinking, I shoudl be able to SEE Mt. Hood, some 48 miles from here...but I can';t even see a freaking mountain that's over 12,000 feet high...

Also, you mention "indoors" vs outdoors. Maybe that translates to better air OR to much-closer shooting distances. Could possibly a focus micro-adjust help at long range? Also, you mentioned hand-held...1/2000 second is different than say 1/4000 or 1/5000 second. At 600mm at 1x the focal length, the bare minimum speed is 1/600 second, but 2x the FL is better, for 1/1200 second minimum safe speed; then add the APS-C crop factor of 1.5x, or 1/2400 second; SO... 1/2000 second doesn't count for subject movement very much, and is marginal unless hand-holding technique is PERFECT. And that's a herkin' lens...

Just last week, AstroNikon and I were PM'ing about his 150-600 and aircraft...he might weigh in here..he's recently moved up into thre 1/2500 second range on the D500, and is getting sharper images than he was with slower speeds.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I shot 1/1000 to 1/8000 but of course as i went up in shutter speed so did ISO. I guess it's a losing battle lol. Wednesday it's supposed to be 50 and sunny! Heat wave!!!!! I've been laid up just shy of three weeks so at some point i'd like to get outside and try my hand with this lens, so far it's just been shooting out of an open window or inside of my bedroom. My iguana makes a great subject lol. I have noticed heat coming off of the house, it's apparent against the trees in the background. I can't tell if it's close or far or if it's even inside or out. I was wondering if that had anything to do with my softer images which is why i've been dying to get outside.

 

[SCraig]

You can't use short focal length technique with long focal length lenses. Even with fast shutter speeds they are pretty unforgiving about lens movement. If all you've used is a 300mm lens that one is different ball game. Even using a tripod the shutter release has to be smooth to prevent shake in the image. I quit trying to handhold my 500mm lens, my hands aren't steady enough, and always use a tripod.

 

[weepete]

I had a similar thoughts about my V1 version of this lens, so I gave it a few tests at home and a small microadjustment which just made it a touch sharper. It didn't totally solve the problem though. I eventually came to the conclusion that I was expecting a bit much from the lens, and because of that I was shooting from too far away from small subjects (mainly birds). Now I've realised that I need to be closer than I think to get those detail shots. I also noticed that most of the time I got better results at fast shutter speeds with the VC turned off (though the G2 may be ok in mode 3) especially because of the delay in the VC turning on and me using bbf.

You also need to bear in mind that while they are great lenses, they are no where near the detail monsters of the telephoto primes that are the staple of the pro wildlife photographers. But then again a Canon 600mm f4 L is $11,500

It is quite a learning curve for these lenses though