Why is it not sharp: Hi, I took this photo with my Canon 60D using the Canon EF 75-300 (this is the kit lens I got with my Canon 350D). The settings were 1/400 sec at f5.6 with 300mm...

stevenh0027 Loc: Melbourne Australia

Hi,
I took this photo with my Canon 60D using the Canon EF 75-300 (this is the kit lens I got with my Canon 350D).
The settings were 1/400 sec at f5.6 with 300mm zoom and ISO 100
Auto focus was on. The lens does not have inbuilt stabilisation.

To me the shot does not look sharp.
Is it me? My eye? My technique? Is it the lens?

I also use a Canon EFS 18-135mm. I feel that this lens produces a sharper image.

Should I look at upgrading the lens?

(Download)

Fred Harwood Loc: Sheffield, Mass.

I think I see motion?

stevenh0027 Loc: Melbourne Australia

I forgot to mention that I had the auto focus point set on the single centre point.

Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.

You could probably used a higher f stop f8 or higher and a tripod also would help. The bird is fairly sharp.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

stevenh0027 wrote:

Hi,
I took this photo with my Canon 60D using the Canon EF 75-300 (this is the kit lens I got with my Canon 350D).
The settings were 1/400 sec at f5.6 with 300mm zoom and ISO 100
Auto focus was on. The lens does not have inbuilt stabilisation.

To me the shot does not look sharp.
Is it me? My eye? My technique? Is it the lens?

I also use a Canon EFS 18-135mm. I feel that this lens produces a sharper image.

Should I look at upgrading the lens?

I assume you were hand holding the camera, no tripod. the longer the lens, the more camera shake you will get, no matter how steady your hands. In my opinion, you should shoot birds and longer shots at f/8 or greater, and if you have to hand hold, even with inbuilt stabilization, increase your shutter speed to at least 1/600. It all takes time and practice. Good luck in the future.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

stevenh0027 wrote:

Hi,
I took this photo with my Canon 60D using the Canon EF 75-300 (this is the kit lens I got with my Canon 350D).
The settings were 1/400 sec at f5.6 with 300mm zoom and ISO 100
Auto focus was on. The lens does not have inbuilt stabilisation.

To me the shot does not look sharp.
Is it me? My eye? My technique? Is it the lens?

I also use a Canon EFS 18-135mm. I feel that this lens produces a sharper image.

Should I look at upgrading the lens?

Looks like your focus point missed everything and was focused on the sky instead. Center focus point was active and locked, but not on any part of the bird or twigs.

Shake reduction in Photoshop can help get the bird in better focus, but still not tack sharp.

(Download)

Rongnongno Loc: FL

stevenh0027 wrote:

.../...

Motion, possibly something else but at this point that is the 'main' culprit.

.

Eye highlight...
Eye highlight......

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

multiple highlight in eye suggests motion blur

stevenh0027 Loc: Melbourne Australia

Thanks for all the great advice.
I will try to increase the speed and change the f stop by increasing the ISO.
A tripod is a bit tricky because they don't sit still for very long at all.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Focus point. The 5.6 at 1/400 setting would have resulted in a sharper image if the camera had focused on the bird.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

You're correct - it isn't sharp, and from the focus point shown by dngallagher, you are in fact focused on the sky, so nothing on the bird is in focus. You might try either selecting automatic AF point selection in the menu or being careful of the AF focus point if you choose a single center point and perhaps explore using BBF (back button focus) to lock the focus on your selected point.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Question....

What is the point of looking for focusing when the primary problem that puzzles the op is motion blur?

You are correct to point to the focus being off but that is something the op could have seen if the motion blur had not been in the middle.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Rongnongno wrote:

Question....

What is the point of looking for focusing when the primary problem that puzzles the op is motion blur?

You are correct to point to the focus being off but that is something the op could have seen if the motion blur had not been in the middle.

I cannot tell from the photo whether it's motion blur or out-of-focus, and if you can, then my hat's off to you. For me the two pieces of evidence are the reasonable shutter speed considering the FL of the lens, but more importantly, the focus point is clearly on the sky.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

stevenh0027 wrote:

.../... Should I look at upgrading the lens?

Unless you have trouble keeping the lens steady... No.

You are at base ISO and that is part of the problem. Using a faster ISO like 800 or even 1600 would have allowed you to reduce the blur by augmenting the speed. Note that the dof can also become an issue but we will never know that. 5.6 is a bit narrow. 8 is better and 11 optimal. (ISO 1600 1/2000 f8 or ISO 1600 1/1000 f11)

As to the focus manual or auto, that is up to you to decide what to do, no lens will ever correct that.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

TriX wrote:

I cannot tell from the photo whether it's motion blur or out-of-focus, and if you can, then my hat's off to you. For me the two pieces of evidence are the reasonable shutter speed considering the FL of the lens, but more importantly, the focus point is clearly on the sky.

Check the cropped eye highlight... A streak. That is motion.