Is it my Tamron or is it me. (1 Viewer)

obroadie · Apr 10, 2015

Hi Folks,

I've been getting some really disappointing results with focus recently and I wondered if it's my equipment in low light levels or me.

I have a Canon 1100D and a Tamron 70-300 f/5.6/

I have attached two photos. I'm happy with the focus on the B-S Kite but not the Common Tailorbird. This is similar to many images recently. I used single spot AF metering on both and the Tailorbird was actually twice as close as the Kite. Both have been cleaned up in PS.

Also here is a link to I think my best focused shot with the same kit. https://www.flickr.com/photos/99821753@N05/11944698034/

I would really appreciate any comments and advice.

Thanks
Ollie

kitefarrago · Apr 10, 2015

You've stripped the Exif information from your images, which means there's not much to go on. We also don't know how much of the original frame is showing.

Neither of these images is truly sharp. But because we don't know how much of the frame is included it's hard to tell whether there's anything in the frame that is in focus. And because we don't know the shutter speed you used without the Exif info it's hard to rule out movement as the cause of the lack of focus.

That in turn means it's hard to tell whether the problem is technique or equipment, or if you're expecting too much under the conditions (pixels on target).

Andrea

obroadie · Apr 11, 2015

Exif

Hi Andrea,

Thank you very much for your reply. The data was stripped by PS. I have attached compressed versions of the originals and also the exif info screen grabs and labeled them respectively.

I'm starting to think it may well be camera shake and I should make more effort to use the tripod. Also I hadn't thought about 'pixels on target'. I can see how that could be a factor.

Ollie

kitefarrago · Apr 11, 2015

I think there are a number of factors combining here: 1/400 and 1/500 are very much borderline for a 300mm on crop factor. You need to have very steady hands not to get some kind of camera movement. You were using ISO100, so there was certainly room to up the iso a bit and get a faster shutter speed.

You can also see that with the shot of the tailorbird, the bird isn't right in the centre of the picture. The quality of the full image you've posted isn't quite good enough for me to see where the camera is focussing, but it seems to me that it may not be on the bird.

Both your posted images are fairly severe crops, in particular the tailorbird. There aren't enough pixels on target to get good detail with such crops even if the camera focuses correctly. Working on fieldcraft, or a setup (like a hide) that allows you to get closer to your targets will make a big difference.

I don't know the lens you're using, but I assume it's a notch below the Canon 400, or the 100-400. I think that if you up the shutter speed you will get better results, and the closer you get to your target the more improvement you will see again, but you probably will find it hard to compare with pictures taken with those lenses (let alone the really expensive ones).

Andrea

PS It's possible to tell Photoshop not to strip off all the Exif data, I think.

obroadie · Apr 11, 2015

Hi Andrea,

Once again thank you so much for taking the time to provide all this great info and analysis. This could be a tutorial subject on it's own.

The lens is below the quality of the ones you mentioned. I think it was only 100 GBP and I bought it initially to take images of the moon before I bought a telescope.

I had thought that ISO 100 would give better detail and minimal noise and if I used the widest aperture it would be fine but as you say I should plan for a faster exposure.

Regarding fieldcraft and hides, that's a tricky one. Right now it's 5pm here and 36C and any hide type tent would be unbearable in under 2 minutes but that does give me something to think about if I plan something at dawn when it's only 25C. I normally use my car at dusk but I suspect the vibrations of the running engine (air-conditioning) have also added to some of the disappointing focus results.

Anyway. Thanks again Andrea. You have been a wonderful help and I have a lot to work on.

Cheers
Ollie

gandytron · Apr 11, 2015

Ollie,

As a rule of thumb. I would set your shutter at 1/800th, your aperture as low as possible and let the camera select the ISO (perhaps with an upper limit of 3200). In low light settings your images will be greatly under exposed but photoshop or Lightroom will allow you to recover quiet a lot.

The one thing that post-processing cannot do is un-blur an image.

