photographic technique.

[makario]

The main thread is at http://dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=34026

Started a new thread as it would be easier to find with a more meaningful Subject.

In terms of my own critique, I find that most of my photos are soft and have a bit too much of grain... here is an example and since I want to improve, please help me understand/identify why I getting this.

F2.8
1/500
IS0-100
IS turned off
One-shot AF on camera,
Auto AF on the lens,
Focus was achieved through half depressing the shutter button (should I have used the Custom function to Lock AE through the AE/AF button or pre-focus using manual focusing)



100%crop


My question
1) is it me? I was using a fast shutter speed 500 and above, more than double my focal lenght and hence I should get tack sharp photos, ISO100 should not be so much grain. .

2) is it the lens - f2.8 on the 70-200F2.8IS lens should be good.

3) is it the camera - 350D, sunny White balance, ISO100, 1/500 of a sec

4) why is there so much grain even though I was using ISO100 on a 350D.


Gary: here is the the crops of the crossbar as requested.



Larger photo
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2895847435_8e1cf26b9f_o.jpg

Thanks for helping me improve.

[dawesy]

When you say 'one shot AF', not being a canon shooter, is that the mode where the camera acquires focus and then stops auto focusing? If so, and you grabbed focus on the dog then it moved, it will have moved away from your focus point and at f2.8 most likely out of the available depth of field. In this situation either manual focus on the obstacle before hand, or using a continuous auto focus so the AF tracks the subject should be better.

Also as mentioned before in the other thread by MattK, stopping down a biut to f4 or so would have helped by giving you more latitude with focus.

The noise doesn't seem too bad and is mostly in the OOF areas. Was the shot underexposed at all based on the histogram?

Having said all that, it's still a good shot and the owners are happy which is the most important thing
Shooting a dog on the run is a tough gig!

[makario]

good point about the AF, yes it was a single AF mode where the camera stops focusing...

Also I forgot to mention that I used a filter ND2 cokin in front of the lens, reason was to get better colours and more detail.

[gstark]

Also I forgot to mention that I used a filter ND2 cokin in front of the lens, reason was to get better colours and more detail.

And less light.

I think your focus point is forward of the subject (closer to you) .. as Matt suggested, looking at the grass seems to indicate the forward plane is about where the crossbar and upright meet.

At f/2.8, you have little working DoF, and as you're shooting based upon where the camera focussed prior to the time that the image was made, and with an active subject, you have a number of factors to bear in mind.

And I don't think that the ND filter helped; its purpose is to help reduce your exposure parameters, not to help you to get better colours or more detail. Some might even argue that putting extra stuff into your light path might be contrary to helping to provide more detail.

[dawesy]

If you get to do this again, put it in AF continuous or equivalent, lose the ND2 which should give you about f4 @ 1/1000 (assuming the same light) and do pretty much everything else the same and you'll see and improvement I'd suggest. About the only other thing I'd say is to watch that background too, if there is an angle without the cars, which I fully understand there may not be as is the nature of parks in suburbia, give that a go.

I look forward to another set!

[Glen]

Makario, my gut feeling when seeing the shots and reading the posts is a)that a 350 is probably not at the top of the Canon tree in terms of focus speed and b) a ND filter would make that slower again. Add a very fast subject and that may explain the OOF pics. I would try without the ND

[ozimax]

You definitely need to stop down to F4 or maybe more to get your lens tack sharp. At F2.8 the DOF is very thin.

This may be completely unrelated, but last year I owned the same lens (70-200 f2.8 IS) and I just couldn't get consistently sharp images. I even had several pro shooters test it for me and we came to the conclusion that the lens wasn't sharp. There are so-so copies of this lens about, this is widely known. I have since purchased the non IS version and it is exceptionally sharp. This is not to say that the IS lens is no good - it is the flagship Canon lens, but there are good copies and bad copies. A recalibration may also help if still under warranty.

As for the body, my 30D sometimes struggles with autofocus, but most of the time it nails it. Your camera may be the same.

Ozi.

[olrac]

The grain you speak about is in the shadow areas of the photo which if under exposed can produce grain.
Maybe bump the exposure a third to half a stop to reduce that grain.

In my expirience it is easier to recover highlights than shadows in post.

[makario]

Thanks everyone for your feedback and tips. I will take another set over the weekend and post the results.

Cheers
Mak

[makario]

Hiya,

Here are my pics from this arvo and I must say I am happier... much sharper.



Larger Image http://www.flickr.com/photos/makro/2913797869/sizes/o/



Larger Image
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3034/2914641588_3c54b1834a_b.jpg

Thanks to everyone who gave me those valuable tips.... now all I need to do is to stop Lightroom from "dulling" the colours when I import but thats another thread!

[mickeyjuice]

Here are my pics from this arvo and I must say I am happier... much sharper.

This new dog has a strange running style

[makario]

hahaha yea... lazy like his owner... sitting on his behind.

[ozimax]

Much sharper photos here, well done.

[dawesy]

I really like #1, noice.

If you get another chance on the action shots be great to see them!

Cheers.

[olrac]

It is a little off topic but I found this video on hand holding techinque really interesting. Now I just have to find time to try it out.

[makario]

thanks for the link, will look at it later this evening

[aim54x]

It is a little off topic but I found this video on hand holding techinque really interesting. Now I just have to find time to try it out.

Awesome link, I just tried it with my D300 + MB-D10 + Tamron 17-50mm and it did feel more stable, it makes a lot of sense as well. I will have to give this a proper go later on too see how I go with it.

BUT how do you adopt this for portrait shooting (no camera grip to place on your shoulder) or macro shooting (getting down low)???

[jase80]

Thanks indeed for that link. Although its probably not usable in all situations, it is another technique to add to the list for situations that allow/warrant it.

[Briddo]

Hi there,
I'm a newbie to this site and fairly new to DSLR's, I hope you don't mind me butting into your thread. I do take "action shots" of my own dogs one of which is a great frisbee catcher and very fast. It took me ages to get it right. I have a Canon 450d and use a Tamron 50 -200 lens. Fast moving dogs are difficult to capture but I use 1/500 shutter speed and f5.6 or thereabouts, I always have the continuous focussing and shooting on as the dogs can jump in unpredictable way. I would post a piccie but don't think I can?

Regards


Jan

[makario]

I would love to see some pics!