Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

Canon Xti with EF-S 55-250 at full zoom I'm having a problem getting sharp images when shooting bright colored birds like male cardinals. Everything around the bird is sharp and natural but the bright colors on the bird seem to bleed???

Limb seems to be in focus, bird not?

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

post a picture, check the box called "store original" and we might be able to help.

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

thanks rpavich, just uploaded one

Limb seems to be in focus, bird not?

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Upload again and make sure you check the box "store original" that way the full size shot is there for use to peep at.

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

OK, maybe this time I got it, Thanks

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Ok..good.

What was your aperture, shutter speed and ISO on this shot?

I ask because the branch looks to be about as in focus as the branch...the branch just LOOKS more focused due to it's sharp edged color separation.

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

ISO 800 f9 @1/500

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

OK..thanks.

That is a bit high for ISO and it doesn't help your shot any...I like that you used f/9 though, that ensures that you get good DOF.

And your shutter speed is pretty high...it just appears that you have noise and a general lack of focus....

What focal length was this shot at?

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

It was shot at 250 and it was cropped quite a bit. I just have a difficult time getting a sharp focus on bright colored birds at a long focal length??
Thanks

Untouched raw

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Ahhh...that also sheds light on it some.

What lens was this? At longer focal lengths it can be difficult to get a good shot....if you cropped pretty hard, that's also responsible.

Do you have an original without cropping?

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

Just added untouched pic!

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

this was shot with a EF-S 55-250 lens

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

using manual focas!

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Thanks very much for posting the original...now I see the issue.

There are a few things going on and I know because I did the same thing.

1.) The 55-250 is a kit lens...not horrible but not the sharpest lens either. Strike one.

2.) There is a bit of motion blur...this wasn't a rock steady shot. Strike two.

3.) I think that there is a lack of focus on the bird and branch itself...that's a hard thing to do...get focus..it's easy to miss. Strike three.

4.) The crop. I know it's heart breaking but that's a pretty aggressive crop you are trying to do under these conditions. A crop like that would test any camera/lens/photog.

It's just tough to do.

Here is my suggestion:

1.) Use a higher shutter speed...say 1000 or higher.

2.) If possible, brace or use a tripod.

3.) Get closer...fill the frame as much as possible.


That alone will help.


And the last thing is...practice focusing. Getting good focus from a distance on a small object is VERY TOUGH...it's EASY to think you are focused dead on but aren't.


Getting closer will help that immensely also.


If you are like me (I don't know) I can't focus to save my life...I have bad eyes.

I had to buy a KatzEye focusing screen (split prism like the old rangefinders) and a magnifying screen to make the viewfinder larger looking.


Keep trying...you WILL be able to take good shots that are sharp.

I also tried to do what you are trying to do in the beginning and I didn't understand all these things...to illustrate here are two shots from my site.

1.) A Berry. I shot this and cropped very aggressively. This is a very small berry and you can see that the quality just isn't there.


2.) This is my dog....it's dead tack sharp...I filled the frame, used flash, and got a nice sharp shot.


Both were taken with the same lens.


It's a matter of understanding what your equipment will and will not do...I hope that this helps.

Berry not very sharp


Gracie tack sharp

Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana

Thanks ravish, I fully understand and appreciate your help. I knew that I was pushing the limits of my equipment! All the points you made are very valid, especially the one on focusing on small objects at long distances, the old eyes aren’t what they use to be. I have included a shot to show that my equipment is capable of better work!

Shot using same lens with a pretty radical crop job!