cucharared Loc: Texas, Colorado

I've posted in several A6000 threads about my sharpness concerns regarding the two kit lenses that came with my camera. I've shot over 1300 pics and am just now beginning to see a little improvement. All along I've thought the kit lenses basically sucked, but maybe not so much. Perhaps (probably?) it is I...

Anyway, here are a few from today. I'm most interested in what you think about the lense performance (I'm still a long way off in my performance). Do I send them back or keep and learn how to use them?

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suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

Re the bird images- you are not close enough to your subject to really know (re 55-210). The birds/bug is getting lost in all that bright background, I have that camera and lens combo and it is sharp enough :) I think you would like your images better if you were not shooting is such bright sunlight- try early am or nearer to dusk- contrast is lower then and not such bright highlights and deep shadows. What is sharp in the top two images is pretty sharp. One step at a time- so many variables.

cucharared Loc: Texas, Colorado

Thanks for the comments. I realize I wasn't close enough but this is all I have. I really just wanted to know if other people thought the lens was sharp enough to keep. It is not nearly as long as what I wish I had but...

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

There really is not much choice of long lenses for Sony a6000. There is a new lens that extends to 360mm equiv but it weighs 30 oz and is over 1000.00. I have found the 55-210 to be better than ok but not fabulous. You have taken 1300 pictures with it and still don't know if you think it is sharp. That doesn't sound like it is a keeper for you. But before you decide, test it inside somewhere with good natural light against something with fairly large lettering or a large picture with prominent lines- don't put the object in front of a window though. Take a picture starting wide open to about f13- each shot at the same distance and focus on single point- Then load it up to your computer and take a look and see what you think. You will notice that less of your subject is sharp wide open but there should still be some areas of it sharp and as your aperture gets smaller (larger number) then more of subject is sharper. This is a quick and easy way to see if your lens is sharp. I don't know how experienced you are or if you use your camera on auto focal points or if you are using it on single focus point- It all makes a difference. Good luck.

cucharared Loc: Texas, Colorado

Thanks. I get what you're saying to do to test the sharpness, except for the part about using what sounds like a two-dimensional object to test depth of field. How's that going to work?

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

Depth of field is how much of your image is in focus. It doesn't take a 3 dimensional object to see that. The closer you are to the object you are photographing the more you will see differences in different apertures. Try it. I get the feeling you aren't too sure about all of this- and you are a bit inexperienced?
Seeing is easier than the explanation. :)

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Well, it aint the lens. The two with the red and white flowers prove that. You just kind of suck at it, that's all. Lol. Not to worry. We have all been there.

Take the bird shots for example. They are pretty bad, right? So were mine at the beginning. Then I decided to try something. I decided to photograph moving cars, concentrating on the wheels. I would pick out a front wheel. Trying to focus on two wheels did not cut it at the time. Here is what I found out: Burst mode does not work well. Neither does shutter priority nor aperture priority. Manual mode seemed to work the best. I also set the internal camera settings to spot focus and spot metering. Now I can control the lighting much better. Then, I played with the ISO. I found that going to the lowest possible setting with good lighting did not always do the trick either, but rather, I bumped the ISO some and I was able to get much higher shutter speeds. All of this by the way while on auto focus.

After much practice, practice, practice, I went for the real deal at a local park and shot at ducks and geese taking off and landing. Oh, I forgot to mention that I did this with the low end Sony 75-300mm lens. It is a basically kit lens if I ever saw one. I was amazed at how well they turned out. That lens actually became on of my favorites. I also found the "sweet" spot on that lens. I shoot with a Sony A580 and that spot seems to be not at the full 300mm when in telephoto, but at 280mm, F7.1. This gives me the sharpest, cleanest pictures at high shutter speeds without any chromatic aberration. Each lens is different. This is how I learned part of it. You may find some way else that works for you. I like manual mode because it gives me total control over the exposure triangle. Again, you might have great luck in a different mode. Miss Stephie, who is also on this forum, has her best luck in shutter priority. Some of her stuff is really good! She shoots with a Sony A77 and a Sony kit lens.

If you really want to bring tears to your eyes, hop on to flickr. Look up your camera model with that lens. You will absolutely cry when you see some of the great stuff done with that camera and that lens. And like the lady said, it is an adequate lens, but not the greatest. You can't tell this by the photos shown on flickr. I hope I was of some help.

Tom

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

Too funny and so true. It was a pleasure reading your response :)

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Well, shoot. I just don't want cucharared to get discouraged. He has a fine piece of equipment there and I know it is not too much for him to handle. This is not just because I shoot with a Sony either. I use a Nikon for work and my backup, backup is a Canon. That Sony A6000 however, Is really something else though. I want him to like it.

cucharared Loc: Texas, Colorado

Tainkc, that's what I needed to hear. My question was simple. Is the lens worth keeping? You answered that. Thanks.

All the rest will come with time and learning about the camera. I'll admit it has me buffaloed at the moment - never had this much trouble getting good pictures. However, I haven't had an interchangeable lense camera since the mid sixtys either. I love this little raschal. If the lens is good to go I hang onto it and learn what it needs.

I have shot a lot of pictures but in reality probably 80-90% of those have been in burst mode as I tried to capture birds flying. I'm thinking it's pretty obvious I shouldn't have jumped into those waters so soon. Should have concentrated on learning the camera.

I like your idea of shooting car wheels. I'll give it a try, but only after I learn more about the camera.

ron

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Beautiful. That is what I wanted to hear. I have been down that road myself. I was extremely frustrated. Then all of a sudden, it all came together. Now I only suck at portraiture (just look up my posts in the people photography section). I am not giving up though.

Tom