Unsharp Focus Issue, is it my ap & shutter combo or too much movement?

capturedexpressions wrote in post #4144898
Actually I was on Autofocus. I use a the 17-55 IS in AF and put the focuspoint on his face. I did notice that the FP would jump off as I was holding it half way and then when I hit is fully, I seen the FP (red square) move. Here is another one.

As Phil V says, this lens is capable of great results on a 30D/20D, and the leaves do look a bit sharper than the subject in your original image.

As you talk about the red square moving I'm guessing you've got all focus points enabled? If so, try setting the camera to use centre-point only (that's center-point for some of you ), and then use the focus-recompose method. Centre-point will also make use of the camera's most sensitive detector with the 17-55 f2.8 IS lens.

Despite the complicated electronics, the camera is pretty dumb and doesn't know what it is you want in sharpest focus - its AF system will generally search out the most contrasty thing to focus on, which frequently is not what you actually want.

Rob

As Rob says you should try to use centre focus point only (or choose the FP on a shot by shot basis), also I always recommend CFn 4.1 to get the focus control onto the back button, this avoids the camera refocussing when you don't want it to.

If you are using all the focus points then that is the reason that the focus will be poor. When shooting close ups, the camera will select what it believes to be the subject. In the image you posted it's focussed on the leaves behind the main subject therefore the subject is out of focus.

Switch to one AF point (normally the centre although you can select any one using the wheel).

Now focus and shoot making sure your aperture is suitable to get your subject in focus. Remember at close range and large apertures, the depth of field may be pretty narrow.

Rick Rosen wrote in post #4145255
Digital and especially Canon will always require sharpening in post processing to get a noticeably sharp image.

This is demonstrably incorrect.

Some of the people contributing to this thread seem more interested in pointless arguments than helping the OP. Go to the lens forum and do your bickering there.

Both equipment and post-processing are important, but they aren't the root cause of the problem here. The 18-55 kit lens can produce sharper pictures straight out of the camera.

It seems like you missed focus on this one. I would be more sure of that conclusion if you posted a crop of the area I referred to earlier.

The only way to make autofocus do what you want is by selecting a single focus point. Sometimes it's best to select the center AF point, lock focus and recompose. Sometimes it's best to select the AF point closest to your intended area on the subject.

Didn't mean for my post to come across as a pointless argument I didn't want the OP to believe that his image was a normal, as sharp as it gets with Canon, image (and that the answer was in photoshop). Maybe I went a little overboard with my response, lol, but it's a little arrogant to deem what others feel is relevant as "pointless arguments" and "bickering." My post was relevant to another post (that Canon cannot produce sharp images). The part of your post that was addressed to me wasn't really beneficial to the OP but it was relevant as it was responding to what I posted. That was all I did, so let's be a little more charitable with eachother, eh?

If it's out of line, than a mod will PM me, delete my post, or, god forbid , ban me.

bnlearle wrote in post #4148461
This is demonstrably incorrect.

According to Canon themselves my statement is correct and I will stand by it.

"Canon EOS digital camera shave an anti-aliasing filter installed on the image sensor.
This filter improves color rendition and practically eliminates moiré. The liability is a
slight reduction of sharpness. To reduce the softening effect of the anti-aliasing filter we
recommend applying an unsharp mask to the image in Adobe®Photoshop®. Although
there is no such thing as a “best” setting for all applications, we suggest the following
as a starting point:
Amount: 300%
Radius: 0.3 pixels
Threshold: 0 pixels"

http://www.usa.canon.c​om …/Handling/EOS_D​igital.pdf

I won't get into an argument here over this issue. I will stand by what I posted though.

Rick

If the image is out of focus, it won't matter if you sharpen it or not. And the image posted here is out of focus.

Yep- it's backfocused, that's all there is to it. I'm with Curtis.

Cheers,
Phil

Rick Rosen wrote in post #4149002
According to Canon themselves my statement is correct and I will stand by it.

I think what you said and what Canon said is different. I don't see canon saying that, in order to get a sharp image, one must use sharpening effects through post. Even if they did, I just disagree experientially. Sure, there may be a slight loss in sharpness with digital but if it goes unnoticed, I guess I don't care.

Even still, what you are talking about has nothing to do with the picture posted. Sharpening won't fix it. The photo posted is not correctly in focus (therefore the focusing is the issue, and not the sharpness of digital technology). As someone else said, you can get a sharper focus on a kit lens. So, if you mean that digital cameras give up a certain (minimal) amount of sharpness, sure, I'm fine with that. But if you think that Canon's digital technology is responsible for the photo at hand, you're just wrong. And demonstrably by the images I posted.

bnlearle wrote in post #4149186
Even still, what you are talking about has nothing to do with the picture posted. Sharpening won't fix it. The photo posted is not correctly in focus (therefore the focusing is the issue, and not the sharpness of digital technology).

But if you think that Canon's digital technology is responsible for the photo at hand, you're just wrong. And demonstrably by the images I posted.

Here is a before and after of that image using Canon's recommended unsharp masking settings in Photoshop.

Feel free to believe what you want.

Rick

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Rick,

You sharpened an image that had already been downsized to 800 pixels. I have often "saved" slightly OOF images for web presentation by sharpening after downsizing. But they still don't look as good as shots that are properly focused to begin with.

Sharpening after downsizing is standard procedure for me. But it's unrelated to Canon's recommendation on capture sharpening, and does not help the OP or anyone else learn proper focusing techniques.

Curtis N wrote in post #4149477
Rick,

You sharpened an image that had already been downsized to 800 pixels. I have often "saved" slightly OOF images for web presentation by sharpening after downsizing. But they still don't look as good as shots that are properly focused to begin with.

Sharpening after downsizing is standard procedure for me. But it's unrelated to Canon's recommendation on capture sharpening, and does not help the OP or anyone else learn proper focusing techniques.

Obviously I started with the exact same image in both. The difference should be apparent and as such (when compared to each other) it is due only to the PS sharpening action applied to the original file that I grabbed off the post. I did slightly downsize the images and apply a slight reduction in "save for web" to keep the files below the maximum file size for this forum (it wouldn't let me upload the files at the original file size) but I applied the same changes equally to both image files.

Proper focusing techniques, optimal apertures, better optics, camera movement, etc. etc. all play a part in the sharpness issue, to be sure. I was addressing only ONE aspect and demonstrating how by following Canon's recommendation the "slight loss of sharpness' due to the design of their digital capture technology can be improved upon.

If we want to address all those issues I think that would make for a great and very informative discussion.

Rick

Sharpened by following Canon's suggestions in post processing.

Rick

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Your version of my photo looks worse, in my opinion. Here's full resolution to show you how sharp an image can be if focused correctly.

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