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Soft pics (1 Viewer)

geordiebeginner

Well-known member
I am having problems with my Sigma 150-500mm lens, specifically soft pictures.

The first pic was taken using a hide clamp and at 640th @f 6.30 at 3,200 ISO while the second was taken from a using a Velbon 200 tripod at 320th @ f11 at ISO 200.

I am not sure if it is the tripod or lens that is the problem and am thinking of upgrading to a Manfrotto 055 Carbon Fibre to see if the added stability helps any.

I recently suffered a stroke so it is possible that the shakes from my hands are going through the clamp and tripod giving soft pics.

Previous-pre stroke pics have been a lot better.

Any advice would be much appreciated.
 

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Sorry to hear about your problem hope your recovering well,as for the images its a bit difficult to tell with them being so small,perhaps a cheaper test could be using a remote release on your camera so your not touching it and photograph something closer even if its only a pigeon.
 
What Nikon Mike said - hope the recovery is still going

AS for your tripod situation, there's no point in buying an expensive Carbon Fibre type. As soon as you touch the camera, you are introducing shake, so it takes the tripod possibly shaking ( or not ) out of the equation. Your regular tripod should be fine, assuming its a fairly decent model.

With such far away shots like yours, you are not really going to get quality photos. When you next go birding, try to shoot birds that are closer, and if you feel that your previous stroke is making your hand shake, do what Nikon Mike said and get yourself a wired remote. They're amazingly cheap , i have one that cost less than £10...and a lot lot cheaper than a CF tripod at £££££££'s
 
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Did you have OS off,you should of course if the camera and lens is supported but just as a test if it was off try it on,i know what every one says but its a free test that could tell you if you are having vibration problems.
 
Thanks for the good wishes and the advice, both are very much appreciated.

I went back to basics and made sure the IS was off in both the lens and camera which made a difference. The next step was to borrow a sturdier tripod which, allied to the switch off made an even bigger one. This afternoon I am off for a remote.

I am holding on to the the tripod for the weekend so I can try it in the field as opposed to in the garden and if the pics stay as good as they are now I will be upgrading-the Velbon is pretty light and not really designed for a lens as heavy as the Sigma.

I'll let you know later!

Thanks again.
 
Well yestrerday I went to the coast with the borrowed tripod and a remote release and did some test shots.

I went through the list of new tripod, old tripod, OS on, OS off, in camera anti shake on, in camera anti shake off, rboth with and without the remote and from what I saw on screen when I downloaded the pics taken with the borrowed (heavier) tripod and both anti shakes off are MUCH better than any other combination. There is perhaps a slight difference with the remote, but using it isn't always going to be practical.

The current (Velbon) tripod isn't really designed for anything as heavy as the Sigma so it is going to have to be upgraded, probably for a Manfrotto sooner rather than later.

I'll post some pics in the gallery when I get it!

Thanks again for all the tips and good wishes.
 
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