Fuzzy images after zooming in

[RickDavisFL]

Today was the first time I got to go out with my new 40D and a few of the photos were getting annoyingly difficult. If anyone could offer some advice here I would appreciate it.

I was shooting at a butterfly garden with the sun almost fully overhead although I was in lots of shade. I was holding the camera by hand with the kit lens (see my sig) and I kept having situations where the photo looked great at first glance but after zooming in one or two times (on the computer) things became much fuzzier than they should have been. I was as close as I could be so that the target took up the majority if the frame.

What would be the obvious or not so obvious things to try so that the smaller details of bright flowers and a variety of butterfly's would not fade away after zooming in (without going to photoshop, just working on-camera here).

Should I try a flash even in daylight? Move the ISO? Or should I not expect this kind of performance at all with this lens and be patient until I can get something specifically for this type of shot?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[shannyD]

possibly slower shutter speed. wrong ISO. hard to say without seeing one of them. i wouldnt even blame it on your lenses because you have really good ones.

[RickDavisFL]

I'm not at my home computer so I can't get a photo within the posting limits to upload it.

I really didn't think it was the lens...it had to be me.

Thanks!

[rammy]

Without being able to see a pic I reckon it could be a number of things or a combination of them:

1. Missing the focus
2. DOF - some parts are sharp others thrown out of focus
3. Shutter speed as ShannyD says - If shooting at the long end then it needs to be about 1/250 speed
4. Camera shake
5. Windy, subject is moving

[PhotosGuy]

I'm not at my home computer so I can't get a photo within the posting limits to upload it. Put it online & post a link.

[RickDavisFL]

Okay, I have discovered the joy of Flickr.

flickr.com/people/rickdavisfl

It will take me some time to go through the 500+ shots I took at this outing but right off the bat these four images should illustrate my point.

I think my goal would be to make these clear enough where I could crop them down and make a decent print at at least 8x10. Without a doubt part of the problem is how steady I can hold the camera and the available light but as they are now I cringe once I zoom in.

Aside from the photography aspects where the shutter time or ISO might have been wrong I would appreciate hearing anyone's opinion as what you would have focused on in these images. I was using the central AF point all day so it should be easy to see what I was focusing on.

Thanks again for taking the time to help.

[S.Horton]

It looks like you have you got f/10 at 1/400 ISO 400 on this photo:
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1970265061&size=l

For a kit lens, that looks good to me.

If it is a touch soft compared to what you're used to, then my vote is camera shake, the wind moved the subject(s), and/or it was slightly underexposed so the ISO noise is more than you're used to seeing.

If you want to know what your DOF was, which is the real answer to where the AF point should (could) be:
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

As for the flash, yes, it could help you there. Give it a try! See:
http://www.profotos.com/education/promag/articles/october2001/fill_flash/index.shtml

And, of course, search POTN on the use of flash.

[Warning: I can be totally wrong; this is worth what you paid for it]
;):cool:

[RickDavisFL]

Thanks for taking a look.

I'll have to see what the flash can do...hopefully that will make a little difference.