switched from oly to canon 50d ALL photos of people blurry

<p>Ok, you're using F10 so it's not DOF. You're using 1/500th so it's not shutter speed. The Oly's are all 4/3 (very small sensor) so DOF is deeper still. You do get some in focus shots so it's not a calibration issue.</p>

<p>The only other thing I can come up with is your AF point selection. The canon bodies have lot's of AF sensors. I don't know how the logic works, but when all the AF points are selected, you get lot's of AF errors. We hear this a lot from new Canon converts.</p>

<p>I only use the Center AF Point, Always. That's it. Never use the other AF points, at least until you get rmore familiar with your gear. Also select one shot AF forget about AI/Servo/Continous. Again, until you get more familiar with it.</p>

<p>Do this and you'll find your AF experience will be dead on. Yes you'll have to focus and recompose, but it will become natural to you in no time.</p>

<p>There could be a lot of reasons, so I'd suggest you take a number of images, taken across a wide spectrum of f stops and shutter speeds, and examine them. Look for where the focus is sharp, if any. Notice any patterns?</p>

<p>It could be your focus technique but Canon autofocus can be problematic, and if your lenses or the camera are out of calibration (back or front focus are the symptoms), either by themselves or in combination with the other, you will have problems no matter what you do. You have to determine whether it is your technique or whether the gear is actually at fault.</p>

<p>You might try searching for and downloading autofocus tests (usually involves a ruler or a focus target). Perform the test and see what results you get. No sense banging your head on a wall if it is really the gear. If you have friends who have either another body or other lenses you can try, borrow them and test them. If it is the gear, send both or each separately, to Canon to calibrate.</p>

<p>In your example photo, it looks like there is no point of focus at all--it looks like it is in front of the subjects and out of the field of view. But it is hard to tell from an online image. You might post a 100 percent crop of the necklace/arm/hair area, which appears to be the sharpest part, yet not exactly sharp.</p>

<p>And try to get your head around DOF--if not the theory, the practical parts that will allow you to control it and not the other way around. It really is necessary if you are going to control which parts of the image are in focus.</p>

<p>The fact that you get some sharp images when the flash is on seems to imply it isn't a focus issue. Flash images are usually sharper because flash tends to freeze motion so hand holding shake and slow shutter speeds don't affect the image so much. The fact that you get some sharp images when using AI Servo is because the focus is moving when in that mode, and you are bound to catch some sharp shots.</p>

<p>"The only other thing I can come up with is your AF point selection. The canon bodies have lot's of AF sensors. I don't know how the logic works, but when all the AF points are selected, you get lot's of AF errors. We hear this a lot from new Canon converts."<br>

I agree with Bob on this one. If you want sharply focused people pictures you have to "manually" place one of the sensors on the certain body-part that you want to be in focus, usually the face, or even better the eyes.<br>

If you let the camera choose the focusing point(s) it might choose a focusing point that is not even close to what you want in focus and you get a semi-blurry, or soft picture. I'm not sure if the 5D has face detection, but if it does I would use that when you are taking portraits or people pictures, then you should have no problems.<br>

Other than that I would take the camera in to get calibrated or exchange it for a new one. I had my 50mm f1.8 for 8 years now and I refuse to upgrade, because it takes such great people pictures. Then again, I don't own an Oly so I can't make any comparisons. </p>

 

<p>This might be a totally redundant suggestion, but the lens isn't set to manual focus mode by any chance is it?</p>

<p>Agree with most said, Oly 4:3 wider angle lenses, smaller sensor=larger DOF, now playing with a slightly larger format, less DOF and a lil practice, One shot mode, so you can lock focus, A1 will adjust as you recompose (good for tracking like birds ans fast kids), centre focus point only, this is the most accurate AF point. f2.8 is fine for a single portrait and if 2 in the same plane of focus, your sample needs least f4, and hard to see where focus actually is, especially if recomposing. as the FP is recorded where locked, not where taken, problably a 30mm may equate the oly but not too flattering eh. I`d still use both till you get on top the situation, don`t take long :) good luck</p>

<p>Also not much to DOF, in most situations from the poinr of focus, DOF should be a 1/3 forward, 2/3 behind. From the sample f5.6~f8 should be quite sharp if focus recompose on necklette or contrast point top & skin right shoulder :) lets just hope a lil practice and not equipment</p>

<p>Agreed with all the above.</p>

 

<ul>

<li>What are you focusing on? Use ONE focus point and in a portrait of one person, focus on the eyes (or the closest eye), lock focus (beep), then recompose (carefully, not too much lateral movement and no back and forth movement), and then shoot. </li>

<li>In a portrait of two people like your sample, set aperture to something more like f/5.6 and focus "in the middle"</li>

<li>Make sure your shutter speed exceeds the lens length significantly, eg at 50mm I would stay well above 1/100th sec at all times.</li>

</ul>

<p>Make sense?<br>

Yes Canon can be inconsistent (my 1D/1Ds MkIII bodies get one blurry out of every five shots at f/1.4 and Canon confirms that is the way it is), but that is not what is happening here I think.<br>

Cheers,<br>

Michael</p>

 

