Help! Can't get sharp images unless fully zoomed in

any tips on how to do that as to not exceed the file size limit?

Don't attach them here, upload them to photobucket or flickr and then link to them here.

ok- give me a little time to create an account and do it... I really need help with this. It's been haunting me for over a year! Stick with me!
Thanks!

slqc@comcast.net wrote in post #9025712
Ok- so do you mean that I shouldn't move the zoom in and out while in continuous burst mode?

One responder asked if I was focusing correctly? I use auto focus and generally work with one focus point (usually on the eyes if close or face if at a distance).

One Shot, AI Servo, or AI Focus mode? Also, what software are you using? You're not somehow enlarging the embedded *preview* jpg are you?

Hi
The images can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/​photos/44730933@N07/
- hope this flickr link works.

One good image (in my opinion)- all the rest fuzzy, flat, crap- impossible to enlarge. My photos out of the camera have wonky colors (especially reds/magentas), are flat and have NO CONTRAST. Now I know RAW images have to be worked with but this is ridiculous. What is wrong????

Anyone????

Your lighting is flat; period. RAW files need contrast / curves / saturation adjustment. Honestly that is what I would expect out of the camera -- plus the wide shot you posted above is 1/2 to 2/3 stop underexposed; giving greyed out whites and flat colour.

I'm sure if you posted a RAW file somewhere, it could be processed to have pop, contrast, and good colour.

To fix reds/magentas. look for a different camera profile, use a different importer, or make your own custom camera profile for importing.

So... it's all the lighting? I was going for open shade... Guess I don't know what open shade is! Do you shoot outdoors in open shade?

I can't imagine everyone that shoots raw spends as long editing their files- It takes me forever and still 80% of them can't be enlarged.

Is this a good case for shooting in jpeg??? Anyone available to help me offline? I'd pay!

slqc@comcast.net wrote in post #9027443
So... it's all the lighting? I was going for open shade... Guess I don't know what open shade is! Do you shoot outdoors in open shade?

I'd have light them from the side with a diffused light to add some contrast and fix the huge DR issue in the group shot. Essentially the problem is that they are in heavy shade with bright backlight. You underexposed them trying to preserve the background.

I also suspect another main challenge in your 'sharpness' issue is that you are comparing tight headshots to loose groups. You will never be able to count eyelashes in a loose group shot. Try shooting a tight headshot at 24mm to compare at 70mm to see if there is really a difference.

I use Lightroom, and I can chew through 500 RAW files in about 1-2 hours to get them culled, color fixed and cropped. I shoot manually with an incident light meter to avoid having to tweak exposures.

Once I'm done I can tell LR to export jpegs in the sizes I need and then go do other stuff and let it work.

The only reason I'd shoot jpeg is if I was a journalist and I had tight timing to meet.

I would agree that your lighting is leading to the "flat" look. A little directional lighting from an off camera flash would help add some highlights and shadows to give your subjects more dimension. As far as being out of focus....they look fine to me considering what you posted. When your subject fills a smaller part of the frame, you're just not going to get the same resolution as they have fewer pixels covering them.

I think until you set up some controlled tests it is hard to say if it is the lens or you. Try setting up a boring opject and standing close and taking an image at both wide and telephoto. THen stand back and do the same thing. Then compare the pictures. That should remove most variables. The shots here are all too different to say.

IMHO, it looks like there is some fault with post processing here. the images are focused properly. i agree that the pic of the family of 4 is a tad underexposed. since you shot in RAW, fix the exposure, WB is a little bit on the cool side, and +contrast +sharpening +saturation. my .02.