Canon 40D

[ditchdocsgirl]

Ok, I've been lurking around on these threads for several days now, (I usually stay on budget board). First of all I have to commend all of you on your pictures they are awesome. (especially MarkBarbieri)...

I have a Canon 40D and should be getting at least CLOSE to good quality right? But my pictures are no where near even some of these PNS
Any suggestions or tips? I shot over 3000 pics at Disney and maybe got 400 that I would consider good....but the rest were fuzzy or out of focus...

Any help would be appreciated....I'm assuming it is a good camera?

 

[annnewjerz]

Ok, I've been lurking around on these threads for several days now, (I usually stay on budget board). First of all I have to commend all of you on your pictures they are awesome. (especially MarkBarbieri)...

I have a Canon 40D and should be getting at least CLOSE to good quality right? But my pictures are no where near even some of these PNS
Any suggestions or tips? I shot over 3000 pics at Disney and maybe got 400 that I would consider good....but the rest were fuzzy or out of focus...

Any help would be appreciated....I'm assuming it is a good camera?

I don't have a Canon, I have a Nikon, but from what I understand the 40D is a very nice dSLR...I'm sure someone will confirm this later

One thing to understand is that even with the nicest camera, the photographer is usually what makes a good photo...not so much the equipment. Some of the best photographers in the world can take a picture with a disposable that will end up looking like something an amatuer took with their dSLR.

That being said, can you post a picture of one of the out of focus/blurry pictures?

Just off the top of my head I can think of a few reasons for being blurry or fuzzy...1) Camera shake from having too long a shutter speed and not using a tripod, 2) having a lens without internal stabilization/vibration reduction/whatever which helps the pictures come out sharper while being handheld, 3) the lens is on manual focus instead of auto. I made this mistake when I first got my dSLR. I forgot to flip the switch to change to autofocus, although I would think you would have used the camera prior to your trip...so I doubt that's the problem

 

[quasar4legs]

I use Canon cameras and the 40d should be doing a good job. One of the best things I ever did was take a photography class as it helped me get a grip on ISO, shutter speed, lens choice, aperture etc.
Initially it can be tough to get everything sorted but hang in there it will get easier.
Can you provide some specific photos and the data so that we could help with more specific comments. Are you shooting in manual? What lens?

Trish

By the way there is a great group called Photography on the Net (POTN) for canon users. Lots of great help on that sight as well.

 

[ukcatfan]

I suggest reading Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. The camera should be fine, but if you are not able to tell what went wrong with your shots, then you likely do not know enough to get the most out of a DSLR. When not used correctly, a DSLR can actually produce worse shots than a p&s. This is mainly due to the much larger control of the depth of field.

 

[ukcatfan]

Just off the top of my head I can think of a few reasons for being blurry or fuzzy...1) Camera shake from having too long a shutter speed and not using a tripod, 2) having a lens without internal stabilization/vibration reduction/whatever which helps the pictures come out sharper while being handheld, 3) the lens is on manual focus instead of auto. I made this mistake when I first got my dSLR. I forgot to flip the switch to change to autofocus, although I would think you would have used the camera prior to your trip...so I doubt that's the problem

Let me add some to the list:

4) The depth of field (DOF) is too small to get everything in focus that was desired. Use a smaller aperture to give a larger DOF, but that will require a slower shutter speed and/or increased ISO.

5) The DOF was not very large and the wrong focus point was selected. Try using the center point if this is happening to you. You would lock the focus and then recompose.

 

[boBQuincy]

My suggestions:
if it is not already, put the camera on "A". The auto exposure is pretty good and it is one less thing to worry about (for now). There is plenty of time to try creative settings after the basics are sorted out. While you are at it, make sure the camera is reset to the default settings.

Next, look at the exif data for your images to see if any have a slow shutter speed (longer than about 1/60 second). This can cause blur. If your lens is longer than the standard 18-55 the shutter speed will need to be even faster.

Next, use a viewer that can show the focus point the camera used for the images. Multiple focus points work well but do not always focus on what you want them to. The wrong focus point can cause out of focus images.

 

[ditchdocsgirl]

Thanks for all the replys so far! I'm loking at the camera now and trying to go back to default settings, there is no telling what I have the thing in right now.. I love to take pictures but I've got a lot to learn with this camera.

Lenses I have are:

Canon 28-135mm w/ stabilizer 1:3.5-5.6
70-300mm 1:4-5.8
28-105 aspherical


I posted another thread yesterday afternoon about Disney on Ice pictures. We went with my daughters class yesterday for a field trip, and will be going tonight as a family. Any tips on taking pics in there tonight? Settings?

 

[jann1033]

try turning the dial to auto or p( so the camera sets everything for you) , make sure you are standing with your legs slightly spread apart, one foot should be in front of the other but how ever you feel the most stable , elbows close to your body, supporting the lens with your free hand( under it) and the camera pressed into your forehead. if you use one with IS, make sure it's on but not if it's on a tripod. slow down, make sure you are all steady and not moving before you depress the shutter gently, try not to ram the shutter down cause that can make the camera move. if they are still fuzzy it might not be something you are doing wrong but checking your technique is a free fast thing to do. since you are new though don't expect to get even 50% great photos...some have just learned to toss the goobers and post the better ones some 28-135s are just soft so it could be that lens isn't great but it seems like if it's across the board, it probably is your technique.Is helps with camera shake but it isn't a miracle worker, you still need decent technique to get a decent photo. tyr some with the 70-300 which seems to be a better and see if you notice a difference.
really something i think is overlooked sometimes is just taking time to calm down and think about making sure the camera is still before you shoot. it's easy to get excited and fire shots off but be moving at the same time and = blurry photos