View Full Version : Focusing problems with Canon
nomaddan
06-05-2005, 12:17 AM
I was talking to a 20D owner and he said that Canons digitals all have soft focusing. I have noticed since I bought my 10D that alot of my pics were pretty soft and thought it was me. Has anyone else had the same problems. I am going to be getting the 20D soon but am wondering if I should wait and see if the next model is better.
Dan
I don't think they have soft focus at all. the softness could be coming from the lens, camera shake, in-camera noise reduction... are you guys shooting raw? i've seen some razor sharp images from canons. i have noticed, that sometimes - the image looks a little plasticky. i don't own a canon, so i can't really say much regarding the cameras faults. my guess is that the 20d owner you were talking to wasn't the most informed person - to say that "CANON digitals ALL have soft focusing" is a big statement, when i'm sure he hasn't owned ALL canon digital cameras.
I have come up with a few that I thought were a bit soft that were taken under very poor lighting conditions. The 20D is capable of taking very sharp pictures when coupled with a good lens. Also keep in mind that the cameras firmware allows you to adjust sharpness to your taste. I prefer to do final sharpening adjustments in photoshop however.
malawi_luver
06-05-2005, 11:59 AM
I have come up with a few that I thought were a bit soft that were taken under very poor lighting conditions. The 20D is capable of taking very sharp pictures when coupled with a good lens. Also keep in mind that the cameras firmware allows you to adjust sharpness to your taste. I prefer to do final sharpening adjustments in photoshop however.
I agree with this totally... some lenses will give you a soft focus (what lens are you using) but others will give you razor sharp crisp great looking photos...
Was he talking about the body? or the Lenses?
Some Canon lenses come with either a USM or IS (image stabilizer) which does help with the shaking quite a bit...
Also are you using a tripod? you will get soft pictures hand held too...
Remember practice makes perfect and once you perfect it youll be very happy...
nomaddan
06-06-2005, 2:09 AM
From what I gatherd he was taling about the Camera Bodies. I realize there are alot of things that go into making a sharp image. One of my concerns was I never seemed to have as big of a problem with my film cameras.
I think Finz probably hit the nail on the head when talking about poor lighting conditions. I know when Canon first came out with D60(?) the focusing in low light was horrible. So much so that the camera was only on the market for a few months.
hir0- I agree, I have seen some very sharp images form the 20D, which is why I was wondering if it was me getting use to digital. I think part of my problem may be some of the lenses I am using...only one would be coinsidered a higher end lens.
Thanks
I've tried shooting jellyfishes under very low light condition by 20D and 300D with Sigma 105mm DG macro lens. Think there's no soft image problem. However, I did encounter the lens travel all the way back and forth and fail to get the focus done when aiming perpendicular to the fish body surface (especially under low light condition).
Might be the lenses instead. Canon consumer grade lenses aren't very sharp at all (with a few exceptions) and you'll have to take a look at their pro glasses for that sharpness.
meriadoc
06-06-2005, 12:40 PM
if you shoot raw with the camera, there is no in camera sharpening, just as there is no contrast adjustment, or anything like that, you have to do all that in photoshop.
i've got some mighty nice sharp images out of a variety of my lenses, so I don't think thats a huge deal.
I know when Canon first came out with D60(?) the focusing in low light was horrible. So much so that the camera was only on the market for a few months.
I think you are refering to the D2000? That's two models before the D60. The model in between is the D30.
I still have a D60 and have no problems with focusing. In fact, all my earlier fish pictures were taken with this camera. Here's an example..
http://www.bennyng.digitalgalleryhosting.com/albums/album52/IMG_0316ER.jpg
Cheers,
nomaddan
06-06-2005, 3:20 PM
I think you are refering to the D2000? That's two models before the D60. The model in between is the D30.
I still have a D60 and have no problems with focusing. In fact, all my earlier fish pictures were taken with this camera. Here's an example..
http://www.bennyng.digitalgalleryhosting.com/albums/album52/IMG_0316ER.jpg
Cheers,
I think you are right with the model number Benny. I had a feeling the guy was either misinformed or something else. I have been looking at the photos on this sight for a little while now and have seen some great images from the different models used here. I do think digital in general had some issues in low light situations but it looks like alot of those have been taken care of.
Maybe instead of spending the money on the 20 I should invest in a lens or two.
Thanks for all of the input.
Dan