Best wishes

Dave

VoluntaryRanger · Apr 11, 2015

I wouldn't use ISO 100 when shooting wildlife. I'd use it for landscapes in good light. I use my aperture priority mode in as small a number as the lens will allow with ISO 200 for birds/wildlife if the light is halfway decent as you get a better shutter speed . Sometimes it needs to be ISO 400 although you do get a grainier pic beyond that level. Try adusting your EV in poorer light. If you have time, play with your settings taking the same shot several times until you find what works best with your camera/lens

obroadie · Apr 12, 2015

Thanks Dave,
I have visited your website in the past. Super pics there and I think you have a job that most of us would seriously envy.

And thanks VR. I'm grateful to everyone for all the advice.

Cheers
Ollie

obroadie · Apr 12, 2015

I had another go this morning from the same spot. Conditions overcast.

Attached are a post processed image with a little sharpening and Noise Ninja. Also a compressed jpeg of the original frame.

1/800
ISO 500 (Auto)
f/5.6 (Max on my lens)

I took a good 50 shots and they were all pretty much the same. I think I really do need to work out a way to get closer before I even deserve a better lens even if I could afford one right now.

obroadie · Apr 25, 2015

Well I'll never blame my equipment again. I used all the advice above and managed to get much closer and this is the result. It was originally underexposed against the sky but it's amazing what Camera RAW can do with the exposure.

Nick Leech · Apr 28, 2015

Great shot Ollie! Beautiful bird too!

kitefarrago · Apr 29, 2015

Glad to hear that the tips set you moving in the right direction. NIce picture! I do wish we had bee-eaters here...

Now you just have to get out and practice more.

Andrea

Wildmoreway · Jul 16, 2015

You actually did fairly well with what is a cheap lens. If you have no stabilisation you do need to either support the camera or use a high shutter speed. If you severely crop that will also in effect manigny any shake because in effect you are increasing the focal length. In some cases these lenses are not really up to working with cameras with high MP counts, I used to get lots of acceptable shots with both this and its Sigma rival my 6MP EOS300 and 10MP EOS400 but but once I moved on to 24MP cameras the lenses were not really up meeting what a high resolution sensor required. Don't throw the lens away simply realise and work within its limits and that severe cropping will not make up for not having a high spec lens with more reach.

obroadie · Jul 17, 2015

Wildmoreway said:
You actually did fairly well with what is a cheap lens. If you have no stabilisation you do need to either support the camera or use a high shutter speed. If you severely crop that will also in effect manigny any shake because in effect you are increasing the focal length. In some cases these lenses are not really up to working with cameras with high MP counts, I used to get lots of acceptable shots with both this and its Sigma rival my 6MP EOS300 and 10MP EOS400 but but once I moved on to 24MP cameras the lenses were not really up meeting what a high resolution sensor required. Don't throw the lens away simply realise and work within its limits and that severe cropping will not make up for not having a high spec lens with more reach.

Thanks wildmoreway. I appreciate you taking the time.
A few things have happened since my original post. The Tamron lens packed in and is effectively a manual focus only lens now but while I was in the shop getting a repair quote I saw the Sigma 70-300 DG OS.
I went home and tried to stop thinking about it but 3 days later I was back there handing over the cash.
I also started birding in a new habitat location only 3klm away. It was always there of course but I hadn't thought of it before and I since added 20+ lifers to my list. (#89 now).
I was looking at a monopod for $100 but one day I found a good stick about chin height. I took it home and sanded it and fixed parts of an old inner tube to the top and bottom and now I can rest the camera on the top or if I'm sitting just secure it lower down with one hand as a wedge.
I got some camo gear too and it's amazing how much closer I can get to the birds and how much closer they come to me before they spot me. But any experienced birder reading this will know that already.
I have since posted a few images in the gallery that are way better than my original in this post so I'm very happy with the way it's going.
I have attached an example of one of my favourites.
Thanks again to everyone for all the advice and encouragement.
Cheers
Ollie

perterra · Jul 24, 2015

Youre getting some great photos

Is it my Tamron or is it me. (1 Viewer)

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