Is it ( ME)...or what?

Can`t seem to take sharp pics w/ 100-400L
No tripod!

Shooting Mode Shutter-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/800
Av( Aperture Value ) 14.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 1000
Lens EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Focal Length 365.0 mm

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Decrease the Aperture value to anywhere between 5.6-7.1 and also the ISO Speed to somewhere between 200-300. You will definitely get sharp pics.

Thanks enjoy, I`ll give it ( ANOTHER ) try. Maybe I`ll get it right before I wear this 40D out. I hope. Sorry it took so long geting back.

Rookie

enjoy, I checked out your www.flickr.com/mulas. and these pics are GREAT. bOBoy your are good. What camera and what lens do you use? I am green with ENVY

All lenses have a sweet spot, and zooms have several, for their different lengths. And an IS lens can have problems with the IS unit. Test the lens at 400 starting at f/5.6 and work up to f/16 or so. Take some nice steady shots at a flat object with detail in it from about 20 feet. Like a sign with small text on it. Then check each shot on the computer and see which one is the sharpest. Mine was at f/5.6.

And be aware, the 100-400 has been known to be soft for whatever reason. If it was sharp and is now soft, it's probably the IS Unit.

Thanks Cannonloader. I`ll give it a try. Boy am I pulling my hair out with this thing. Wish I never went to POTN and seen all the great shots that ya`ll get.

Tell me about it. I bought one that was used and it had a bad IS unit. Took me months as a newbie to figure it out. I finally sent it to Canon and they said it needed a new IS unit and did I want to pay $300 or they send it back?

Bought it new from Amazon 4 mos. ago. Went to made test shots like you said. Wife caught me to do someing else. Now got to download to pc.

So was it sharp when you first got it? These things are such a bummer. You can never really know what it is, the camera or lens or your technique, unless you have had a really sharp lens to start with and in my case, I hadn't. I do now though. My 300/4 prime non-is IS very sharp, but the new 70-200/4 non-IS I bought recently will cut your eyeballs it's so sharp. And neither my 100-400 copy, not, I have to admit it, the 400/5.6 prime I bought later were ever this sharp.

Sorry I`m late again........1) WIFE 2) Being old and new too this computer thing.

Shooting Mode Shutter-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/160
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
ISO Speed 400
Focal Length 365.0 mm

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No good, put it in Av Mode. All three of these are at f/5.6. You want to start at 5.6, 6.3, 7.1 and so on.

.02 .. You also want your set up in AI Servo, Multiple shots to keep up with In-Flight or running Birds.

I always try to avoid shooting at 5.6, as the dof is very shallow. Mine drove me crazy until I sent it to canon complaining that it was front focusing (for what it is worth, I tried shooting words at a 45 angle, but this can mislead, depending on how the AF picks up the words. I had better luck confirming my problem hanging a series of rapala fishing lures at a 45 angle to see focus point.) Once it was calibrated, I had a nice sharp lens.

Two more comments. On your top image, nothing seems in focus (or everything is soft). This would concern me, but lighting looks overcast and flat. I found this image operates much differently in bright, high contrast settings.

Have to wait until tomorrow. It`s dark out. Had to get exif in zoombroser. pic. out of photobucket. And my feeble brain can`t handle all of this NEW stuff. Please bear with me.

Thanks....joayne & buddy 4344. I shot in Al Servo all the time. Also it was 7:00pm, kind of overcast too.

Just thought about the UV filter I have screwed on, could that be the problem?

This thing never been sharp as some I`ve seen on POTN. I`ve done no PP.

OPERTAOR ERROR more than likley.