Quick sharpness test: Can't tell what is wrong?!

I have posted before about a lack of sharpness/ OOF on some of my pictures. On the advice of a poster here (though I'm not sure if I did the test correctly), I set up a quick impromptu test. This is the Nifty Fifty lens. Both pictures are set with the lens wide open at f/1.8. In the first picture, I set it at center point AF, focus on the "d" of "digestive balance". Set the camera down on a flat surface, did a countdown timer.

The second picture was done the same way except I used manual focus. I turned on Live View, did 10X zoom, and focused until the same "d" was crisp. Took the picture, result is as sharp as I would want/ expect.

But I have no idea how to interpret these results. I did the same test (though I'm not posting those pictures) at f/3.5 on 2 different lenses - the Nifty Fifty and also the 18-55mm kit lens. In those tests, both pictures were sharp as a tack and I couldn't tell much difference.

I know lenses tend to be soft wide open, but this lens looks super sharp even wide open when I used the MF with the Live View. So again, no idea what gives or how I interpret these results and what - if anything - is wrong.

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First shot..(AF) looks like it's front-focusing, to me. What body?

1Tanker wrote in post #14993565
First shot..(AF) looks like it's front-focusing, to me. What body?

60D

Oh no! After I started this thread, on a hunch, I replicated this exact test on my Canon XSi. No problems there, both pictures (in AF and MF) are very sharp.

So does this mean the problem lies in my body - the 60D?

Not necessarily. I would retry it on the 60D again. If that is indeed what is going on, it's not really a problem with the body. Some lenses match up better with different bodies( whether the same model, or a different model).

Some bodies seem to be more "forgiving"..the 60D is usually one of them, and the 7D's are pickier( thus the importance of manual focus adjustment on the 7D).

AF has some degree of variation shot to shot and wide open it may be quite noticable. Try redoing the test a number of times, moving the lens to infinity and then re-focusing before each shot. From my experience when I had a 50mm 1.8, I found its AF consistency to be poor.

If it's consistently front focussing, then you could send it in for reclibration (unless you've got MA, which the 60d doesn't).

You might want to post the exif data.. Is these shots in real low light ?

Even if he had micro-adjust capabilities in the camera, the 50/1.8 is not well suited for that. Each step in the micro-adjust is a huge step in the focus. Unlike USM focusing, which is much more sensitive and lends itself well for micro-adjusting.

I'd retry in better lighting and take a few shots. Defocus as was mentioned. Just to be sure it is consistently front focusing with the 60D. Worst case you might have to sell the lens and get one that works with your 60D. It happens. If the lens has recently been purchased you can take it back for an exchange.

paulkaye wrote in post #14993949
If it's consistently front focussing, then you could send it in for reclibration.

That would cost more than what the lens was worth. Unless it falls under the 1 year warranty.

I'm going with poor lighting and too slow shutter speed. Looking at the wood grain in the table both pics appear to be focused in the same plane. So I would guess it's just camera movement in the first shot.

I do think that lighting was poor on this, which may have hurt AF, but it looks like front-focus to me, not camera movement. If you look at the wood, it is easiest to tell on the right side that it is front-focused on the first shot. Also, it was on a timer, so you can rule out camera movement for that alone since I assume it wasn't windy in his house or anything.

[QUOTE=The Dark Knight;14993543] In the first picture, I set it at center point AF, focus on the "d" of "digestive balance". Set the camera down on a flat surface, did a countdown timer.

The second picture was done the same way except I used manual focus. I turned on Live View, did 10X zoom, and focused until the same "d" was crisp. Took the picture, result is as sharp as I would want/ expect.
QUOTE]

With the autofocus, you focused and moved the camera. It could of moved it slightly out of the focal plane. Have you tried setting the camera on that surface and then autofocusing, to eliminate that possibility?

To me, that's what it looks like, as I've had many of the same types of results when I've focused and recomposed wide open and a narrow DoF.