Help with tac sharp focus

Ok, so this forum is rad, I have been reading soooooo much on how to try and fix this issue. But maybe I'm at the limit of what my camera can do with what I'm what I'm doing... probably just more my skills, haha, I hope. But I thought I'd ask for your help.

Body: Canot t3i
Lens:Tamron 17-50mm 2.8f XR Di II with no image stabilization
Conditions: PNW in the woods, so very low light even when sunny.

I have moved the focus from the shutter release button, to the back button. Use center point single focus with AI Servo and I am in full manual mode shooting in raw format. I use the view finder for photos and live view for video.

HISTORY:
So little run down on where I started and where I'm at. Total nubi to photo work. Started with my camera for dslr video work. My body has actually worked well enough for video and hasn't limited me to much yet. But with photography that I'm starting to get more into I'm finding that I'm struggling. Probably more my skills, so hopefully that's where you guys and gals can help.

The PROBLEM:
I am getting mixed focus results. Sometimes I hit spot on with sharp focus and images. Then other times totally off. I'll attach some pics for examples. I swear I can not figure it out. I'm not using a tripod, all are hand held while using the view finder.

I do find that my camera autofocus struggles even when setting for video shots, but I can over come that by manually adjusting and then I am using a tripod and using live view for video.

I'm sure there is more I'm doing that I'm not including, but can't think of right now.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Camera settings, obviously adjust for conditions so apature, shutter speed and ISO are not set... but at least an idea of where I'm at for the other settings.

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A few more random pics....

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Use * button and Servo for moving objects. Learn how to pan with it.
Always have your single AF where it must be.
No IS also limiting if camera is shaking.
Do not expect to have a lot in focus with wide open aperture (2.8).

OP can you repost samples with Exif data intact. Makes it much easier to diagnose issues.

1/80 shutter speed will not freeze moving objects. For fast bikes try upping that and pan with your subject movement if you can't hit 1/800

I would honestly take it off full manual and put it is shutter priority for your panning shots. For the stills flip it over the aperture priority. Also, what focus point are you using? Center? Auto? For panning shots you might want to try a lens with built in IS as well.

Alos here is a little info about metering. Since you shoot in the forest with lots of shadows and bright hot spots this might help.

http://2heartsphoto.co​m/tag/evaluative-metering

KF095, yup.. I already had the auto focus set on the *. That's what I meant by button on the back of the camera. Yes I am already set to use Servo for auto focus too. Auto focus already set on single in the center of where I want the focus to be. I thought I posted that in my first post and why I posted the pic.

Dan Marchant, I can copy and paste from flicker that info... but from what I was seeing on flickr it shows the info like shutter speed, iso settings, aperture, focal length... but I'm also not sure on what all exif data usually includes. Let me know what else needs to be included and I'm happy to get it there. I'm trying to learn.

Two Hot Shoes, yeah, I was trying to keep the shutter speed faster than 1/320 but due to light I had to slow it down and with the action shots start to learn to pan, which I'm learning is a technique all on it's own. Typically depending on light for bikes I try to stay around 1/500. Do to very low light I had to slow it down a bit and pan. Also boost the ISO, which seems to not work all that well on the t3i, lots of grain.

Roush611 the main reason I have it in full manual mode is to try and learn all the settings as best I can, I know it can hurt me at times, but I also feel I'm learning pretty quickly from forcing myself to shoot in full manual and in raw format.

Awesomeshots... thanks for the link, I will take a look at it tomorrow. I've been reading so much I feel like my brain is going to explode. Funny I read and think, ok, got it... then I go into the woods and I swear I have amnesia and can't make it all work. Hahaha. I do feel like I progress sometimes, but little things pop up like this soft focus and it gets a little frustrating. I'm also thinking maybe another lens at a different focal length will help. But I know it's user knowledge and technique.

Thanks to everyone for all the info and help.

kf095 wrote in post #17265689
...Do not expect to have a lot in focus with wide open aperture (2.8).

Generally, a lens was considered sharpest at 2.5-3 stops down from the maximum aperture. Now with the "crop-sensors", we're using mainly the center (sharpest) portion of the lens & I'm not sure where the dividing line is.
When you get up near f/16, you will start to lose some sharpness to diffraction, so the old saying, "F/8, and be there." works a lot of the time.