<p>i know a guy like this locally, has lots of income, all L lenses, takes a pic of someone and whirrrrrrrr fires away on continuous mode without checking the focus, etc. And shoots all lenses wide open. too funny. When are people going to start thinking and studying on their own? Maybe I have an advantage in that I started in photog a long time ago with a manual focus only, match needle manual exposure camera.</p>

<p>Kelly, to demonstrate the issues, lay a yardstick on the floor/table a few feet away (pointing away). Then focus on the middle and take exposures at various f-stops. You'll quickly see what many are saying here. Try the Olympus, too. You'll see that it's more forgiving since it has a smaller sensor in it. Many P/S cameras avoid the narrow DOF issues, too by restricting to narrower f-stops.<br>

In the shot posted your pattern metering mode selected the girls face. Turn on the display of the metering spots (and I would just use center spot selection.)</p>

<p>Kelly, if you're shooting in RAW then I would suggest giving JPG a try to see if that resolves your issue. Shooting in RAW generally requires some sharpening to be applied post-process, whereas JPG typically includes some level of in-camera sharpening.</p>

<p>thanks everyone, i have tried most of these suggestions, with all 3 of my lenses. It was said to me that there were some prior focusing issues in the 50d that the new firmware would resolve, so downloaded that, not much of a difference.</p>

<p>I refuse to believe it is the camera or all 3 lenses. I did not know that Olympus's were more forgiving for a fact, but that is what ive been telling everyone, because its obvious.</p>

<p>Yesterday i did 3 seperate test shoots with my kiddo, one in each mode, (ie, oneshot, aiservo alfocus) and they were still and moving shots of her dancing around. Believe it or not, i got the most "usable " shots from using the alfocus mode, but only about 60 percent. Her still close ups were fine, SOME of the pics i took of her moving around, with the 50mm (she is approximately 20 feet away) at a very high shutter speed at f10 were blurry, some werent, seems to be a hit or miss. I DO select focus points when ap is at say, f2, f5, try to use center focus point when ap is at f10 or more, just nothing seems consistent. Was hoping this would be resolved before the wedding this weekend...grrrr. Im very appreciative of your help!</p>

<p>You know, it might just be broken. Can you try and exchange it for another body? I'm sure if you took a printout of this thread in to the store it would convince them that you have in good faith done your absolute utmost to resolve the problem - I think you've been very patient!</p>

<p>[[with the 50mm (she is approximately 20 feet away) at a very high shutter speed at f10 were blurry]]</p>

<p>Can you provide this example?</p>

<p>Things are "slowly" getting better. YES, i think not being used to the IS being in the camera body, and not having high end lenses with IS has been an issue. Also, one thing ive noticed about the canon, in paying attention to what im seeing in the viewfinder after the focus beeps, is that even after the camera thinks it has focused, if i look closely, the face may not be in focus. This happens usually when the subject/person is 20 feet away or more. I place a focus dot on face, preferably eye. I read somewhere that sometimes canons have problems with finding good contrast. so in shots where subject is somewhat far away, choosing a focus dot on the eye..but being so far away, placing a big ol focus dot on a teeny eye...not working. So now im placing focus at hairline, or something bigger. Helps a "bit".<br>

Also, i think using low end lenses is an issue definately.<br>

Those of you telling me to use center focus dot always, okay, what if say, i have a woman, leaning against a wall, i want her and the wall to be in the right side of the frame only. Can i seriously use center focus dot, and then recompose to the middle of the pic , and she will still be in focus? I have tried that a few times, but, if it is a "side" composition as the above, im not finding that it is working well.."all the time".<br>

The last 2 photo shoots ive done, were better, still using both cameras, but the last one, it was 75 percent of the "canon" photos that i posted for the client.<br>

This pic is at a very high ISO, 1/320, f2.8 with my cheapie 50mm 1.8, i believe focus dot was on left eye. Not the most "crisp" pic, but with that high of an iso, i would epect that. Again though, focus dot on eye, works for me when subject is close, and NOT moving. I do have better luck with non moving subjects. Ive also found that shutter speed should be LOTS higher that what i would use on my Oly, probably because of the no "in body" IS</p>

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<p>[[ Can i seriously use center focus dot, and then recompose to the middle of the pic , and she will still be in focus?]]</p>

<p>This will depend a lot on your aperture and depth of field. If you're shooting with a very large aperture, the DoF may be off when you recompose. However, if you're shooting with a decent amount of DoF and you remember to hold the focus then you should be fine.</p>

<p>oh and by the way, im still having to sharpen most of my canon pics, this pic is "post" sharpening, and "post" noise ninja.</p>

<p>Thanks Rob, ill try it.</p>

<p><img src="w" alt="" /><img src="www.casandramuellerphotography.com" alt="" />Kelly,</p>

<p>I am having the exact same problems as you and it has led to endless hours of trial and error with no real solution. I am sending a sample of a group shot done. I have high end lenses and still cant get clear. This shot was taken at f-9.0 @ 160th shutter speed. <img src="www.casandramuellerphotography.com" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="www.casandramuellerphotography.com" alt="" />sorry. here is the picture<img src="www.casandramuellerphotography.com" alt="" /></p>

<p>cant seem to get the picture in. I will try one more time.<img src="www.casandramuellerphotography.com" alt="" /></p><div></div>