Pictures not as clear as I expect.

If your photos look dull to you, I would suggest that the issue has much more to do with composition than anything technical (#3 does look back-focused, however). You need to get closer to your wildlife subjects, for example. Your vantage point for the baseball shots is slightly elevated as well, which makes for uncomfortable compositions.

Also keep in mind that many of the photos you see on this forum were shot with fast telephotos that obliterate backgrounds, making the subject really pop.

post the hazy, and blurry ones...do you have a filter on the lens?

Tim Kostka wrote in post #9922882
Those pictures look great to me. It might be a different story at 100% magnification, but there's nothing wrong with what you posted. Sharpen as desired.

I think that is more of it. The pictures look ok on screen, but when I go to crop, they just seem hazy and kinda blurry to me.

And no, I dont own any filters.

NothingRemains10 wrote in post #9922930
..but when I go to crop, they just seem hazy and kinda blurry to me....

Because your getting into pixel land. With 18 m-pix it does allow for a lot of cropping, but also as you start to view an image at a pixel level, the image naturally starts looking softer. That's where post processing really comes in. After you crop to the size you want, sharpen the image back up. There are several methods and when done properly you can really clean up an image.

NothingRemains10 wrote in post #9922930
I think that is more of it. The pictures look ok on screen, but when I go to crop, they just seem hazy and kinda blurry to me.

And no, I dont own any filters.

Well, your T2i is 18mp. Looking at your pictures at 100% will not look tack sharp having used the 55-250 IS. For the T2i and the 7D for that matter, you need excellent glass to take full advantage of the resolution of the 18mp sensor. You pictures are fine I think, it's just that viewing them at 100% you're magnifying every possible flaw in the image and the image taking process (lens softness, minor AF inaccuracies, motion blur, actual haze or heat shimmer in the atmosphere, etc.)

Mike Deep wrote in post #9922919
If your photos look dull to you, I would suggest that the issue has much more to do with composition than anything technical (#3 does look back-focused, however). You need to get closer to your wildlife subjects, for example. Your vantage point for the baseball shots is slightly elevated as well, which makes for uncomfortable compositions.

Also keep in mind that many of the photos you see on this forum were shot with fast telephotos that obliterate backgrounds, making the subject really pop.

I think you nailed it. I am looking at some prime lenses, and love how all you really see is what you focus on. Wow what a difference it makes. Is there anyway to get this affect without them? I am looking at the 85mm 1.8 and 300mm f4 and there are some great shots taken with them for sure.

I just wonder if the 300mm with a 1.4tc or 2x tc would be better than the 100-400L..

gabebalazs wrote in post #9923008
Well, your T2i is 18mp. Looking at your pictures at 100% will not look tack sharp having used the 55-250 IS. For the T2i and the 7D for that matter, you need excellent glass to take full advantage of the resolution of the 18mp sensor. You pictures are fine I think, it's just that viewing them at 100% you're magnifying every possible flaw in the image and the image taking process (lens softness, minor AF inaccuracies, motion blur, actual haze or heat shimmer in the atmosphere, etc.)

That makes sense also. I know the lens I am using is way down there on the Canon totem pole. Looks like I need to get the camera paid off so I can get some new lenses!

for your bird pictures you'd get them to pop more if you had more separation between the subject and the background...your shots have the background pretty much in line with your subject...even if you had a super fast lens i don't know if the background would be blurred out that much

if you can get closer to something, and zoom all the way out...shoot wide open, and again have the background farther away...you should be able to get some nice subject isolation even with the 55-250mm

NothingRemains10 wrote in post #9923092
I think you nailed it. I am looking at some prime lenses, and love how all you really see is what you focus on. Wow what a difference it makes. Is there anyway to get this affect without them? I am looking at the 85mm 1.8 and 300mm f4 and there are some great shots taken with them for sure.

I just wonder if the 300mm with a 1.4tc or 2x tc would be better than the 100-400L..

DOF is dependent on three things: Focal length, aperture, and distance. Longer focal lengths, larger apertures, and shorter distances all contribute to a shallower depth of field and better subject isolation. Distance is a big one and it's (usually) free!

Yes, DreDaze gave you good advice.

You can take pretty nice bird photos with the 55-250 IS. That's what I had for a half a year and I took some amazing photos (I thought they were amazing at that time )

But here is an example, 40D + 55-250 IS. Patience, technique, timing pays off even with this lens:

gabebalazs wrote in post #9923143
Yes, DreDaze gave you good advice.

You can take pretty nice bird photos with the 55-250 IS. That's what I had for a half a year and I took some amazing photos (I thought they were amazing at that time )

But here is an example, 40D + 55-250 IS. Patience, technique, timing pays off even with this lens:

Wow! what a shot! amazing to think you did this with a 55-250, I'll love to know how you did it, behind glass windows? extremely cropped image? How? It's amazing?

And to the OP, the images look pretty darn good to me....... not sure why you want to pixel peep, you'll never be 100% satisfied I don't think if you start doing that.

enrigonz wrote in post #9923172
Wow! what a shot! amazing to think you did this with a 55-250, I'll love to know how you did it, behind glass windows? extremely cropped image? How? It's amazing?

And to the OP, the images look pretty darn good to me....... not sure why you want to pixel peep, you'll never be 100% satisfied I don't think if you start doing that.

thanks,
sent a pm

gabebalazs wrote in post #9923143
Yes, DreDaze gave you good advice.

You can take pretty nice bird photos with the 55-250 IS. That's what I had for a half a year and I took some amazing photos (I thought they were amazing at that time )

But here is an example, 40D + 55-250 IS. Patience, technique, timing pays off even with this lens:

Wow, just wow. I hope to go get some up close hummer pictures. Here is one I did get with the 250 though. I get it now though, its all about the separation!

Yep, just takes some learning

You can hand feed HUMMERS?!

DreDaze wrote in post #9923124
for your bird pictures you'd get them to pop more if you had more separation between the subject and the background...your shots have the background pretty much in line with your subject...even if you had a super fast lens i don't know if the background would be blurred out that much

if you can get closer to something, and zoom all the way out...shoot wide open, and again have the background farther away...you should be able to get some nice subject isolation even with the 55-250mm

So are you saying to get further away from the animals? Or not zoom in as much?

Here are a few IMO that have potential, but just lack something..