Long distance focus? I shot this picture of a Red Tailed Hawk from about 150 yds. I used Manual focus looking through the view finder, but didn't get it as sharp as I thought it should...

wevans410 Loc: Simi Valley CA

I shot this picture of a Red Tailed Hawk from about 150 yds. I used Manual focus looking through the view finder, but didn't get it as sharp as I thought it should be. Any suggestions?
I'm using an AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 with a 2x teleconverter on a tripod with remote release. Do I just need new glasses or am I expecting too much at that distance?

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

The lens is obviously high quality. You might want to experiment before another opportunity like this.
I have a friend (we shoot Canon) who was curious about similar results using a teleconverter. So what he did was to take some shots with the teleconverter, and then take them again without and crop. He found that he was better off leaving the teleconverter off and just doing the crop. His shots were consistently sharper than with the teleconverter.
I'm not saying it would be the same for you, but I would consider doing the experiment to see.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

wevans410 wrote:

I shot this picture of a Red Tailed Hawk from about 150 yds. I used Manual focus looking through the view finder, but didn't get it as sharp as I thought it should be. Any suggestions?
I'm using an AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 with a 2x teleconverter on a tripod with remote release. Do I just need new glasses or am I expecting too much at that distance?

150 yards with just a 200mm and 2X teleconverter?

Amazing...that's quite a distance.

I'd have thought that this bird would look like a dot in the middle of the lens at that distance.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

1/60 shutter
f22
ISO 140
400mm
Don't know if would be better, I'd gone for a faster shutter and adjusted the f/stop to go work it. Maybe adjust the ISO a little, as well.
Pat
Snap Shot Guy

wevans410 Loc: Simi Valley CA

Thanks to all. I will try it again tonight and experiment with just the lens. There are a pair of birds that always roost in the same spot.
I know your supposed to focus on the eye, but I could just make out the bird!

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Without downloading the image it looks like the branch to the left is in focus and setting your camera to Spot Focus should help. It is a crazy small depth of field though, but maybe that is from the extender.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

wevans410 wrote:

Thanks to all. I will try it again tonight and experiment with just the lens. There are a pair of birds that always roost in the same spot.
I know your supposed to focus on the eye, but I could just make out the bird!

I think that's what the crux of the issue is; having a subject so small and so distant isn't going to make great shots...it just won't happen (possibly by accident).

I've learned the hard way that my lenses won't do miracles, I have to get a reasonable distance (much closer than you'd think) and fill the frame (at least partially) to get an acceptable shot that doesn't look blocky or messed up.

And I have some VERY VERY good lenses...I just had to learn what they would and wouldn't do and trying to get a shot of something so small that I couldn't see where to focus sounds like a recipe for disappointment.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Maybe already doing this, try refocusing several times. Increase the odds of getting it "right on target".
Pat

wevans410 Loc: Simi Valley CA

I did try focusing several times to try and get it right. And I did use spot metering.
For a reasonable distance for that lens, is the limit about the distance you get when the screen is about full of the subject? So should I be looking at something, say 75 yds?
I figured this was about a 5 iron away and that means I probably ought to be looking more like a pitching wedge.

steve40 Loc: Asheville/Canton, NC, USA

Probably the best idea, would be to try a tripod. IS is pretty good, but not the best of the crop.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

wevans410 wrote:

I did try focusing several times to try and get it right. And I did use spot metering.
For a reasonable distance for that lens, is the limit about the distance you get when the screen is about full of the subject? So should I be looking at something, say 75 yds?
I figured this was about a 5 iron away and that means I probably ought to be looking more like a pitching wedge.

Yes...the best images come when the subject isn't a speck in the middle of the frame.

If you view the bird and it's filling the frame; even a solid 50% of the frame, then you'll have a fighting chance at a clear, sharp shot.

I don't know yardage, only that even my 70-200 that I had for a shot while was only effective up to the length of my yard which is only about 25 or 30 yards...after that the image suffered...I wasn't taking shots of the Good year blimp!

Try it; have someone stand 100 feet away and use your 200mm lens to take a head shot.

Then have them stand 50 feet away, then 25 feet.

After you take the shots; crop the head only.

I'd wager that the one where they are 25 feet is sharper and clearer than the 50 foot shot and that one is better than the one 100 feet away.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

wevans410 wrote:

I did try focusing several times to try and get it right. And I did use spot metering.
For a reasonable distance for that lens, is the limit about the distance you get when the screen is about full of the subject? So should I be looking at something, say 75 yds?
I figured this was about a 5 iron away and that means I probably ought to be looking more like a pitching wedge.

I downloaded the image and zoomed in. The focus is soft everywhere - ignore my earlier post.

Lens: 70-200mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 400mm
Focal Length in 35mm Flim: 600mm
Exposure Time: 1/60
Aperture: 8.92
F Number: f.22
ISO: 140
Metering Mode: Spot

steve40 Loc: Asheville/Canton, NC, USA

This is part of the problem, F Number: f.22. Misconception smaller F stops increase DOF, they do - but at the cost of resolution.

Try F-11, see if sharpness doesn't improve.

wevans410 Loc: Simi Valley CA

Interesting idea for an experiment. I will try it and see.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I believe that you are fore-focused. The large tree trunk on left side is sharper than bird's eye.

For manual focus, try this:
1.) Compose through viewfinder;
2.) Go to Live View;
3.) Press the "+" button several times to reach max mag on LCD;
4.) NOW manually focus while viewing LCD (this bypasses possible viewfinder diopter error). A "Hoodman HoodLoupe" is helpful;
5.) Take photograph;
6.) Do NOT refocus! Now adjust viewfinder diopter setting to match focus as seen on LCD.

Hopefully, you can now use viewfinder for future long-distance focusing, but if not, you can always use Live View.

Hoodman HoodLoupe 3.0: http://www.hoodmanusa.com/products.asp?dept=1017