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Help me if you can, I'm feeling dowwwwwwwwwn!!!!!
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Apr 1, 2012 02:25:48   #
lachmap Loc: Sydney Australia
 
To quote the beatles: HELP.

OK I bought a canon 50D in LA 2 years ago while on a trip the day before I left to come back to Australia. My fantastic 12mp fuji s7000 broke (I could have cried!!! but had enough $$$ in the kitty to buy a new camera and always wanted a DSLR!!!). So what is the problem - is it the camera, the kit lens (28-135 IS USM) or me???
I have the focus set on the centre focus spot only (is this wrong) and use aperture priority.
I have attached a shot which was taken at 1/250th sec, f10, 400 ISO hand held on a sunny day.
The second shot was the same except 320th sec. I thought these would be fast enough to not need a tripod.
Like all my shots taken with this camera and lens it doesn't seem to be focussed. I always use the highest quality jpg setting (plus raw in case I can find out how to fix it in post processing!!).
I have also used a 20mm sigma lens and pics have the same problem. Canon checked both lens and camera out (here in Aus) and said it was fine!!!!

Bridal Veil falls
Bridal Veil falls...

Bridal Veil falls again
Bridal Veil falls again...

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Apr 1, 2012 07:25:18   #
sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL
 
I'm not sure but my Nikon D5100 kit seems the same with the lens they supply. I'll watch this thread also with you for any hints.

Sarge

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Apr 1, 2012 09:37:25   #
docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado
 
lachmap wrote:
To quote the beatles: HELP.

OK I bought a canon 50D in LA 2 years ago while on a trip the day before I left to come back to Australia. My fantastic 12mp fuji s7000 broke (I could have cried!!! but had enough $$$ in the kitty to buy a new camera and always wanted a DSLR!!!). So what is the problem - is it the camera, the kit lens (28-135 IS USM) or me???
I have the focus set on the centre focus spot only (is this wrong) and use aperture priority.
I have attached a shot which was taken at 1/250th sec, f10, 400 ISO hand held on a sunny day.
The second shot was the same except 320th sec. I thought these would be fast enough to not need a tripod.
Like all my shots taken with this camera and lens it doesn't seem to be focussed. I always use the highest quality jpg setting (plus raw in case I can find out how to fix it in post processing!!).
I have also used a 20mm sigma lens and pics have the same problem. Canon checked both lens and camera out (here in Aus) and said it was fine!!!!
To quote the beatles: HELP. br br OK I bought a c... (show quote)


Help! You need somebody. Help! Not just any body.......
So tell me is this the first time in 2 yrs you've used this camera? Cus that could be a problem (the beatles worked like dogs).....Focus...maybe a little soft but hey you got atmosphere going on here - and this doesn't look horribly out of focus - (only the true techno-geeks will find major fault) so I think maybe just let it be.....

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Apr 1, 2012 09:49:12   #
lachmap Loc: Sydney Australia
 
At first I was slow using it as I had a lot to learn plus I had a lot of other distractions. Then as time went on it dawned on me that things didn't seem to be 100%. Took me a year to realise this then a year trying to figure out how to fix it and now realise that maybe it aint me but the camera. Sometimes it appears to be worse than other times. Maybe it will take me another year to fix it!!!!!
The focus is a bit 'soft' to say the least and when I try sharpening it sometimes it creates other problems such as noise. Buggered if I know!!! It just means I can't make large prints if I ever wanted to.
Thanks for the bit about atmosphere. This is one hell of a great place to visit!!!! Mind you, Grand Canyon leaves it for dead!!!

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Apr 1, 2012 10:28:21   #
English_Wolf Loc: Near Pensacola, FL
 
They are not sharp, no question.

Picture #1 has it's focus on the right (1), the group of trees. All the leaves in there have motion sickness due the wind but the dead branches are in focus. #2 has the exact same problem.

#2 focusing problem is less visible because the natural haze is largely absent compared to #1. It is there thought, exactly the same way.

The lens shows color aberration all over the place... (2)

Suggestions:
- Get rid of the auto-focus, camera says you were in single auto focus mode, meaning the camera was refocusing every shot. Auto-focus in landscape does not work as it finds nothing to lock on and then search for the nearest object. (Same as low light and macro pictures by the way)
- White balance was auto. You may want to change too.
- Post Process to eliminate the lens interference

(1) 1:1 view
(1)  1:1 view...

