Why I (gasp) pixel peep

I will be the first to admit that I'm new at this photography thing.

Being a neophyte has been the reason for buying a lot of "junk" (read inexpensive). These errors have lead me to being that dreaded pixel peeper.

This habit caused an upgrade in my mounting system, haven't received it yet. The below images are 200x400 pixel crops from a group of six images done with a unnamed $250 tripod/ballhead combo.
They were shot with a Ds MkII with a 200mm f/4.0 at 200mm.

Quite a difference in IQ.

You can bet that when I buy anything new, I will "pixel peep" (research) that puppy to death.
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Nice improvement in apparent IQ.

One of these days, however, you'll get tired of pixel peeping and have to get down to the really difficult part, which is taking good photographs.

Being a good photographer is something that we all aspire to, and something that transcends equipment or image quality.

There's plenty of people with an XT that'll whup your ass in any photo competition, simply because they have a better idea of composition and use of light.

They'll whup my ass too.

When I got started I thought every sharp picture I took was a keeper. Then I started wanting sharp and correctly exposed.

I've now moved on to wanting interesting subjects with creative composition and great light.

I've even come to realize that interesting subjects with creative composition and great light is more important than sharp. Too bad that 'sharp' is the easy part.

Jeff, Pete, you are both absolutely, 100% correct.

It's like this, with my overdeveloped left brain, pixel peeping is easy,
photography is the hard part (what you refer to is photography). I haven't gotten to that stage of development yet.

I'm working on that right brain and until then, I do memories, not photographs.

Thanks.

chauncey wrote in post #5313812
The below images are 200x400 pixel crops from a group of six images done with a unnamed $250 tripod/ballhead combo.

The second image is OoF. Not (just) motion blurred IMO.

JeffreyG wrote in post #5313920
When I got started I thought every sharp picture I took was a keeper. Then I started wanting sharp and correctly exposed.

I've now moved on to wanting interesting subjects with creative composition and great light.

I've even come to realize that interesting subjects with creative composition and great light is more important than sharp. Too bad that 'sharp' is the easy part.

Good insight.

Rene, all six images were done the same.

Center AF on that window.

chauncey wrote in post #5314441
Rene, all six images were done the same.

Center AF on that window.

Yes, but Rene is correct that the softness is OOF, not motion blur. There are none of the characteristic squiggly blurs that come from it being motion and it's too soft for the blur to not show the motion.

Since you indicate this was shot AF, I think the AF just missed on that one. It happens. I don't think the issue was caused by the tripod.

It's definitely OOF, you can tell definitively by that little white splotch on the lower right hand window pane. Manual focus is the way to go for this kind of thing, or alternatively, stop pixel peeping.

It very well may be OOF but that white thing at 10 o'clock in the lower rt pane is a piece of chrome inside the barn.

another area of same images. Do you still say that they are OOF.
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Chauncey, here is why we are certain the shot is OOF.

#1. Images that are marginally soft from motion blur can be hard to diagnose, but ones that are as soft as what you posted due to motion blur always show residual tracers of the motion. Your shot has no motion tracers so it is almost certainly not motion blur.

#2. Even more certain is the appearance of small points of light in the image. In the sharp image there is a small double white point in the window. In the soft image the double points get larger in all directions and appear as small donuts. This is absolutely classic appearance for OOF small points of light.

Basically the AF screwed up. Like I said, It happens. Sometimes when you ask a lens that is perfectly focussed to refocus it will strangely jump to a new (wrong) position. That seems to be the case here.

Finally, what shutter speed were these at? I'm looking at a white barn shot at f/4 in sunlight. You should be able to shoot that while handholding the lens and sitting on a washer that is on the spin cycle. No way does a $250 tripod (Manfrotto 055XproB?) blow this shot.

Don't worry...whatever problems you are having the 1Ds MKIII that you want to buy will put an end to your pixel peeping nightmares...

Seriously though...I have had a 5D and now the 1D MKIII. I have a bunch of L lenses too. Everytime I buy something new, I take it out for a spin and run it through my usual routine, which may include viewing at 100% to see if it is acceptable. (I'm not looking for perfection, I look for what would be acceptable in my mind given the target size)

The only time I break out the chart, tripod and remote release is when I detect something obviously out of whack...like consistently mis-hitting against not-so-challenging subjects. Otherwise I move on.

You've gone through a lot of gear already. I see your 5D + 1Ds MKII up for sale to buy a 1DsMKIII. Not sure what you are looking for. There's no Holy Grail. You need to keep your expectations reasonable.

If you want Friggin' Sharp...then get yourself a 135L and knock yourself out!

I can do more than show you this, a Bridge screenshot.

I'm beginning to understand what you are saying Jeff. I kind of assumed (ass-u-me) AF was more consistent.

Why 1/8000, no reason, just playing around. Will play with longer SS tomorrow.
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If you are shooting at 1/8000 on a tripod and see fuzzy shots, you can rest assured the tripod is not at fault.

At 1/8000 you can shoot while turning cartwheels if you like.