Frustrated

Tanya, a couple things are mixed up. You show a couple landscapes, and they seem to be fine, but then you talk about your daughter being out of focus, could you please post some examples? A tripod surely works for the landscapes, but share the details about the shots of your daughter!

tanyag wrote in post #16274960
Birdfromboat... Do you use a tripod for motocross??

Only for comic relief or to hold a beverage while I my hands are full.

No, you misunderstand or got some posts mixed up. Tripods are great for stationary objects like a landscape or for really long shots like wildlife or for macro work where camera shake is a deal breaker. Motocross panning is all hand held, swinging the camera from side to side trying to keep one rider in focus and in perfect position in the view as they pass- called panning and really hard to do but extremely rewarding. IS will try to compensate for the motion and kill a shot that might have been wonderful if the electronics hadn't done battle with the image blurr.

Basically, IS helps when YOU are in motion, like on a boat or in a car or when you drink too much coffee, wider apertures and higher ISO's (and the faster shutters they allow) work when the subject is in motion like while panning a passing motocrosser.

I decided I would rather spend my money on wider apertures that help with low light conditions and motocross than on IS. I struggle with longer hand held exposures, sure. Just like I did for years and years before IS came along. No substitute for fast lenses and good technique.

tanyag wrote in post #16274928
Thanks everyone, truly. So much great advice.

I need to know more about the tripod, turn off IS issue though. I never drag out my tripod. I find it cumbersome and I tend to move around a lot. But I didn't know I should be using one for landscape stuff. I don't understand why we have image stabilization if we're just supposed to shut it off?? Could someone please explain this further? Would I only do this for landscape shots?

Tripod allows you to use a slower ISO like 100. By doing that you will have better detail and less noise/static in your shots when you zoom in or enlarge them.

For the IS being turned of,,,,,,,when on a tripod you will have no movement so you do not need it. And on top of that a lot of cameras will actually move the IS to check for movement and make sure the system is working.So when on a tripod it needs to be turned off.

tanyag wrote in post #16274447
... I think my main problem is focus. However, the funny thing is, my focus is pretty spot on when shooting motocross.

I notice that the first image is 1/40 sec with a 95mm lens, so maybe you have some camera shake involved.

Are you using AI Servo & focusing right on her eyes? Let's see an image?

Thanks again everyone. I think I understand what you are saying about the IS/tripod... I rarely pan when shooting motocross. I like the frozen look so I shoot with a very fast shutter speed.
I can't find any images that are out of focus (because, out of frustration, I send them all to the recycle bin). I will keep the next batch to show you though.
I think my other issue lies with focal length. I am really trying to figure it out but I can't seem to wrap my brain around it. I KNOW that plays into some of my crappy images, for sure. I will keep working on it though.
Thanks again for your time and advice everyone. You've boosted my confidence. Sometimes I feel like this whole photography thing is just too technical for me! LOL... Especially when I look back at old baby pictures that I took with a cheap point and shoot and they are just as good, if not better than the ones I take with my multi-million dollar set-up! I'll keep on truckin' though. Thanks!

PhotosGuy wrote in post #16275890
I notice that the first image is 1/40 sec with a 95mm lens, so maybe you have some camera shake involved.
Are you using AI Servo & focusing right on her eyes? Let's see an image?

Yes, I am using AI servo and I try my best to focus on the eye. The whole focus/recompose is confusing to me too though.

tanyag wrote in post #16275940
Yes, I am using AI servo and I try my best to focus on the eye. The whole focus/recompose is confusing to me too though.

"focus/recompose"? NO, no, no! Look at post #4 here for why that doesn't work some of the time: https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1210058

That defeats the whole idea of AI Servo! What you should be doing is to use the Custom Functions to select a focus point so you can keep the focus on the eyes so when you move a fraction of an inch & they move a fraction of an inch the eyes stay in focus.

In the Custom Functions I can put point selection on the Multicontroller (Joystick), & life becomes a lot easier shooting portraits with a shallow DOF. It only takes a fraction of a second to set the point I need.

PeteD wrote in post #16275879
For the IS being turned of,,,,,,,when on a tripod you will have no movement so you do not need it. And on top of that a lot of cameras will actually move the IS to check for movement and make sure the system is working.So when on a tripod it needs to be turned off.

Does it follow that IS should be turned off when (1) the camera is braced against something solid, or (2) the shutter speed is fast, say, 1/250 or better?

Don't know. but I do know if it is going to be there for a while it would be best to turn it off. Especially if you are using the built in timer. When it snaps the shutter, the lens will pick up that movement and try to compensate. Even though the camera is not moving

A couple of points:

First off, regarding IS with a tripod, there are a couple scenarios. First is one where you want a longer shutter speed and are shooting "hands off", like the self-timer or mirror lock-up. What can happen is that as your are waiting for the shutter release, the lens IS can actually de-activate, which will cause the focus to "slump". It will vary with the lens, but I know that with a long focal length this can be bad!

With other shooting scenarios, some people describe the IS as "vibrating" when there is no actual camera/lens movement.

However, there are occasions when I'm shooting with a long focal length, using a tripod but doing "hands-on" shooting, as I've done with some distant wildlife. In those cases, you see camera shake very clearly, and IS helps!

As to motorsports, Tanya, you could benefit from learning about Panning, where you keep the vehicle in focus, using and aperture such as f/8, but you have your shutter speed slowed down as you "follow" the vehicle (AI Servo AF). As a result, you see the "blurry" background but a nice sharp/crisp vehicle!

tanyag wrote in post #16274928
I don't understand why we have image stabilization if we're just supposed to shut it off??

There's a nice image that illustrates the effect of using IS on a tripod here:
A lesson learned or Engage brain before operating shutter

tanyag wrote in post #16273584
Hi Folks... I've been playing with photography for the last year or so. I have a Canon
7d and recently splurged on the 70-200 2.8 IS. My son races motocross so that was my primary focus and I found I was able to get decent shots most of the time. Lately, however, I've tried different types of photography and I'm getting so incredibly frustrated. I think I'm just overwhelmed with the depth of knowledge involved. I guess my question is... What should a beginner photographer really focus on? What is most important when it comes to getting a sharp, in focus image? I feel like I have at least a basic understanding but when I try to apply it, I'm totally disappointed. Any tips? I'm losing confidence really quickly!

The best way to gain confidence is to study photography with an experienced human instructor. There is no overnight success. Typically, years of work and gradual learning will be needed.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #16278537
There's a nice image that illustrates the effect of using IS on a tripod here:
A lesson learned or Engage brain before operating shutter

Thanks. It always helps to have an actual image. I think I'm getting it.

DC Fan wrote in post #16279435
The best way to gain confidence is to study photography with an experienced human instructor. There is no overnight success. Typically, years of work and gradual learning will be needed.

Yeah, I'm a very impatient person and tend to get bored quickly. These are not great characteristics when learning photography! LOL. I DO want to get good at it though and I've invested quite a bit of money at this point so I'm determined to stick it out. Thanks for the advice.

When looking for a crisp image I would check in this order

1. Shutter speed (is it at least 1/Focal Length?) and fast enough for whaterver you are shooting (Fast object v. still object)

2. Aperture - are you using the appropriate aperture to get a depth of field that has everything in focus? Is the aperture you are using the "sweet spot" of your lense?

3. Camera shake - is your Image Stableization turned on?

4. Lense - Do you have a quality lense that can actually produce a sharp image (most can if the settings above #4 are correct)