Try to get these shots with an auto-focus lens

[Ron Evers]

Auto-focus is a nice tool for many but if you are shooting wildlife in their environment, chances are the camera will miss what you wish to be in focus. I offer the following examples of Goldfinches in a Mulberry tree. They are not on the outside where an auto-focus is likely to target but back inside the tree. These pic are cropped about half so you do not see a lot of foreground OOF branches.

Taken with a Sears 80-200/4.0 manual lens.


1. Himself

2. Herself

3.

4.

 

[benlonghair]

I'm definitely learning that when shooting birds, you better be able to manual focus or it's never gonna work.

These are really nice, love the textures. You must have been fairly close to get these with a 200.

 

[Ron Evers]

Thanks Ben.

These were shot from our balcony & the tree is about 25' away. I shoot manual focus most of the time.

 

[Turbo]

The sears 80-200 f/4 you used....is it the same as mine? From what I can tell they were made by Tokina. Soft at f/4 but they get pretty good at f/5.6-f/8. :thumbup:

 

[Alan92RTTT]

"Try to get these shots with an auto-focus lens"

OK, How'd I do?

 

[katy625]

Wow those are great!

 

[Ron Evers]

The sears 80-200 f/4 you used....is it the same as mine? From what I can tell they were made by Tokina. Soft at f/4 but they get pretty good at f/5.6-f/8. :thumbup:

It looks the same but mine is made in Korea so obviously not made by Tokina.

 

[Ron Evers]

"Try to get these shots with an auto-focus lens"

OK, How'd I do?

I do not see anything in sharp focus. Perhaps this is a big-time crop?

 

[KmH]

Yep, with a lot of fine detail in an image auto focus has problems. Nikon mentions that specific issue in their camera manuals.

 

[Alan92RTTT]

Other that the noise that I attribute the having shot JPG I don't see the issue.

The white spots have sarply defined edges.
The bits of down/fuzz around the edges are as clean as their size/the JPG format will allow.
The patterning on the beak is sharp and clearly visible.

Its not a bright or vibrant as I'd like but that is not a factor of focus.

For an image saved in JPG format I do not think I could manualy focus and get a sharper image.

 

[o hey tyler]

Other that the noise that I attribute the having shot JPG I don't see the issue.

The white spots have sarply defined edges.
The bits of down/fuzz around the edges are as clean as their size/the JPG format will allow.
The patterning on the beak is sharp and clearly visible.

Its not a bright or vibrant as I'd like but that is not a factor of focus.

For an image saved in JPG format I do not think I could manualy focus and get a sharper image.

It's a factor of image quality. Your ISO must have been cranked a bit since it looks like you're shooting at a long focal length. Your image is not as sharp as any of Ron's. Also, Ron's are in JPG also, so that really isn't an excuse. It looks like you had camera shake, high ISO, or a focus issue. Or any combination of those 3.

 

[Markw]

The white is only sharp because it is also blown out and creates its own line from taking over the surrounding leaves. The fuzz/down is defined due to the green in the background, but not sharply in focus.

Comparing this shot to Ron's is different anyway. Ron's birds are the same color, mostly, as the background. The back- and fore-ground have tons of small, sharp details. All of this would factor in and make it harder for an AF lens to focus. Your photo has large leaves with easily defined edges. Also, there is alot of contrast between your yellow bird and the surrounding green leavdes. Both of these would aid in the focusing of an AF lens. You really are trying to compare apples to oranges here. Ron's photos, especially the first, took some extreme manual focusing to get it right. Theyre beautiful photos.

:thumbup: Ron.
Mark

EDIT: You cant blame JPEG either. Many people shoot all JPEG, the photos still turn out very nice.

 

[Alan92RTTT]

The white is only sharp because it is also blown out and creates its own line from taking over the surrounding leaves. The fuzz/down is defined due to the green in the background, but not sharply in focus.

Comparing this shot to Ron's is different anyway. Ron's birds are the same color, mostly, as the background. The back- and fore-ground have tons of small, sharp details. All of this would factor in and make it harder for an AF lens to focus. Your photo has large leaves with easily defined edges. Also, there is alot of contrast between your yellow bird and the surrounding green leavdes. Both of these would aid in the focusing of an AF lens. You really are trying to compare apples to oranges here. Ron's photos, especially the first, took some extreme manual focusing to get it right. Theyre beautiful photos.

:thumbup: Ron.
Mark

EDIT: You cant blame JPEG either. Many people shoot all JPEG, the photos still turn out very nice.

This is the kind of comment I was looking for.

I looked at Ron's image and I looked at some I had taken and did not see the difference. I asked an honest question hoping/expecting to get an answer similar to yours (it is the beginners forum after all ). The response I got was.... well , A bit rude and condescending.

 

[burstintoflame81]

Ron, here is version of one of your pics with the colorcast removed. Nice shots. I learned that this past weekend when shooting a bird through a bush, focus kept chasing and chasing.

 

[Stormchase]

nice example Ron. It is really tuff to nail it in a situation like that. i have become manual all the way. I just dont really see the beni of using AF. Servo in action shots or something but not what i have been shooting for macro and wildlife. makes me mad when i try AF most of the time.