Got my new Canon L series lens - help!

peterattheboro

peterattheboro

peterattheboro

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Well, new to me.

Picked it up for £300 and it's in mint condition.

It's a 70-200mm F/4.0 L USM (Non IS).

Went out last night and the light was pretty poor but every shot was blurry.

Only sharp shots I got was when I was indoors and had the flash on.

Am I doing something wrong?

What are the prefered settings for taking stuff of stationary objects in good light?
 
What settings were you using? Did you have a tripod? Obviously with low light situations the shutter will need to be open for longer and this can cause blurry pictures if no tripod is being used.

Post up some pics/let us know the settings being used and I'm sure people will be able to point you in the right direction, as after all, it is a learning exercise for all of us.
 
Orange Peel said:
Lens wobble. Its only pin sharp when you are.

I get some blurry shots but thats me not the lens.

£300 is new price too. Why go 2nd hand?
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Everywhere I looked it's £500 new.

Guess I just need to practice as it's a different lens to what i'm used to + it's more heavy.

That or increase the shutter speed :p

To be honest I did hear it wasn't very good in bad light but I didn't think it would be that bad.
 
Scott W said:
What settings were you using? Did you have a tripod? Obviously with low light situations the shutter will need to be open for longer and this can cause blurry pictures if no tripod is being used.

Post up some pics/let us know the settings being used and I'm sure people will be able to point you in the right direction, as after all, it is a learning exercise for all of us.
Click to expand...

Haven't got them at the mo as i'm at work.

I am going to go over to Tees Barrage at lunchtime and see if I can get some good pics of the canoes going through the rapids.

Will report back! :)

Ohh and no i had no tripod hence why it's blurry :p
 
peterattheboro said:
Everywhere I looked it's £500 new.

Guess I just need to practice as it's a different lens to what i'm used to + it's more heavy.

That or increase the shutter speed :p

To be honest I did hear it wasn't very good in bad light but I didn't think it would be that bad.
Click to expand...

Its really not that bad in 'bad' light you just have to tweak things a little. I assumed (wrongly?) that you were using Auto/P mode? So the setting used if on Tv/Av/M will reveal a lot as the other guys say.
 
Orange Peel said:
Its really not that bad in 'bad' light you just have to tweak things a little. I assumed (wrongly?) that you were using Auto/P mode? So the setting used if on Tv/Av/M will reveal a lot as the other guys say.
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Was using manual aswell as P/ Full Auto.

The shutter speed was set to maybe a second or 2 max which is why it's blurry and the fact that i was using it in hand.

I've seen some pics on here with 30 seconds set which lets in more light and gets a perfect image.

Guess i'm investing in a tripod!
 
peterattheboro said:
Was using manual aswell as P/ Full Auto.

The shutter speed was set to maybe a second or 2 max which is why it's blurry and the fact that i was using it in hand.

I've seen some pics on here with 30 seconds set which lets in more light and gets a perfect image.

Guess i'm investing in a tripod!
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You answered your own question. At 200mm you really want 1/200 not a 2 second exposure. :p
 
L0rdMike said:
You answered your own question. At 200mm you really want 1/200 not a 2 second exposure. :p
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Unless he has full frame he would need 1/320 if you use the rule of thumb.

I would aim for 1/400s at 200 on a Canon body (1.6x crop).
I can get away with 1/200 but the success rate drops in halve
 
You can't hope to get anywhere near a sharp shot by hand-holding exposures as long as that. Either rest it on something (though you're still asking a lot) or get a tripod. With a 70-200 2.8 IS, I can hand-hold 1/30 @ 200mm and you can see what I'm shooting fine, but you certainly wouldn't say it was acceptably sharp.
 
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