Servo AF is better at tracking subjects moving through the frame than subjects simply moving closer to or further from the camera, so in a photo like 4456 (the cyclist riding away from you), it's going to be difficult to get it right with AF.

You mentioned how you compromised on shutter speed because you didn't want the noise that comes with pushing ISO. I'd take the noise. Ask yourself this: would you rather have a noisy shot that's otherwise good, or a mediocre shot that's not noisy?

ByInfernosLight wrote in post #17266652
Servo AF is better at tracking subjects moving through the frame than subjects simply moving closer to or further from the camera, so in a photo like 4456 (the cyclist riding away from you), it's going to be difficult to get it right with AF.

You mentioned how you compromised on shutter speed because you didn't want the noise that comes with pushing ISO. I'd take the noise. Ask yourself this: would you rather have a noisy shot that's otherwise good, or a mediocre shot that's not noisy?

Is there anything that is better at tracking movement closer to further? Good point with the mediocre comment. I guess I can somewhat fix the grain with editing... if I ever learn that well enough.... but I can't fix out of focus.

The one that bugged me the most was img4505 I took a few shots there and non of the rider were crisp, it just focused on the fern in front and below him. I'm wondering if I switch from AI Servo AF to ONE SHOT if that would help in those non moving photos.

I've use manual focus at times, but for me it's difficult to see through the view finder if it's truly focused. I'll use live view in those situations and use the digital zoom to check if the subjects farther away are in focus.

Thanks.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #17266528
Generally, a lens was considered sharpest at 2.5-3 stops down from the maximum aperture. Now with the "crop-sensors", we're using mainly the center (sharpest) portion of the lens & I'm not sure where the dividing line is.
When you get up near f/16, you will start to lose some sharpness to diffraction, so the old saying, "F/8, and be there." works a lot of the time.

Thank you.. I'll try that out.

I was reading about wide open apature like kf095 was talking about that with a shallow depth of field at say 2.8 it's very difficult to find the right focus because it's such a narrow window. At the same time I was reading.... and I'm sure I interpreted it wrong but... once you are basically far enough away with a short focal length lens that bokeh goes away and you have a larger depth of field. So would that mean it's easier to focus?

up your shutter speed. You're working with decent light, dont shoot 1/100, even for stills, go for 1/200 and dial down as needed, and for action shots 1/200-1/2000, experiment.

whatever you do, DO NOT use the 1/FL rule if you want crisp shots. Stick with 1/(2FL * 1.5 crop factor), so if you're doing 50mm you've got 50 * 2 * 1.5 which makes 1/150 or 1/160 being closest. This is just the guideline for stills, for action you'll need much faster. One of your "soft" shots is using 1/40... that's a cringeworthy shutter speed, especially if people are involved. Generally, at least 1/125 for people, even at rest.

Charlie wrote in post #17267467
up your shutter speed. You're working with decent light, dont shoot 1/100, even for stills, go for 1/200 and dial down as needed, and for action shots 1/200-1/2000, experiment.

whatever you do, DO NOT use the 1/FL rule if you want crisp shots. Stick with 1/(2FL * 1.5 crop factor), so if you're doing 50mm you've got 50 * 2 * 1.5 which makes 1/150 or 1/160 being closest. This is just the guideline for stills, for action you'll need much faster. One of your "soft" shots is using 1/40... that's a cringeworthy shutter speed, especially if people are involved. Generally, at least 1/125 for people, even at rest.

Thanks Charlie. I'll keep that guideline with me. The light might look better than it was...haha. I had to keep the iso at 800 for almost everything, even had to go higher quite often. I was trying to avoid the iso too high, but as someone pointed out earlier keeping a higher iso with grain/noise is better than a sloppy soft pic.

I can't thank you guys enough for all the help and info.

snoco1 wrote in post #17267237
Thank you.. I'll try that out.
At the same time I was reading.... and I'm sure I interpreted it wrong but... once you are basically far enough away with a short focal length lens that bokeh goes away and you have a larger depth of field. So would that mean it's easier to focus?

Again... generally, yes. A field with grass would be easier for the focus software than a plain white wall. You need some contrast for it to work.

Seen this? Bokeh simulator and depth of field calculator
It's not that it's "difficult to find the right focus", but that the DOF doesn't extend very far. If you're shooting a tight head shot & focusing on the eyes, & you move a bit or the subject does, I find ithelps to choose the focus point I want & use AI Servo.