butterflies Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly

Hi Gillie,

You have obtained as much as this zoom lens has to offer by using the 200mm at F/6.3 .

The "soft look" is probably due to one of the following:

1] Focus point not optimized due to the auto-focus mode used

2] Slight motion due to hand movement or the insect/flower movement. Even at 1/1250 second, motion blur can result from a 200mm lens.

3] Limitation of this zoom lens. Often, zoom lens with large ranges like 18mm to 200mm have compromised performance levels at various focal length selected and the working distances that they are used at.

Best Regards,  Mike

Thanks Mike;  All valid points.  The camera was hand held;  I have yet to master the ability to capture butterflies with a tripod.  I shall try harder this summer; the swallowtails are just drifting back here now.  Gillie