what's wrong with this photo? I'm sending two photos for comparison. All settings were equal except in the first, the shutter speed was 1/15 and the second one was 1/60. Is the...

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

I'm sending two photos for comparison. All settings were equal except in the first, the shutter speed was 1/15 and the second one was 1/60. Is the softness of the first shot due to slow shutter speed?
Camera was set to autofocus. Canon 7D, 24-105mm lens.

#1

#2

photoninja1 Loc: Tampa Florida

Hard to tell, but looks like the f stop was too wide to give the depth of field that you need for #1. Auto focus tends to pick an element that is closer than what you think the subject is. In other words, the focus in mast and accurate, but it ain't smart! Try using a single focusing point and smaller aperture. That's a great lens. Sharp all the way across.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

nat wrote:

I'm sending two photos for comparison. All settings were equal except in the first, the shutter speed was 1/15 and the second one was 1/60. Is the softness of the first shot due to slow shutter speed?
Camera was set to autofocus. Canon 7D, 24-105mm lens.

probably

Granddad Loc: UK

I would say the first image is overexposed and the light meter has metered for the window plus you have had your f/stop on something like f/4 or f/5.6 and the foxglove plant is spoiling your composition.
The second image looks ok.

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

thank you, everyone.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Granddad wrote:

I would say the first image is overexposed and the light meter has metered for the window plus you have had your f/stop on something like f/4 or f/5.6 and the foxglove plant is spoiling your composition.
.

If the camera metered for the window, everything else would be dark.
Slow shutter speed, combined with some possible flare from the bright window is my theory.

Ernst Loc: Michigan

way to much ceiling or top try cropping half the window and just the top of the ballons

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

I meant to crop the photos before sending them, but it slipped my mind, as so many things tend to do lately.

Meives Loc: FORT LAUDERDALE

[quote=nat] If you download in the future it is best to check off the box "store original" next to the "browse" section. This way all of your specs are visable. ISO, F-stop, shutter spead ect. A higher ISO may have allowed you to stop down a bit and have a wider dept of field. David in Florida.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

nat wrote:

I'm sending two photos for comparison. All settings were equal except in the first, the shutter speed was 1/15 and the second one was 1/60. Is the softness of the first shot due to slow shutter speed?
Camera was set to autofocus. Canon 7D, 24-105mm lens.

As I see it you're probably correct. Even if you were on a tripod for that first shot you pressing the shutter release will still cause some camera movement and at 1/15 you're going to see that movement.

If you're using either full auto or program with the flash the camera will auto set to 1/60 - to me that's also too slow.

So when using flash I always use 1/200 (sync speed) and either f/5.6 or allow the camera to set the f/stop.

You're also probably aware of the framing on the first shot with the subjects (the girls) way off center.

The second shot is framed correctly and sharp. I have found that at 1/60 you can get lucky with camera movement, tripod or hand held, but since I do virtually everything hand held I still like 1/200.

Just my thoughts.

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

nat wrote:

I'm sending two photos for comparison. All settings were equal except in the first, the shutter speed was 1/15 and the second one was 1/60. Is the softness of the first shot due to slow shutter speed?
Camera was set to autofocus. Canon 7D, 24-105mm lens.

The flash fired on the second one. The first one it did not, or wasn't enough. Your flash became the main light source on the second shot. The flash is 750/sec or faster depending on how much light is needed for the exposure. this will give you a much sharper image. Sometimes you can get ghosting if there is much movement from the subjects.

What is interesting, though it may just be viewing on my monitor, but the woman on the right in the first picture appears to be much softer than the one in the center. They appear to be about the same distance from you, so I would have expected them to be almost the same sharpness.

Hand-held 1/15 is not what I would recommend unless you have a tripod of monopod. If you are shooting with available light because there are restrictions for flash use, then boost the ISO to get a usable shutter speed.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Well, you didn't say whether or not you used flash. If so the shutter speed wouldn't really matter as the duration of the flash would determine the length of exposure. 1/15 is too slow for animate subjects as subject movement will soften your image even if the camera is on a tripod. 1/15 is also the worst speed for mirror slap blurring of the image. I think Bozsik has the right answer on the flash issue and probably camera movement is the main reason for the softness in the first image.

DANthephotoMAN

Yes. Also that little christmas tree could have added a little light pollution...

WAL

Cropping would improve them.

alann Loc: Virginia

This is due to the slow shutter. Anything below about 1/160 will show any movement in your subject. Cropping would intensify the movement. Would not be a good thing to do to this photo. In lightroom a little clarity may help.