Soft Focus: motion or lens?

[firebuffgal]

Hello! I did not have a monopod (will be asking for input on that soon) so this was handheld. Nikon D70 with 70-200 2.8 VR and 1.7 TC. I'm a little dissapointed with the focus being that this is a wide aperture lens and it has VR. Was on P mode because I was trying to get use to the lens.

Both photos cropped. Bird identificaiton on first one would be nice.




Is the reason why the Kingfisher isn't in focus is because it focused on the concrete? (The edge at the bottom is fairly crisp.)



Thanks in advance for your input!

[Davidtxs]

what focus mode is it set too ? could be set to closest object

[thelegend1472]

I don't have experience with this but I've heard the 1.7 produces soft images. This to me looks like focusing though. Neither shot seems to be on, especially with the lens you're using. The first shot is maxed out though. You didn't have exif on the second so I'm not sure about that. I'd say check your focusing mode like David said. Although nothing in the first image is really crisp. Interesting.

[kenw]

#1 could very easily be just too slow (shutter) to freeze small movements. You may be able to determine what shutter speed you actually used from the EXIF data, I would recommend it be about 1/250s or faster for flitty little things such as this.

VR will not help with things that move, nor will a tripod. Only a fast-enough shutter will help this.

On #2 I think you are pretty on target with your analysis that it focused on the concrete.

[MRCPix]

I have used that lense combo and have very sharp images from it. Like Ken said make sure you are factoring in the focal length at 510mm and adjusting shutter speed based on that and not the 340mm that the combo gives. I only used that combo in aperature priority mode, but I don't think that should matter.

[Bartman01]

If you are using VR, make sure you have it active for a moment to 'lock in'. Since you are using a 1.7x attached to it you also might want to try the 'active' setting - since the magnification will increase the 'shake'.

[billbunton]

Remember also that on that first one you have the lens wide open. I don't know what ISO you were shooting at, so I don't know if there was any leeway to raise ISO and stop down a bit. But with the 1.7x it's important to stop down at least one stop from wide open if at all possible.

[Boomer]

I cannot add anything to the focusing issue topic, but I do know the first bird is a male Meadowlark.

[Tapper]

Isn't the rule "1 over the focal length" minimum shutter speed with longer lenses handheld? At 1/125 you're in the wambly zone, where the movement of your own body starts to fuzz up those long shots. If I remember right, you bought a 70-200VR lens, which should have been able to stabilize at that speed, so I'm guessing you didn't give the VR enough time to fix the image before pressing the shutter past half-way.

In the second one, it focused on the nearest object. I'm guessing your selector switch was on the top position. If you move it to the bottom (single area), it'll let you focus more selectively on objects.

[firebuffgal]

I appreciate all of ya'lls input very much. This shot was at 125th at 200 ISO so I guess the first one's bad focus is going to be me and my handholding.

So it appears I need to play with the stops, shutter speed, the focus selection and let the VR work. (This guy sat sttil for me a long time. I shot about 10 phtoos of him). It was my first time to test it so I really shouldn't be dissappointed yet.

Will the polarizing filter affect my light?

Boomer, thanks for the identity. He's so pretty.

Thank you all for your great tips. Will try again later this week.

[kenw]

Your shutter speed (based on 200mm x 1.7TC = 340mm) should be 1/340s or faster. VR will allow you to fudge this down to maybe 1/250s.

using 1/125s is definitely the problem on the 1st pic.

[Bartman01]

Originally Posted by firebuffgal

Will the polarizing filter affect my light?

Yes, it will reduce the amount of light getting through - so you will need to use a higher iso/lower shutter speed than without. Usually you lose just over one f-stop.

[firebuffgal]

Thanks, Ken and Bart. Much appreciated!!