20D Focus Problems

Hey guys,

I have a couple of questions / issues.

So I've started some contract work for a glamous site, and the images have to be 4000px wide and are obviously at a very high resolution. While shooting the other day we noticed that in almost every image there is a softness happening. The images arn't truly sharp.

It isn't anything do to lighting or anything like that, we checked and re-checked everything. I"m thinking its something inside the camera. I suppose it could possbily be aperature, but I'm not shooting anything in depth. My model will have her face be very soft (the eyes in particular) and then her breasts totally in focus nad then back out of focus down around her knees, etc. Its strange.

I've had this camera for almost 3 years now and (i know, shame shame) have never taken it in for any type of cleaning or anything.

Is there any particular reason that at 100% i'm not getting a very sharp clear image?

Also - I was wondering if there is a way to make my 9 focus points just all focus at once rather than picking spots to focus on? it seems that it automatically decides where to focus, but I wany EVERYTHING in the entire shot to be 100% in focus.

Any idvice or ideas would be apprecaited before I lose this client

Does the 20D even shoot at 4000px wide? I think it's only 3500px wide (give or take). So you may be in trouble right off the bat. You would need a 5D or a 1Ds to get that sort of resolution (or the new 50D).

Secondly, any softness can be caused by a few factors, like the lens, improper focus, or the AA filter above the sensor (the last can be remedied by some unsharp mask in photoshop).

As to the last question, if you want EVERYTHING to be in focus, that will depend on depth-of-field. You will need to stop down the lens' aperture appropriately.

Good luck.

Yeah I've been shooting at F2.8 almost always. Or as much as possbile.

I don't think its the lens.

And no, 20D's don't shoot at 4000px wide, but we're just looking at them before any type of resizing is done. *(the website desginer takes care of this)


We're viewing the photos right out of the camera, and they're def a little soft.

I've been reading that some 20D's have had trouble with focus, and that its possbile to send them into Canon for calibrating but thats only under warranty....

Can a camera repair shop fix / calibrate my camera?

Its impossible to get everything 100% in focus in an image.. There is yet to be a camera system made where everything is 100% in focus ( correct me if I'm wrong).. It goes against physics.. Even if you shoot at F/64 there will be parts of the image that appear to be 100% in focus but in reality they are not.. These areas are in "acceptable" focus.. You said you mainly shoot at F/2.8.. At this aperture its only possible to get the point where you focus in focus..

There are times when you don't want everything in focus like when you blur the background to insolate the subject from the background..

Let me ask you this,, do you focus and recompose??

Some examples with the EXIF intact might help us analyse any problems..

hmm well then maybe that is perhaps the issue lol
my still yet inexperience... i should've known better.
so i should be shooting at F22 then rather than F2.8?
maybe that was the issue.

*sigh* i will try playing around.
I do focus and then re-compose.

I think I may have hit the nail right on the head.

int0xicatedxluv wrote in post #6174665
I'm not shooting anything in depth.

Sounds like you are shooting someone laying down or so? So there would be plenty of depth...

int0xicatedxluv wrote in post #6174665
My model will have her face be very soft (the eyes in particular) and then her breasts totally in focus and then back out of focus down around her knees,

Choose a focus point yourself (don't let the camera pick one).
Stop down if you want more DoF. At f/2.8 you're lucky if the entire face is in focus, let alone the rest of the model. f/11 might be more realistic.

Post some examples for more specific answers.

Not trying to be rude, but this is very much "photography basics". This page might help: Click

int0xicatedxluv wrote in post #6181575
Yeah I've been shooting at F2.8 almost always. Or as much as possbile.

That is probably your problem. Try to stop down the aperture.

If you shoot at f22 and have not cleaned the sensor, be ready for some serious post processing! Good luck.