Problem with image sharpness

Hi guys,

I'm having a problem with image sharpness that seems to be ongoing.

Canon EOS 1000D with a standard 18 - 55 entry level Canon lens that came with it F3.5 - 5.5. I realise this is a cheap lens on an entry level DSLR, but I must admit I expected sharper images would be possible.

First step I took to try to improve this was removing the cheap UV filter. No difference noticed.

Here is an example:

How far away are you shooting from? This just looks like depth of field issues, at least from what can be seen here.

In this case it would have been 1.8m, would have been about F11, ISO 100. The speaker in question is about 28 x 28 cm with the focus set on the vertical edge in the middle of the photo.

No, you were at f8. At the settings you mention, only about 1/3m would be in focus, and the focal plane is parallel to your sensor, so shooting down at an angle would have further exasperated the focal plane so that the base was out of focus.

All lenses and bodies need to be micro-adjusted for AF. Some primes are not too bad, but over 90% of the lenses I have tested needed at least +/-5 MA. Unfortunately, the body you have doesn't allow for this. The only thing you can do is send both the body and lens to the factor for calibration, or try a prime and hope you get lucky.

EXIF says that the settings were 48mm, f/8, 1/80, ISO100. Which, at that distance, would only give you about 42cm, total, DoF. Add that to the fact that you're shooting at an angle and with the speaker rotated, wouldn't necessarily give you the greatest results.

If it's an option, I'd try moving back and shooting at a longer focal length, drop your aperture to f/11 or so and square up on the speaker a little bit better (not so much of a downward angle.

Specifically, which 18-55 lens?

Snydremark wrote in post #16619614
EXIF says that the settings were 48mm, f/8, 1/80, ISO100. Which, at that distance, would only give you about 42cm, total, DoF. Add that to the fact that you're shooting at an angle and with the speaker rotated, wouldn't necessarily give you the greatest results.

If it's an option, I'd try moving back and shooting at a longer focal length, drop your aperture to f/11 or so and square up on the speaker a little bit better (not so much of a downward angle.

Moving back won't change anything if he doesn't change his framing. He could shoot it with a 500mm at f/8 with the same framing and he'll still have the same DoF.

Thanks for the responses all.

Gregg,
How far up the food chain do I need to go to be able to get this adjusted? I must admit, this is the first I've heard of this. Where does one get this done? (I'm in Australia).

I have a 300mm tele also and I could in another room shoot up to say 5m and try reducing the angle. I could also try manual focus, bit sad if I need to resort to that. Will also try changing the aperture.

The Lens is a Canon EFS 18-55 1:3.5-5.6 58mm. Would a prime lens mean a significant difference here?

P&S is what you need for super-deep DOF at narrower apertures and close subjects. SX50HS? At ISO 100 and with adequate lighting, you'll lose next to nothing in IQ.

Didn't see that suggestion coming! As it turns out, there is a camera like that I can borrow to try and see what kind of result I get.

Etude wrote in post #16619906
The Lens is a Canon EFS 18-55 1:3.5-5.6 58mm.

Ah - I may be able to see your problem.
There have been a great many 18-55 lenses, maybe at least 6. Until the first IS lens came out, they were all bad. Unless you happen to have the Mark III non-IS version, or you haven't mentioned that it has IS or is the STM lens, then it is one of the bad ones. Even stopped down these are disappointing, in my view. That isn't to say that nobody has ever taken a great image with one of them of course.

Of the bunch, the Mark III, or any with IS is tolerable, and the STM lens quite decent for the price.

Well, it has II on it so I'll assume that means Mark II. So it would seem I have a bad lens.

Etude wrote in post #16620244
Well, it has II on it so I'll assume that means Mark II. So it would seem I have a bad lens.

Unless it is the 18-55 IS Mk II.

I'm not saying that there may not be other reasons for your dissatisfaction with the particular image posted, DoF or whatever, but you should be aware that the EF-S 18-55 Mk II is considered optically (and indeed physically) quite poor. It's something that I'd recommend you consider replacing as funds permit. You need not spend a fortune to get something better, but exactly what does depend on your photographic aspirations.

Options would include, in increasing order of cost: the 18-55 IS Mk II, the 18-55 IS STM, the 18-135 IS STM, the 15-85 IS, and the 17-55/2.8 IS.
There are also offerings from Sigma and Tamron that are well respected.

Tripod and focus stacking.