My images seem to be out of focus

roderz88

roderz88

roderz88

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7 Oct 2010
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Hi folks, I have a canon 350d with a kit lets plus an old sigma 55-200mm. I have had this for allmost a year now and have taken many good photos. However, I started taking pictures today with it and ive noticed that allmost all of my photos are really out of focus. I know how to focus and and im aware of the old stutter speed should be higher than focal length rule. But, most of my photos are terribly out of focus. The scary thing is that this seems to be the case with both my lenses.

Can anyone shed some light on this?
 
It might just be handshake. If you're using shutter priority, if set fast enough it should override any shake/blur. You can get the shutter speed right using the general rule, but if it's too dark then you'd need to up the ISO setting or use a tripod, or set the shutter slower. If set slower you'll get more motion blur if you don't have very steady hands (I don't at all, so generally I stay with manual or aperture priority). I get the occasional blurry shot using aperture priority if in dark settings if light is rapidly changing, but as long as you've set the shutter speed properly then you shouldn't really have any problems.

Have you tried test shots in different lighting, or similar situations to when the photos that failed you were first taken? It might be an idea too, to post a photo with the exif intact so we can see what settings were used.
 
have you tried putting it on a tripod and using the timer to take the photo ?

would eliminate any camera shake issue
 
Looking at the settings on flickr I see it's taken at 200mm. Is that the extreme end of the zoom on the lens? A lot of lenses tend to soften a little at either end.
 
Well I could be wrong, but at 200mm @ 1/320 that's easily enough for camera shake, which is what it looks like to my eye. I know I would definitely see camera shake if I took a photo at that length and speed (I have shaky hands).

Just a random photo I have taken at 200mm @ f4 http://flic.kr/p/ddtfXq and that's at 1/1000 and this one is on my old 60D http://flic.kr/p/a6Atzy 200mm @ f4 and it's 1/4000 mainly as it was VERY bright that day.

Try taking similar photos as the one you have issues with at higher shutter speeds and note the difference. If you still have problems at the shutter speeds I used above then you may well have a problem.
 
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Definitely motion blur on that picture, you can see it in the close up grass highlights, also there isn't really anything in the centre for the AF to lock onto, did you lock and pan on one of the sheep?
 
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