24-70mm F2.8L Question???

So I thought that I would be raising my work to the next level when I got my first L series lens. And I have been using it ever since. But I have been STRUGGLING with getting sharp images. I thought I was just getting worse as a photographer, because I can get sharp images with the lens, but I don't consistantly. And especially on the wide end. So I started analizing. So on my last shoot, I brought my 85mm 1.8 to compare. So here are a few of the images. Don't critique content, I'm just looking for some experience on whether I need to send my L into Canon to have it looked at.
The 1st pic is ISO 250 F/4 1/125 on the 24-70 at 43mm

The 2nd pic is ISO 200 F/5 1/250 on the 85mm

Now I know that it is not a completely fair comparision because they are different situations, but I was hoping someone could help me out. Both of these photos are light-room processed. Also they are both crops of full body shots.

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since you didn't say, can we assume that in both cases, your camera was hand-held and not on a tripod with a timer? Also, what body are you using?

If you look at my signature, you'll I have those two lenses as well. Still being new to DSLR in general, I can attest that the 24-70 presented a challenge early on, and still does to a certain degree. IMO, it was a pretty tough lens to hold, aim and focus when it was new to me. Getting better, but still not seeing the completely tack/razor sharp photos the lens is certainly capable of producing.

If you are looking for razor sharpness you will need to do two things.

1. Sedate your subject so he does not move a muscle. If, as I suspect, thats out of the question, use a higher shutter speed.

2. Start using a tripod. Yes, I know they are a pain in the *#!*, but they are the cheapest and best way to get sharp images.

Apart from that, your 24-70 image seems a touch crisper than the 85mm, and handheld at those shutter speeds you have probably done as well as can be expected.

Here's an example of the VERY soft images I'm getting on the wide end of the 24-70. This is at 28mm ISO 500 F6.3 1/125 and a crop of the same image.

What am I doing wrong? Is it the lens or (more likely) me?

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Wow you guys are fast!!! I'm using a 40D. Thanks for your info!

Well, the last one just looks like you missed the focus on your subject.

did you focus/recompose? looks like the fence is more in focus. if not then lens could need calibration. i like the uncropped image!

Not to say your lens is perfect, but the first shot appears to have some motion blur, either camera or subject.

As everyone else says, the latest shot has the fence in focus. Whether this is a hardware or user issue is only known to you. Nice shot overall, though.

As for sharpness at 24 - don't be deceived - wide angles 100% views can be misleading. You might look at the 'same' image zoomed in, and see pores in skin, but at wide, you don't, but often the subject simply isn't resolved on the sensor, and you can forget that when viewing 100%. Looking for critical sharpness on a very small face on the image at wide, is like looking ONLY at the nose on a zoomed portrait and wondering why you cannot see individual cells. Not to say that this is your issue here - just keep it in mind when viewing crops. Also, the extreme ends of the focal range for a zoom lens or not always the best optically.

wernersl wrote in post #8879780
did you focus/recompose? looks like the fence is more in focus. if not then lens could need calibration. i like the uncropped image!

Recomposing is not an issue at 28mm f/6.3.

I do focus and then recompose, but maybe I just missed. You know how easy it is to take your time and get everything right, and get a great expression out of a 2 year old. Ha! But I'm getting these same results in family shoots (that I do the most, and struggle with the most) where I try to stay close to F8 and still don't have anyone in SHARP focus. Do I need to get out of the shade? It seems like I just don't have enough light to make things perfect. Either I'm pushing my ISO to far 500-640, or I have to lower my shutter speeds (I try to always be above 1/125 handheld), or I have too shallow of depth of field. I just can't seem to find a "sweet spot" What are your standard settings for family photo shoots?

Case in point. This image is straight out of the camera. Very underexposed, but what could I have done? 34mm at ISO 500 F6.3 1/125th I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. It was taken about an hour before sunset. Is that my problem? I can't be in shade that close to sunset?

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I think its the shutter speed, kids move so fast
The second one looks fine, the third one the background is fine but he looks like he has moved. If you shoot late in the day you have to be prepared to increase your ISO try 800, but that said with fast glass why not shoot wide open especially with the L that you have, that lens should be great wide open, its one of the reasons why its so expensive- next time try a number of settings.
A tip i found with kids as subjects is to have a continuous shutter, that way you can choose the best from a series.
I dont think anything or anyone is to blame, just keep practicing, dont worry and have fun.

Federkeil wrote in post #8880018
Case in point. This image is straight out of the camera. Very underexposed, but what could I have done? 34mm at ISO 500 F6.3 1/125th I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. It was taken about an hour before sunset. Is that my problem? I can't be in shade that close to sunset?

Dude, why are you shooting portraits at F6.3 so late in the day no! Shoot wide open next time see what happens. If you shot that last one at F2.8 thats over 2 stops faster, that means more light and a slightly faster shutter speed. Out of interest, have you tried one with the pop up flash. A lesson you have to learn at some point when you are starting out is that it is not an evil thing to set your ISO to a higher setting, ISO speeds of 1600 and above are there for a reason.

AudibleSilence wrote in post #8880021

Mistake #1

Ok all teasing aside (and trust me that is all it was) I think you just need to practice some breathing methods

Ha! has that made it to a book yet!

I think your problem may just be technique. That is one heavy lens, so try increasing your shutter speed, maybe even to 1/500th. And if you wanna know if you got a soft copy, try putting the camera on a tripod, manual focus with Live View @ 10x, on a non-moving subject.