Help/critique, Canon 50mm F1.4 can't seem to take sharp pictures

[xnesca]

I just recently realized that I have a really hard time taking sharp portraits using the canon F1.4 wide open or anything below F2.8.

• are these pictures simply not sharp because of narrow depth of field when it is wide open?

• any pros want to comment on how to get such sharp pictures of the face/eyes while shooting wide open at F2.0 or below?

I generally use autofocus but don't use the center dot on my Eos450D because I don't like the composition using the center dot. I tend to use one of the focus points on the diagonal corners so I can follow the rule of 3rds.

• IMG_4053 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! F2.5, 1/80sec, ISO-400 50mm. this picture I know i pointed the focus point right at her eye/face but it just seems blurry to me. any comments?

the other lenses I use seem much sharper and the main difference is the F stop 55mm - 250mm

• IMG_1909 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! F4, 1/640 ISO-400 55mm (55mm - 250mm EFs)

another lens I use that appears to be a lot sharper is the 10-22mm

• IMG_9394 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! F4.5, 1/125 sec ISO-200 at 22mm

any help is appreciated, not being able to get sharp pictures off the prime is killing me, some times I clearly use the focus points on the eye and it just would not take sharp pictures

[inkista]

There are three issues at work here.

1). Shooting with the lens open wider gives you a thinner DoF, and you have to focus with much more accuracy. You may only have millimeters to work with.

2). It's a rare rare lens that's at its sharpest wide open. Most lenses have a "sweet spot" that is typically 1 or 2 stops smaller than the maximum. Go look at the test numbers, and you'll see.

3). The dRebel series only has one AF spot, which is cross-type (i.e., uses vertical and horizontal sensors for more accuracy) and f/2.8 (sensitive at f/2.8 and wider; for ref see this CiC page), and it's that center spot you refuse to use. You can half-press and recompose, but then you may be outside those few millimeters of DoF when you move the camera. Rock and a hard place.

One thing you may want to consider is putting the camera on a tripod, and then using liveview and 10x magnification and focusing manually. It's more cumbersome, but also more accurate.

And post-processing counts. Sharpening is something you really want to master. (See also.)

The reason your telephoto is sharper is because it's a smaller aperture.
The reason your ultrawide is sharper is because it's a smaller aperture, AND it's also going to give you a deeper DoF.

[xnesca]

Thanks so so much inkista, the articles explains a lot. great read and definitely helps. I guess it may also help if i moved off the autofocus and start using manual

[inkista]

I use adapted manual focus lenses and manual focus a lot, and my general experience is that autofocus is more often accurate than manual, unless you have a few extra special tools in your arsenal, particularly for fast lenses.

We don't have the focus aids in the viewfinder that we used to have for film. The current default matte focus screens aren't particularly good at rendering DoF accurately for lenses that are f/1.4 or wider when set wide open, and the Canon dRebel models don't have interchangeable focus screens. So liveview + 10x magnification is probably your best workaround, but is pretty clumsy for handholding.

The other workaround, as you've seen, is simply stopping the lens down for more sharpness and more DoF.

[photog1107]

I will add that I have also had many frustrating experiences with my 1.4 prime too... and had to learn the hard way that it's really, really tough to get tack sharp images because of the incredibly shallow DoF. It can look really, really sharp in the viewfinder, only to find out you are WAY off once you view it onscreen! Thanks for the idea to use live mode with magnification... Yes, it's cumbersome, but it might save the day!

[xnesca]

it's definitely frustrating when I know I can get super sharp pictures from it but turns out blurry have of the time.

Originally Posted by photog1107

I will add that I have also had many frustrating experiences with my 1.4 prime too... and had to learn the hard way that it's really, really tough to get tack sharp images because of the incredibly shallow DoF. It can look really, really sharp in the viewfinder, only to find out you are WAY off once you view it onscreen! Thanks for the idea to use live mode with magnification... Yes, it's cumbersome, but it might save the day!

[sk66]

Why do you want to be shooting wide open with it? That's probably the biggest mistake people make when they get a "nifty fifty".....
I really need to do that tutorial on creating separation....

[xnesca]

I guess, the real issue here is how do I make my portraits "pop" and focus on the subject without shooting at a low F-stop on the 50mm? a tutorial on separation would definitely be helpful.

Originally Posted by sk66

Why do you want to be shooting wide open with it? That's probably the biggest mistake people make when they get a "nifty fifty".....
I really need to do that tutorial on creating separation....

[OnL4ch]

Originally Posted by sk66

Why do you want to be shooting wide open with it? That's probably the biggest mistake people make when they get a "nifty fifty".....
I really need to do that tutorial on creating separation....

I would love that tutorial.

[RichardTaylor]

@ OnL4ch

You may find this tutorial helpful (even though I was using a 50mm F1.8)

DOF Notes:1 - Head shots using a 50mm lens.


and possibly this one (it is linked from the above tutorial)

DOF Notes:2 - Blurring backgrounds with shots of multiple people