Is it me, the body, the lens or the combination??? (Page 8): Use your tripod, but loosen up all of the controls, so that you can swing it with the motion of the critters. You will...

Shutterbug1697 Loc: Northeast

swartfort wrote:

... As for using a tripod. No I did not use one as the critters move faster than I can move on my tripod, but I will try to figure that out too...

Use your tripod, but loosen up all of the controls, so that you can swing it with the motion of the critters. You will eliminate some of the camera motion caused by your hand movement. You'll have to experiment and see what kind of results you'll get.

Shutterbug1697 Loc: Northeast

pithydoug wrote:

Next time please include your settings. I played w... (show quote)

I'm going to preface this by saying that I'm not a Nikon user, but I believe that Nikon's are a 1.5 crop sensor camera, which means that you take the longest length of the lens, and multiply it by 1.5. So on the 70-300, the slowest shutter speed should be 450, especially when it's hand held. The OP's shots were through an open window, and hand held. All of them show camera motion in the crops.

Shutterbug1697 Loc: Northeast

Hal81 wrote:

Nice set.

Hal, it's time for you to get a new eye glass prescription.

I just viewed a bunch of your own posts, and very few of them are in focus. Those that might be considered as in focus have camera motion.

Shutterbug1697 Loc: Northeast

sirlensalot wrote:

It can be all. Experience, lots of practice, and education is a good way to go.

Learn to use the "Quote Reply" under the comment that you're responding to.

raferrelljr Loc: CHARLOTTE, NC

Maybe, set the camera focus points to a higher number or setting for moving subjects.

SierraP Loc: Eastern Sierras

A great practice. Use an old slide projector in a dark room.Shine the light toward you from about 6 feet. The reflected light from the front of your lens shines on the wall behind the projector. Try releasing the shutter without moving the spot on tbe wall.

SierraP Loc: Eastern Sierras

A great way to practice hand held shooting. Use an old slide projector in a dark room. Shine the light toward you and your camera. From about 6 feet. The reflected light from the front of your lens shines on the wall behind the projector. Try releasing the shutter without moving the spot on the wall.You may need to install a polarizer or tape a small mirror to the front of the lens to get a proper reflected spot on the wall.

chaman

For the love of God, lest not complicate things!.....OP just go out and continue shooting, and have fun! If you fail try again, and again.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

There has been A LOT of different pieces of advice. I have done some playing (but not the static experimentation of indoor variation YET) and will post some various results either later tonight or tomorrow. It will have a series of images with various shutter speeds, f/stops, ISO settings. I will put them in the caption of each image and let us all see how the variation affects focus. HINT: I think shutter speed had the most impact as I think there was camera motion caught that I might have misjudged for lack of focus..... I look forward to responses from my upcoming post... THANK YOU to all who have put some thought into helping me in this!!!

leftj Loc: Texas

gary post wrote:

A great way to practice hand held shooting. Use an old slide projector in a dark room. Shine the light toward you and your camera. From about 6 feet. The reflected light from the front of your lens shines on the wall behind the projector. Try releasing the shutter without moving the spot on the wall.You may need to install a polarizer or tape a small mirror to the front of the lens to get a proper reflected spot on the wall.

Is your name Rube Goldberg?

anotherview Loc: California

Reportedly, Minor White said it takes ten years to learn photography. Keep at. Learn from your mistakes and your successes.

As a generality, shooting critters requires a fast shutter speed, and not a tripod. Try shooting at 1/250 sec, f/11, and a higher ISO, like 800.

You did not mention whether or not your lens or camera has image stabilization. IS can reduce the camera motion affecting the shot.

SierraP Loc: Eastern Sierras

I realized there would be those that this simple exercise would be over their head and would play down their ignorance. To this I say, go play with your year old camera and all the experience it you have gained with it. I'll fall back on my 65 years of experience.

leftj Loc: Texas

gary post wrote:

I realized there would be those that this simple exercise would be over their head and would play down their ignorance. To this I say, go play with your year old camera and all the experience it you have gained with it. I'll fall back on my 65 years of experience.

Very profound!

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

gary post wrote:

A great practice. Use an old slide projector in a dark room.Shine the light toward you from about 6 feet. The reflected light from the front of your lens shines on the wall behind the projector. Try releasing the shutter without moving the spot on tbe wall.

Another bit of old school advice is inhale before pressing the shutter and don't exhale until after.

Anyone who doubts this, hold your arm outstretched and point at something while breathing and see how much your finger tip moves off target. No hold your breath for a second doing the same thing.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

leftj wrote:

Very profound!

And very true.

Electronics work best as a tool, less well as a crutch.