Is it just me?

[kpiela]

I borrowed a Sigma DG 28-300mm lens from a friend for a shoot this weekend and found it very difficult to get a sharp image! I have had to use unsharp mask on almost every photo I took. I am only used to my 50mm 1.4. Here are two typical shots from this weekend. Do you think they look okay?

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[Sean-Mcr]

I think you're being a little harsh on your lens there. Now i know sharpness is a subjective thing, all's i can say is they look ok to me.

I think the second shot's a good photo

[kpiela]

I meant to post the images I hadn't ps'd yet! Here are two shots unedited:

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[Dante King]

LOL, its hard to get spoiled by the sharpness and clarity of the 50mm 1.4.

your pics look great. You would freak if you saw most of my raw shots from my 1Dsmk2. The look a tad soft, but snap to attention to a little USM designed just for this body. In my case usm is a fact of life.

[kpiela]

Dante...that bums me out! hahaha. I can't wait to get my lens fixed!!

[schmoelzel]

Post-processing is akin to using the dark-room in the 'old' days of film! Most (if not all) digital files will need some enhancement (USM, WB, etc etc). Most digital sensors also have very strong AA filters built-in and thus require some USM to get back the inherent sharpness of the given image. Some sensors have a much weaker AA filter and thus the shots tend to look sharper right out of the camera. Don't be put off by post-processing......make it part of your workflow and you will quickly be able to enhance most of your shots in short time. BTW, your shots look ok to me.....with portraiture, try and keep branches and things from sticking out the top or side of someones head!! (see first shot!!). I would clone out the offending branch or better yet, place your subject (s) in a better location!

[kpiela]

Schmoelzel,
Thanks! I am VERY familiar with pp'ing! hahaha... I spend a great deal of time working on getting the images to look "right". I will edit out background branches, trees, etc as soon as I get all the other issues taken care of! Thanks for your advice :)

[garbidz]

You can pump up the contrast in the camera to avoid excessive photoshopping.
Just remember to set it back for the 50mm 1.4 which by the way is one of the sharpest lenses on the market...You cannot reasonably expect any economy-priced wide-range zoom to have the same optical performance. Stop down, crank up the ISO and use a tripod...maybe you are the only one who can tell the difference.

You could probably automatize your workflow in CS2, at least parts of it, use batch processing.

courage!

[kpiela]

garbidz,
I really should have used the tripod today. I used it a bit yesterday and got better results, but didn't realize it until I went to do some pp today! Live and learn :) Thanks.

[Andy_T]

KPiela ...

they look nice to me ...
... when viewed at 640x400 pixels :rolleyes:

They might look quite different when seen as 100% crop or as print.

Your question (comparing a 50/1.4 prime with a 28-300 zoom) to me sounds a bit like
'Is it just me, or does the Chevy Suburban I tried out at the track today not handle as nice as the Porsche 911 I usually drive?' :lol:

Best regards,
Andy

[kpiela]

KPiela ...

they look nice to me ...
... when viewed at 640x400 pixels :rolleyes:

They might look quite different when seen as 100% crop or as print.

Your question (comparing a 50/1.4 prime with a 28-300 zoom) to me sounds a bit like
'Is it just me, or does the Chevy Suburban I tried out at the track today not handle as nice as the Porsche 911 I usually drive?' :lol:

Best regards,
Andy

Ha. Andy, do I sense sarcasm?? LOL I just meant to question whether the 28-300 is hard to focus or not... i have no experience w/zoom lenses! It was difficult for ME to get a sharp image, but I'm not sure that is just my inexperience. The 50/1.4 is the only lens I've had for my 20D ... thanks to this forum where I based my decision on what to buy!

[PetKal]

Howdy Kristine:
What my old beady eyes see here is the folowing:
* I think you are right in seeing some undue softness in the images, especially all four of yous.
* That softness could be due to the lens being soft (which I kinda doubt in this case) or some (not abnormal) camera/lens shake while hand-holding @ telephoto focal lengths.

As you know full well, not only that the 50 1.4 is a very sharp lens, most folks should not need a pod for shooting with it.

[jjonsalt]

Howdy Kristine:
...camera/lens shake while hand-holding @ telephoto focal lengths.



When I was a lad I was told by a rather experenced photographer to "Take every shot using a tripod". While this is not always possiable or feasiable the point was well taken.

[kpiela]

Yep. I got that after this weekend! Chasing 2 year olds around doesn't lend itself to using a tripod, but as jjonsalt says "point well taken"! Thanks!

[NBEast]

Ain't that how it goes.

I think they've covered it. A 100% crop would help a lot for sharpness questions.

I really like the water shot, and that shutter speed sure works for it. Of course, it makes it tough for a sharp subject without pod of some kind. Like the autume colors and your subjects got dressed up for the parts. I found the twigs growing from the head distracting, but the tree was a lot less noticable.

Not sure why you would use an inexpensive Sigma 11x zoom for paid shots when you have a great prime in your bag. Your friend have an 85mm f1.8 prime to loan you?

[kpiela]

Ain't that how it goes.

I think they've covered it. A 100% crop would help a lot for sharpness questions.

I really like the water shot, and that shutter speed sure works for it. Of course, it makes it tough for a sharp subject without pod of some kind. Like the autume colors and your subjects got dressed up for the parts. I found the twigs growing from the head distracting, but the tree was a lot less noticable.

Not sure why you would use an inexpensive Sigma 11x zoom for paid shots when you have a great prime in your bag. Your friend have an 85mm f1.8 prime to loan you?

I wish my prime was in my bag!! I knocked it off the tripod last weekend and now the alignment is off. I need to get it fixed.... fast! Thanks ;)

[ron chappel]

I suspect camera movement is the main culprit but the lens may possibly be dud.

In my experience it's totally normal for sigma hyperzooms to struggle for sharpness but these examples are softer than they should be.

[garbidz]

Your question about a long lense being more critical to focus is indeed relevant. DOF is less, motion blur more prominent so you have to stop down more and use shorter exposures, shich equals to higher ISO and more grain. Did you try a monopod, a decent one with a real ballhead? If it serves so well the sports shooters why not a toddllerhunter like yourself...

The laws of physics are difficult to get around. A stable support for your personal (fire)arm is of Primary Importance, they taught me in the Military....