Need advice, first outing with new Canon 70-300 L

Hi All,

Just picked up a new Canon 70-300 L. It was a challenging day for pictures with very bright sunlight at around 5:00 PM. My first outing with it and I have mixed feelings about the results. More than likely me but I thought I would post a couple examples and get some feedback. Not sure if I am expecting too much in the sharpness area with the conditions I was shooting in.

The first one here has no sharpening applied. Just exported it from LR4.4 from RAW to JPEG at 3600 on the long side. I was having difficulty determining where it focused when looking at it 100%.

The next three had a little bit of sharpening and some small raw adjustments for shadows and slight exposure adjustment but nothing really harsh.

This one was cropped just a little bit.

All taken with 5DM3. Appreciate any input.

Images were removed

All look fine to me.

honestly...i'd recommend taking the camera out of auto mode...if only to choose your AF points at least...if you're shooting something static, choose one shot focusing...if it's moving like above, choose AI servo...

I'd recommend starting in AV mode, and just adjusting the ISO to make sure you can get a fast enough shutter speed...

DreDaze wrote in post #16089758
honestly...i'd recommend taking the camera out of auto mode...if only to choose your AF points at least...if you're shooting something static, choose one shot focusing...if it's moving like above, choose AI servo...

I'd recommend starting in AV mode, and just adjusting the ISO to make sure you can get a fast enough shutter speed...

I wasn't in auto mode (or at least not the green square) . I was using auto exposure and ISO 400. I was using a custom function in the first image which was using AI Servo in single-point AF mode with center point selected. I did change to Av mode after a bit. Two of the images are with AE and two are after I changed to Av Mode.

sorry, i must've read the exif wrong last night...

I guess I don't see what the problem is?

[QUOTE=Keyan;16090861]I guess I don't see what the problem is?[/quote]

or the question.

No real question but was requesting feedback on the images. I was not happy with a lot of them. Take the first picture for example. If you look at the large image on my flickr site it seems to be out of focus. It was taken 1/800, f/10, with mode 1 IS on. The helicopter was moving very slowing. I have a lot of images that are not very sharp such as this one. Maybe I need to work with the lens more.

I was just looking for feedback on what I thought was oof pics since I had a lot of them. I took some simple stationary pics as well that just did not seem sharp.

Well, the lighting is really flat and dull, the colours of the heli are dull to begin with. So I can see why it might lead the image to look flat. The first image doesn't look out of focus completely but I think I can see what you mean. It looks ever so slightly like motion blur, but not much. You had IS mode set to 1 instead of 2 right? Maybe try shooting without IS if your SS is fast enough.

The close up of the two inside the heli looks nice and sharp to me. For the first image, why were you at f/10? Just seems an odd f/stop to choose and not really necessary for the subject matter. Most lenses have sweet spots for their aperture - maybe try opening up a bit. This lens is extremely sharp wide open.

Honestly, your pictures look great. About the sharpness i cant tell much since they are resized, but the resized images you posted look like a successful shooting.

Dont worry to much i think you got a great lens

The writing on the side of the 'copter in #1 looks plenty sharp for an internet-sized image. Where did you have the focus point? Maybe it's just front- or back-focusing a bit.

archer1960 wrote in post #16091820
The writing on the side of the 'copter in #1 looks plenty sharp for an internet-sized image. Where did you have the focus point? Maybe it's just front- or back-focusing a bit.

I was trying to keep the focus point right on him as he was slowly moving away. I was going to do some more pictures in the next couple of days. If I am still not happy with results the next couple of times I am out with it I might try MFA with the Dot-Tune method and see what it tells me. I have never had to MFA any of my lenses but I did have to send a Canon 70-200 2.8 mk 1 back to canon due to back focus before they had MFA.

davidfarina wrote in post #16091784
Honestly, your pictures look great. About the sharpness i cant tell much since they are resized, but the resized images you posted look like a successful shooting.

Dont worry to much i think you got a great lens

Thanks and appreciate your input. I will keep shooting and see how it goes. I really like the lens. I plan on taking it for a week of backpacking in 3 weeks and can't wait.

Christina.DazzleByDesi​gn wrote in post #16091749
Well, the lighting is really flat and dull, the colours of the heli are dull to begin with. So I can see why it might lead the image to look flat. The first image doesn't look out of focus completely but I think I can see what you mean. It looks ever so slightly like motion blur, but not much. You had IS mode set to 1 instead of 2 right? Maybe try shooting without IS if your SS is fast enough.

The close up of the two inside the heli looks nice and sharp to me. For the first image, why were you at f/10? Just seems an odd f/stop to choose and not really necessary for the subject matter. Most lenses have sweet spots for their aperture - maybe try opening up a bit. This lens is extremely sharp wide open.

Yeah, the sun was really bright and it was at 5 so a really flat time to be shooting. I was in AE mode and did not pay attention to the aperture setting. I later changed to Av Mode and opened it up a bit. I was in Mode 1 for the IS and will continue to experiment with IS. Thinking about it though I might should have been in mode 2 since I was panning along with the helicopter.

your pictures dont look too bad! ...the subject is a little boring tho!
maybe try the lens out on a more colourful and apealing subject that way the shots might "pop" out more and give you more of an idea what the lens is capable of.

just my opinion