(2) magnified - From the branches, up right cross
(2) magnified - From the branches, up right cross...

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Apr 1, 2012 17:03:40   #
lachmap Loc: Sydney Australia
 
Thank you very very much. :)

But that just opens another can of worms for me. I have a lot of trouble trying to focus on objects, particularly in landscapes. Any suggestions? Once when I was taking pics of a sunset I just put the camera focus manually on infinity. Yuck was the result.
As for post processing - any hints? I use the auto purple fringe tab but to little effect for a lot of it as it aint purple!!!! I know some very time consuming ways. Is it the fault of a crappy lens???

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Apr 1, 2012 17:17:47   #
English_Wolf Loc: Near Pensacola, FL
 
I do not know your lens so calling it crap is way too premature.

As to focusing on a landscape, NEVER focus on infinity as infinity does not exist, it is a concept. Check what aperture you need to have a correctly exposed landscape and focus according to the DOF created..

Read:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-26397-1.html#445479
then
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-30647-1.html
and
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/user_page.jsp?upnum=233

Color aberration correction:
https://www.google.com/search?q=color+aberration+correction&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a " rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://www.google.com/search?q=color+aberration+correction&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

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Apr 1, 2012 19:47:27   #
lachmap Loc: Sydney Australia
 
Woohoo!!!! :D

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Apr 2, 2012 06:17:21   #
GW Loc: Idaho
 
I had that same lens , same problem too, just never was quite right . New lens new pictures ...Good Luck...

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Apr 2, 2012 07:45:48   #
lachmap Loc: Sydney Australia
 
Hmmm. So the plot thickens. Same lens eh. Apparently it was sold in the US (where I got the camera) but not in Australia.
Took some macro pics today of a couple of spiders. When focused correctly it is ok. BUT as pointed out earlier by another poster there is color aberration all over the place.
I bought a sigma 20mm lens a couple of months ago. I'll try it again with manual focussing and see what happens.

Thanks to all you great posters.

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Apr 2, 2012 07:57:05   #
lachmap Loc: Sydney Australia
 
Here is one of my spider pics from today. Once again I have not managed to clearly focus the male. This was manual focussing. I assume it's just a matter of trial and error and lots of pics to get the right focus. The lens actualy seems to give better pics in macro.

male and female golden orb weaving spiders
male and female golden orb weaving spiders...

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Apr 2, 2012 09:04:40   #
English_Wolf Loc: Near Pensacola, FL
 
lachmap wrote:
.../...Once again I have not managed to clearly focus the male. .../...
I am not sure what you are talking about here, this is in focus both the male and female.

There are both in 3/3 of the DOF but this works perfectly.

You also managed to get the 'holy grail' for some on this forum: circles of diffusion in the out of focus area: 'bokeh'

Magnified, detail behind the female right front leg)
Magnified, detail behind the female right front le...

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Apr 2, 2012 09:25:51   #
JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA
 
The Canon 28-135mm lens is perfectly capable of taking sharp, in-focus images. Go to Flickr and do a search on 'Canon 28-135mm' and look at some of the posted samples.

I would examine technique, especially if you have had the lens and camera to Canon and they pronounced them OK. Believe me, if there was any problem with either component, Canon would have found a reason to announce it and bill you appropriately.

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Apr 2, 2012 13:44:06   #
gdwsr Loc: Northern California
 
You might consider going to a camera store and describe your problem. While there ask if you can shoot some test shots. On a tripod shoot through all the F-stops (I guess every lens has a sweet spot - kit lenses maybe more so). Then mount one of the store's used high quality lenses. See if there is a difference.

Also make sure your in camera menu settings aren't set to soft focus.

Good luck

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Apr 2, 2012 14:04:43   #
renomike Loc: Reno, Nevada
 
lachmap wrote:
I have attached a shot which was taken at 1/250th sec, f10, 400 ISO hand held on a sunny day.
The second shot was the same except 320th sec. I thought these would be fast enough to not need a tripod.


Here's your photo sharpened, levels adjusted, and saturation increased.

Mike

Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls...

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