40D Problem

[jasony8]

Hey guys,

I have always thought the photos my 40D shot were not very sharp and always seemed blurry. I have no idea what's wrong with it, and I've done some research on the internet about other users who think they are experiencing the problem. They have recommended in sending it back to the Canon factory for a check up.

I was just wondering, is there a way I can check myself?
Any recommended tests/experiments?

Thanks!

[OsmosisStudios]

mind sharing some samples with us? With EXIF, of course.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by jasony8

... I have always thought the photos my 40D shot were not very sharp and always seemed blurry.

Just me, but my first thought is... are you sure it's the camera and not you? If this is your first dSLR, chances are good you have a good bit of technique and photography basics to learn, and until you have them down, any number of them can cause blurriness. Sharpness depends as much on technique as it does on the hardware.

I was just wondering, is there a way I can check myself?
Any recommended tests/experiments?

Sure.

Step 1. Put the camera on a tripod.

This is because one of the main reasons for bluriness in photos is caused by camera shake causing blur at lower shutter speeds. Or higher ones, depending on how good/bad the photographer's handholding technique can be.

Learning how to hold your camera seems to be a step most newbies have skipped. The number of folks I see shooting with their left hand on the top of the lens is simply astounding.

Also, learning how focal length and stabilization affect which shutter speeds you can hold at without introducing shake blur is vital. The rule of thumb is that your shutter speed needs to be at 1/focal_length or faster. I stress this is a rule of thumb. Some folks throw in the crop factor, some don't. And there's always a lower bound. Mine is 1/30s. Stabilization can lower this minimum shutter speed limit, usually by two to three stops, but that's all. It's not the same as using a tripod. So, when testing, use a tripod. And preferably mirror lockup and a remote, so you know no vibration is being introduced.

Step 2. If you're testing the camera body, test more than one lens and more than one aperture setting.

It could be the lens that's at fault. It might be miscalibrated for your camera body so that it's misfocusing slightly. It could be that the lens is being used wide open (at its max. aperture) all the time, where it's weakest. You generally want to test at least wide open, and then full stops down to at least f/8. Lenses tend to perform better at least a stop down from wide open. If you consistently see the same problem no matter what the lens or aperture setting, then it's a body problem. Otherwise, it may just be the lens you're using.

Step 3. Manually focus with liveview at a target perpendicular and flat to the camera

Those ruler tests? Bogus. It's damn impossible to know if you've hit the target you're aiming for. That's why lensaligns were made. Being perpendicular in more than one axis is harder than people assume. A calendar or a brick wall are great for testing sharpness and distortion. You want to manually focus with liveview and 10x magnification because that way, you also remove autofocus system errors from the equation.

Mastering your AF system can be tough. I'd say find a "fuzzy" photograph, and check to see if something else is in focus in the image. Use the Canon ZoomBrowser software to see which AF point was active when you shot the image. It could just be that you didn't tell the camera to focus in the right place. Learning how to set a single AF point and using it can be a life-saving technique. As is learning when and when NOT to use Servo modes.

If it's still fuzzy after all that, then maybe it's time to consider sending your camera (and possibly your lenses) to Canon Service for calibration or repair.

Last note: don't spend too much time agonizing over why things aren't "sharp" at 100% crop. I've only in my life ever had two lenses that were sharp enough to still look sharp at 100% crop. And neither of them were my three Ls. Remember how extreme the magnification is when you're looking at the pixels. It's kind of like wondering why your hair doesn't look smooth under an electron microscope.

[Raoul Isidro]

Try doing this:

Reset all camera settings:
Press the MENU button.
Scroll to WRENCH icon number 3
Wheel down to "Clear all camera settings".
Press "SET"
Scroll right and press "OK"
The camera will reset to Factory Settings.

Take the camera outside in bright daylight or under a shade.
Set MODE dial to the GREEN camera icon (Full Auto)
Set the LENS switch to AF and not MF.
Take a picture of a subject like a flower, tree, etc.

Give us a feedback of how you go. Two others (above) have contributed to comment and offer a solution to your problem and we'd like to know your success.
Cheers