help me with my 50 mm Re: sharp eyes

[kimspics]

I have an issue that is a real BIG struggle for me..I have a nifty fifty 50mm1.4...I do alot of baby shoots in my little home based studio..The problem I have is that I have a really hard time getting the eyes SHARP !! my cam D300 is set to aperature priority , I use the auto focus..but over 1/2 of all my pics are deleted due to burryiness...I do hold my hand still and try to concentrate and not move. What can I do? Please any advice? I am really sick about this..Such a little light lens causing me this HUGE headache ????

[Shokinen]

What aperture are you using ? You might be too large and you are focusing the nose. This is a common challenge when you do portrait. Reducing the aperture will help getting everything is focus.

[amymnc]

It's really difficult to get sharp focus at 1.4. You've got no wiggle room there- gotta be directly on the eyes or it's just not going to be sharp. Very small area will be in focus if you're shooting wide open. Maybe check your shutter speed too? If it's low you might be getting a little camera shake regardless of how still you are. With me, if it's below 1/60 I can forget it and better pull out the tri-pod. Just keep at it, you'll get it!

[OsmosisStudios]

You need to shoot at f/2, at very least. f/2.8 is even better.

[sk66]

And use spot focus; select the focus point putting it over the eye you want to be in focus.

[inkista]

f/5.6 is your sweet spot.

You may want to look at dpreview's test data for the lens, and spin the aperture wheel.