Would Appreciate Opinions On Focus Of Photo: Just did a quick focus adjustment on my EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L II and my 7DII. This photo was taken at 400mm at a distance of about 4 ft.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Just did a quick focus adjustment on my EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L II and my 7DII. This photo was taken at 400mm at a distance of about 4 ft. or so. Not sure I'm totally satisfied with it. Would appreciate opinions. Wanted to post a shot at longer range but it is snowing outside and not the best conditions for a longer shot. Was also going to do a 100mm shot, but the cat didn't cooperate! Shot at f/5.6

(Download)

Fullframe Loc: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

See, if you pixel peep, you'd say it's just slightly soft. But if you look at it normally, full size, you'd say it's razor sharp.

Here's my opinion on focus adjustment (after fighting with my 7D for 5 years). You're chasing your tail. It will never be perfect. Too many other conditions effecting focus, namely lighting, zoom, and of course shutter and aperture.

I think your shot is fantastic :thumbup:

jack schade Loc: La Pine Oregon

Nice shot. Looks sharp in the download. At extreme magnification the some whiskers look a little sharper than the eye. I like the image.
Jack

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I think parts of the photo are tack sharp as above the car's left eye. But with your f stop and short distance to the cat there is only a small depth of field. While the photo is sharp the highlights from behind tend to degrade the otherwise good photo in my opinion.

Dennis

Dewman Loc: SW Idaho

It looks very sharp to my eyes. One often reaches a degree of sharpness that any further endeavor would be fruitless.... and I think you've reached that point. That image could easily be enlarged to 11 x 14 with no IQ loss. Excellent shot, by the way!

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

To me if it was any sharper, my eyes would bleed. A picture is only as good as the taker thinks it is. 20 viewers would have 21 different statements on its sharpness/focus.

Sarge69

bob_71 Loc: Severna Park, MD

If your judgement of your distance is accurate, you were shooting at less than the minimum focusing distance of that lens. It's MFD is 1.8 meters (5.9 feet). I recently returned a 7DII due to inconsistent auto focusing. I have read a number of customer reviews that were complaining of focus issues. Hope you achieve resolution to your issues!

Bobh

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

LFingar wrote:

Just did a quick focus adjustment on my EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L II and my 7DII. This photo was taken at 400mm at a distance of about 4 ft. or so. Not sure I'm totally satisfied with it. Would appreciate opinions. Wanted to post a shot at longer range but it is snowing outside and not the best conditions for a longer shot. Was also going to do a 100mm shot, but the cat didn't cooperate! Shot at f/5.6

I.f you look carefully the right side of the kitty.s face( the right side if the picture but actually the cat's left side) is dead on but the other side is soft. I don't think it's a focus problem, it's a DOF issue Unavoidable at the current settings

Dewman Loc: SW Idaho

What he said! :thumbup:

boberic wrote:

I.f you look carefully the right side of the kitty.s face( the right side if the picture but actually the cat's left side) is dead on but the other side is soft. I don't think it's a focus problem, it's a DOF issue Unavoidable at the current settings

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Fullframe wrote:

See, if you pixel peep, you'd say it's just slightly soft. But if you look at it normally, full size, you'd say it's razor sharp.

Here's my opinion on focus adjustment (after fighting with my 7D for 5 years). You're chasing your tail. It will never be perfect. Too many other conditions effecting focus, namely lighting, zoom, and of course shutter and aperture.

I think your shot is fantastic :thumbup:

Thank You!

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

jack schade wrote:

Nice shot. Looks sharp in the download. At extreme magnification the some whiskers look a little sharper than the eye. I like the image.
Jack

Thank You! This lens, on both my 6D and 7DII showed a tendency to back focus. I made adjustments in-camera but I won't try to say that there isn't room for a bit of improvement.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

dennis2146 wrote:

I think parts of the photo are tack sharp as above the car's left eye. But with your f stop and short distance to the cat there is only a small depth of field. While the photo is sharp the highlights from behind tend to degrade the otherwise good photo in my opinion.

Dennis

True about the highlights, but I was only interested in the focus when I took the shot.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Dewman wrote:

It looks very sharp to my eyes. One often reaches a degree of sharpness that any further endeavor would be fruitless.... and I think you've reached that point. That image could easily be enlarged to 11 x 14 with no IQ loss. Excellent shot, by the way!

Thank You!

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

sarge69 wrote:

To me if it was any sharper, my eyes would bleed. A picture is only as good as the taker thinks it is. 20 viewers would have 21 different statements on its sharpness/focus.

Sarge69

Thank You! Thank goodness for opinions or the Hog would be a pretty boring place!

Los-Angeles-Shooter Loc: Los Angeles

Not a keeper. I'm not as bothered by the soft area of the face as I am by the flare in the soft area. The cat is gorgeous, this photo doesn't do it justice.

My own opinion also is that cats are most dramatic when the portrait is done more or less head-on, which shows their beautiful eyes.