Blurry pics at 100%?

[amy m.]

Thanks to all of you. I truly appreciate all of your words.

After spending 6 hours searching the Internet today, reading your answers, and trying things out on my camera, I think I've been using the autofocus wrong and misusing the focus recompose method by focusing on one plane and moving the focus to another plane not realizing the plane change. I don't think it's my lenses being soft, (although that may contribute a tad, but not to the degree of fuzziness I'm getting) but focusing.

I also need to work on choosing better settings. I get scared of an underexposed shot or motion blur from too slow of a SS so I bump the ISO. I'll try to stop that one too.

Thanks again everyone!!

[natek313]

Originally Posted by inkista

Plus, nothing really ever looks good, crisp, and sharp at 100% crop. With today's megapixel counts, that's a much higher magnification than we used to look at film.

In addition to what everyone has said already, you have to keep in mind what inkista pointed out in the quote above. Most of the pictures you see in magazines are not 100% crop pictures. They're reduced significantly to fit into the magazine's format. I wouldn't use that as a comparison.

What lens did you use to take those photographs? Did you do any research on that specific lens to see if the majority of its owners are having similar issues?

EDIT: Considering your post above mine, ignore what I just said above. Haha.

Don't get "scared of an underexposed shot." I don't think you realize how many of us here (especially me) have that result from time to time, some more/less frequently. The important thing is that you're learning. Don't feel like you have to take every shot with a shutter speed of 1/400 second; it's just not practical. If you haven't already, consider investing in a tripod and remote shutter release to help when you're forced into using slower shutter speeds.

Happy shooting. I'm sure you'll find that, over time, your mistakes become less and less frequent.

[LENAAPPLE1974]

My suggestion, which works for me when I get frustrated with settings - reset the camera. Then start over.

Also, do you use a flash? I noticed in the first picture that you did not use one, but you have shade. I have noticed that unless it is sunny (and even sometimes when it is sunny), using a flash helps my pictures - but mostly with what you are seeing here. Then I would do (very) light editing in PS3 if it is too bright. Don't get me wrong, I do not blow my pictures out with the flash, and I am by no means a pro, but until I get used to the manual features on my camera (I really just started moving off the auto a few months ago), and have time to fully learn how to manipulate the settings all the time on camera, the flash has been helping me acheive some shots that otherwise I would have screwed up.

[Sime]

I just see them as being noisy. AND HILARIOUS! The little girl sitting on her (?) Dad's shoulders pulling that face.. haha

Noisy. GET that iso down :-)

[janestudios]

Amy, my heart goes out to you and unlike some people, I understand the wanting to quit. First thing, don't compare your work to magazines, they have been shooting for years with a Hasselblad camera and the latest Post Production software. Just stop driving yourself mad

I started out 14 months ago with the same frustrations. First of all, when you are taking a pic of an entire family, it never looks good at 100% so don't freak out. Only couples or singles should look sharp at that zoom. Second, your shots are a bit grainy, I had problems focusing a LOT until recently. I did the focus and recompose junk, and the half-press shutter focus. The bottom line is that TOGGLE focusing worked for me. If you need help on this, just google it or let me know.

OK, main things to worry about as a new photographer...IMHO

#1 ALL photos look bad SOC (unless you are the 2% of pro photogs that have that special touch) so just worry about exposure and focus ONLY.
#2 Auto focus is JUST FINE! Just learn to get your focus point to the face or the center of the group
#3 It just takes TIME and lots of practice. I wanted to quit 10 times in my first year, so don't worry, just keep going
#4 There is a LOT of information out there, and it all says different things. The answer is, there is no right answer. Just what is right for your camera and for you.
#5 Rule of Thumb - Aperture should be a minimum of 2 full stops higher than your # of people (ie... 5 people, f7.0 minimum! but I prefer f9.0)
#6 Once you learn all the rules, feel free to break them for your art!

http://www.sarahreidonline.com
when I started 14 months ago, I did not even know what aperture or shutter speed meant. I have learned so much and am so excited to learn more!!!

[tom_eaton]

Originally Posted by nathanbarlow

what he said ^

Plus "AF-S" is a type of lens, not a type of focus setting.

My camera has AF-S, AF-A and AF-C focus modes.....

[dcclark]

Originally Posted by tom_eaton

My camera has AF-S, AF-A and AF-C focus modes.....

That's really unfortunate naming!

AF-S (the focus mode) has nothing to do with AF-S (the lens type).

[katia]

Originally Posted by dcclark

That's really unfortunate naming!

AF-S (the focus mode) has nothing to do with AF-S (the lens type).

my camera also has that. Autofocus Single Servo, Autofocus Continous Servo, and Autofocus Automatic (chooses between Single Servo and Continuous Servo)

[Claggy]

I agree with the people that are saying to lower your ISO. Also, along with using a higher ISO, does your camera have a noise reduction feature on it? If so, don't use it, or turn it off if you're able to. If you're shooting at a high ISO, you'll get the exposure you want, but high noise. If your camera has auto noise reduction or anything like that, it will probably not do so great of a job at reducing noise, thus creating blurriness.

[kirbinster]

If you use some of Nikon's software (I forget which right now) it will show you where your focus point was. In the picture with the trees in the background it looks to me that the focus might have been on the pine trees rather than the people. The needles around the man look sharper than the people. The other issue might be that your lens is off and either backfocusing or front focusing. As a test I would suggest you set the camera on a tripod and do the following: Set the lens wide open and take a picture of five or seven batteries standing on end that are spaced about 1/2" apart and set about and inch apart front to back. So, if you had seven batteries and the center one was 48" from the lens you would have batteries at 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51 inches from the lens with slight spacing between them. Focus on the center battery and take a picture. Now focus on the 45" battery and take a picture and do the same with the 51" battery. Now look at the pictures at 100% and see which battery is the sharpest. Was it always the one you focused on? If not you have a backfocus problem with your camera-lens combo.