Why are some of my photos out of focus? Hi, I came back from Fairford a while ago and some photos to my eyes appear out of focus! I have attached a screenshot of a RAW photo as...

Harry P Loc: United Kingdom

Hi,

I came back from Fairford a while ago and some photos to my eyes appear out of focus! I have attached a screenshot of a RAW photo as reference. I am confused as to why some of my photos appear to be out of focus and if any other aviation photographers may be able to help with improve on this problem. I shot this using 1/320th shutter speed for rotor blur. Is it truly out of focus because my D5100 is only 11 focus points, camera shake, shutter too slow is my cameras burst rate only being 4 frames per second the issue? I am saving up for a D780 upgrade and hoping that full frame, more focus points and 7fps CH may resolve this.

JohnR Loc: The Gates of Hell

Doesn't look like camera shake more like it just hasn't focused. Do you have the camera set on continuous autofocus or single?

Harry P Loc: United Kingdom

continuous servo

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Hand held? If so, at 1/320th I'll go with camera movement.

BebuLamar

Longshadow wrote:

Hand held? If so, at 1/320th I'll go with camera movement.

Yes because I think he use a long lens.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Harry P wrote:

Hi, br br I came back from Fairford a while ago a... (show quote)

What was the focal length for that shot?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Store the example files so we can analyze the EXIF. Otherwise, all you'll get is guesses, most of them wild.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BebuLamar wrote:

Yes because I think he use a long lens.

Yea, that'll magnify any wobble.

Harry P Loc: United Kingdom

sigma 150-600mm and it was shot at 600mm

BebuLamar

For a 600mm lens on an APS-C the typical handholding shutter speed would be something like 1/1000. You can do a bit lower if you have steady hand. Me? I have to go higher than that I can't hold the camera very steady.

Harry P Loc: United Kingdom

is that problem reduced on a full frame DSLR? also does a higher framerate on continous help too?

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Harry P wrote:

is that problem reduced on a full frame DSLR? also does a higher framerate on continous help too?

Pleae use "quote reply". No. The general rule of thumb is the minimum shutter speed is 1/focal length but if you use a crop sensor you need to multiply that by the crop factor. And that is a minimum guideline. In this case I agree with Bebulamar, I think 1/1000 is more appropriate.

Higher frame rate might give you a better chance of getting a frame in focus.

Harry P Loc: United Kingdom

JD750 wrote:

Pleae use "quote reply". No. The general rule of thumb is the minimum shutter speed is 1/focal length but if you use a crop sensor you need to multiply that by the crop factor. And that is a minimum guideline. In this case I agree with Bebulamar, I think 1/1000 is more appropriate.

Higher frame rate might give you a better chance of getting a frame in focus.

if you shot it at that speed, how you going to get prop/rotor blur, it will just be frozen

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Harry P wrote:

if you shot it at that speed, how you going to get prop/rotor blur, it will just be frozen

Pick a poison....
Tripod maybe?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

BebuLamar wrote:

For a 600mm lens on an APS-C the typical handholding shutter speed would be something like 1/1000. You can do a bit lower if you have steady hand. Me? I have to go higher than that I can't hold the camera very steady.

Doesn't the Sigma lens have much-ballyhoed image stabilization? If so, I would expect 1/320 to be well within reasonable limits for hand-holding.

Also...the shutter speed guidelines derive from focal length and sensor density, not format. There is no per se reason to multiply by the "crop factor" just because of sensor size. There may be a reason to do so based on high pixel count, which indicates higher density. Don't believe that should be an issue with a D5100.