focusing problem

ok, I have been shooting pics of my kids as test subjects and all the images have the same problem. I have soft focus issues. either the image is slightly out of focus or it is grainy. I have been using a continuous lighting setup and either my shutter speed is to slow or I have to shoot a higher iso. I know brighter lights are an answer but even when I can get 1/250, its just not right. I shoot a canon xsi with either the canon 50mm F/2.8 or my tamron 28-300 xr ld f/3.5-6.3. am I just not getting the focal points right or do you think its a combination of things? in this image, its not so out of focus but it just isnt sharp. what do you suggest?

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Looking at the pic it looks as if the focus is falling a little behind where your focusing. The ear and tee shirt are more in focus that the nose and eyes. You might want to run a simple focus test to debug the issue a bit. If the focus test shows that the focus is on target, then start looking a technique. I've found that a simple battery test works well as does shooting soup cans if you want to get farther away.

This is how it should look if the focus is correct.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

do you use manual or auto focus? if auto, how many points do you use?

can you give a newbie details on setting this test up? I am guessing that your center point is on the center battery? but at what angle are you shooting the batteries on?
thanks for the help!

It's only for autofocus. If it OOF manual focus, that means you missed. When I first get a new body, I start with the center point, run the test, then walk it through the other points to make sure that they are working as well.

here is another question kinda on this topic. why is it i can run my shutter speed to like 4000 in manual but when I hit the shutter button to focus, it drops itself bact to 250 or 400?

momoe wrote in post #9916764
ok, I have been shooting pics of my kids as test subjects and all the images have the same problem. I have soft focus issues. either the image is slightly out of focus or it is grainy. I have been using a continuous lighting setup and either my shutter speed is to slow or I have to shoot a higher iso. I know brighter lights are an answer but even when I can get 1/250, its just not right. I shoot a canon xsi with either the canon 50mm F/2.8 or my tamron 28-300 xr ld f/3.5-6.3. am I just not getting the focal points right or do you think its a combination of things? in this image, its not so out of focus but it just isnt sharp. what do you suggest?

"not getting the focal points right"
Hmmm... Does that mean you're letting the camera choose the AF point for you? Try choosing your own focus point *the one closest to the eye usually* and focusing, and recomposing slightly if you have to, while keeping the focus locked with the shutter button half-press. This should make sure the focus is where you want it for nice sharp portraits. I find that the camera rarely chooses to focus where I want it to in "full auto" mode.

no, I choose my point. what I meant was, is my placement off or should I try to manual focus

momoe wrote in post #9917051
here is another question kinda on this topic. why is it i can run my shutter speed to like 4000 in manual but when I hit the shutter button to focus, it drops itself bact to 250 or 400?

Are you sure you're in full manual "M" mode? It should stay where you put it, unless maybe there's some sort of safety shift turned on. In Tv/Av modes there is a safety shift option, but I didn't think it applied to manual.

cp1005 wrote in post #9916941
can you give a newbie details on setting this test up?

This is a post I had a while back describing the set up.
https://photography-on-the.net …php?p=5463479&p​ostcount=9

THis is the same pic with the focus points highlighted.

Josh_30 wrote in post #9917107
Are you sure you're in full manual "M" mode? It should stay where you put it, unless maybe there's some sort of safety shift turned on. In Tv/Av modes there is a safety shift option, but I didn't think it applied to manual.

yeah, I was on M. I ran it up to see how high it would go but when I hit the shutter to focus, it went to 250 i think. I wonder if I have a setting in the camera set up wrong?

momoe wrote in post #9917200
yeah, I was on M. I ran it up to see how high it would go but when I hit the shutter to focus, it went to 250 i think. I wonder if I have a setting in the camera set up wrong?

Assuming that you're using flash (which you obviously are in the photo you posted), 1/250 is your camera's max sync speed.

An even better focus target than batteries, which is an ambiguous target for the AF mechanism since it is a curved surface (meter wonders 'do you want the front of the battery in focus, or the edge?!')...

https://photography-on-the.net …php?p=9740221&p​ostcount=5

I just read the EXIF information for that portrait shot, and noted 1/100 was shutter speed and FL = 183mm
...was the camera tripod mounted?
...even with a flash shot, was the ambient light significant enough to register on the sensor (in addition to the faster flash illumination) and therefore blur the crisp edges of the flash illuminated portion of the overall exposure?

Suggested Rule of Thumb would be 1/292 (1/(FL*1.6) for hand holding a lens on APS-C body

[edit] I just reread the OP and it is continuous light, so my first question applies, which the second question is a moot one.
[edit 2] I just noticed in the EXIF that flash was Compulsory Flash, and evidence of on-camera flash can be seen in the subject's eyes. Second question once again is applicable!!!

I noticed the SS of 1/100 as well with the FL of 183. Your Tamron lens doesn't have the Vibration Compensation feature to stabilize the lens for handheld induced motion. I second the question of whether you were shooting with a tripod or not. If not I would agree with Wilt that you should look at using the standard rule of thumb for handholding at a higher shutter speed. If for some reason you want to stick with the ISO/SS/Aperture you have dialed in you could switch to your 50mm and move closer to your subject.