Your opinion please regarding a new lens

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II

07/16/2008 10:04:03 PM · #1

Hi,

Yesterday, I purchased a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS lens. WooHoo!

I'm wondering if the focus to this photo

is a little soft, or am I being too critical. The photo was taken about an hour ago at a focal length of 400mm, the ISO 100, shutter speed is 1/320. The camera was held by hand and the image stabilyzer was on. The photo is a 100% crop and I bumped up the levels a bit so the see the moon better. Nothing else was touched.

Thank you for your time and expertise.

Rick

bassbone

Nikon Df

Nikon MF 105mm f/2.5 AIS

07/16/2008 10:12:21 PM · #2

At 400mm, you will have great difficulty getting a sharp image hand held under any circumstances. The slightest of movement at that reach is amplified signficantly. Try a tripod and you will be amazed as how sharp that lens is.

Originally posted by rick13601:

Hi,

Yesterday, I purchased a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS lens. WooHoo!

I'm wondering if the focus to this photo is a little soft, or am I being too critical. The photo was taken about an hour ago at a focal length of 400mm, the ISO 100, shutter speed is 1/320. The camera was held by hand and the image stabilyzer was on. The photo is a 100% crop and I bumped up the levels a bit so the see the moon better. Nothing else was touched.

Thank you for your time and expertise.

Rick

Scapeshots

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

07/16/2008 10:14:53 PM · #3

That is by far my favorite lens...i am amazed at how sharp it is and how good the results are...wait until an air show comes your way or a hummingbird stops by for a visit. You'll be blown away ;-)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/16/2008 10:21:11 PM · #4

Here's one from two nights ago. Same lens, 2x TC attached. 800mm shot, tripod mount, IS engaged. 1/25s shutter speed. You can get much, much sharper images than this with your lens.

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

07/16/2008 10:31:20 PM · #5

Originally posted by violinist123:

Here's one from two nights ago. Same lens, 2x TC attached. 800mm shot, tripod mount, IS engaged. 1/25s shutter speed. You can get much, much sharper images than this with your lens.

Focus appears to be on the moon's periphery.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/16/2008 10:36:46 PM · #6

Originally posted by zeuszen:

Focus appears to be on the moon's periphery.

At that distance it's not possible to have ONLY the periphery in focus. The DOF is too great.

CEJ

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

07/16/2008 10:47:30 PM · #7

Originally posted by violinist123:

tripod mount, IS engaged.

Why would you have IS engaged when mounted on a tripod? Everything, including the lens manual, tells you to NOT have IS on when mounted on a tripod. I have left it on by mistake when putting the camera on the pod, but realized it when I saw the picture going all haywire when framing the shot.

Message edited by author 2008-07-16 22:51:51.

07/16/2008 10:50:10 PM · #8

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by zeuszen:
Focus appears to be on the moon's periphery.

At that distance it's not possible to have ONLY the periphery in focus. The DOF is too great.

I think it just looks that way because the details become lit from the side as the light falls off on the left, as opposed to the sea of flat gray being blasted by direct sunlight.

07/16/2008 10:51:50 PM · #9

Okay, so read the above and get excited. I grab the tripod, and shoot this pic

I turned the IS off per manual directions. Much improved, but still not as sharp is zeuszen. Was the photo was sharpened afterwards? Thanks for help.

07/16/2008 10:55:02 PM · #10

Originally posted by CEJ:

Originally posted by violinist123:
tripod mount, IS engaged.

Why would you have IS engaged when mounted on a tripod?

Same reason you would ever turn it on, reduce the effects of movement. With the TC, that's almost two feet of lens hanging out there. My tripod is good but its not welded to the earth and there is still enough movement to affect the shot at that focal length. Engaging i.s. made a noticeable difference.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/16/2008 10:57:49 PM · #11

Oops...should be giving Violinist123 credit for the photo. Sorry.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

07/16/2008 10:58:57 PM · #12

Could be several things: camera movement if you're not using a solid tripod with mirror lockup and a cable release or timer, movement of the moon itself if your shutter speed isn't high enough, and/or a lens that isn't focusing properly.

Try shooting something big with a lot of detail at an angle using a wide open aperture (a brick wall, for example). Note the point on the wall where the lens is focusing and see if that point is in focus on the captured image. If it's actually focusing closer or farther away, then either the lens or the camera is out of adjustment (you can test the camera with another lens to figure out which). Another thought- if you're focusing manually, your viewfinder diopter could be off.

(and yes, photos usually require sharpening when you resize them)

Message edited by author 2008-07-16 23:02:56.

07/16/2008 11:00:04 PM · #13

Originally posted by rick13601:

Okay, so read the above and get excited. I grab the tripod, and shoot this pic I turned the IS off per manual directions. Much improved, but still not as sharp is zeuszen. Was the photo was sharpened afterwards? Thanks for help.

Smart sharpen, 75%, .3 radius, remove gauss blur. Stop your lens down, that should help as well.

07/16/2008 11:11:16 PM · #14

I'm just glad that the lens appears to be alright. It's the photographer that seems to need to do a little more work and experiment/learn, and practice a bit.

I'm really looking forward to using this lens! Thanks again.