Female Chaffinch?

[Leon]

went for a short wonder today with another member Ian (great guy gave me a kit lens ) round Pennington flash in Leigh

 

this was the best of the day, I really am struggling to get proper focus, I'm beginning to wonder if it may be the camera body at fault or me loosing my touch?

 

[Phil]

Is this shot RAW or Jpeg? Do you do any sharpening?

 

If the image is shot RAW then it will be soft and require editing. Even JPEGs often require attention too.

This has been sharpened for the web, please don't ask me how as it's done using an Action I downloaded but there are plenty of tutorials out there for web sharpening.

 

 

 

 

[Leon]

as I'v always said, I rarely edit pictures, I like to try and get them right to start with, I just don't have the patience!!

 

I am going to set my tripod up later and take some static shots are different focal lengths to see if there is a problem with the camera or me.

[Phil]

as I'v always said, I rarely edit pictures, I like to try and get them right to start with, I just don't have the patience!!

 

Then you've no option but to stick to JPEG I'm afraid, although by doing so you're letting the camera 'edit' the image how 'it' thinks it should look i.e. sharpening , saturation, contrast etc. With RAW you do have the control in PP of re-creating the shot how you remember it looking. White balance can be one of the major issues when shooting JPEG, colour casts are very common and can be difficult to alleviate in shot. 

 

It will be interesting to see the results of your test shots

[Leon]

Then you've no option but to stick to JPEG I'm afraid, although by doing so you're letting the camera 'edit' the image how 'it' thinks it should look i.e. sharpening , saturation, contrast etc. With RAW you do have the control in PP of re-creating the shot how you remember it looking. White balance can be one of the major issues when shooting JPEG, colour casts are very common and can be difficult to alleviate in shot. 

 

It will be interesting to see the results of your test shots

oh and if I were to use RAW I'd be dropping down to 1.5 FPS    

[Phil]

oh and if I were to use RAW I'd be dropping down to 1.5 FPS

 

That's a fair point, but how often do you shoot sports or birds in flight? Switching to JPEG for these wouldn't be a problem.

 

While typing this response This email has literally just popped into my inbox  

[NannyFerret]

That looks interesting. I have just signed for the emails.

[Leon]

done test shots it must be me???

 

maybe time to hang up my Canon for a while, go back to messing with cars???

[NannyFerret]

Please don't give up, Mr W. You have been doing so well with your Canon and you will only end up in a slump again..
I don't do too well with birds either, unless they are deadly still, but if I get one in 50 then I am happy.

I can't get on with continual shooting for bird shots as 9 out of 10 are blurred, so I stick to single shots and usually single or continual focus.

Try a different subject for a change, and then go back to your birds.

[Leon]

not just Birds Nanny, it's whatever I point it at

 

I guess I'm just sulking again, I'll cheer up soon

[Ian]

don't give up all my photos but a couple on that day where totally useless

[NannyFerret]

I practice shooting the pigeons in the garden (with my camera, of course lol) as they are a bit bigger to focus on.
Maybe like me, you are slightly moving and throwing the focus out slightly. My movement is my biggest problem.

[fuzzyedges]

 your canon has a menu for sharpning and contrast both of which will sharpen in camera also saturation might lift a flat image

 

I have all the settings off on mine and do the rest after but look at the menu settings as these might have been altered from factory or they may need altering to suit you

 

A couple of reads  first to see what I am on about

 

Word of warning write down the settings before you alter them its easy to make things worse and get lost as to what you have done OH only do one at a time and see the results before trying combinations

 

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=623162

 

http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/infobank/digital_camera_features/picture_style.do

[NannyFerret]

I must admit to doing a camera reset every so often as it gives me a fresh start if I have changed the settings a lot in the past few weeks.

[fuzzyedges]

just thought of something else the built in dioptic

 

This should be used to see clearly through the view finder (its next to the veiw finder, a little thumb wheel ) but I think adjustments to the menu will be more benifical

 

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=705247

 

It was on here by Dave w I think but I cant find it now

[FUJI]

Hi, Leon,

I have been reading this thread with great interest......Because I too despaired of ever getting a decent bird shot, it was ages before I bothered again after my first few outings with my ( then) brand new TAMRON 70/300 lens. I almost sold it because my results were like yours....out of focus, noisy, half birds, quarter birds or no bird at all ....we have all been there.

Then I learned ....mainly via the more knowledgeable member if this forum and through my usual trawl of YouTube tutorials.....now, I never go birding without my SONY A55 set to over f1000 ....ISO 200 plus....on continuous focus......you might remember my ongoing series of ...Gulls-in-Flight.....series. Learning to pan is very important as you already know from your motoring events.......

It also took some severe metaphorical arm twisting to transfer to shooting in nothing but RAW unless my camera is set on its amazing ten shots a second burst....... when it only shoots JPEGS.

As Phil and others have said, shooting RAW leaves originals slightly soft ....requiring an essential boost from basic processing which can take just a minute or so to sharpen and clarify......unless you venture slightly deeper as I have done in to contrast grading and selective sharpening ( very easy and quick once learned and practiced) .

Your photography has come on leaps and bounds since you acquired your new camera and lenses, don't let 'em beat you......there is always help advice and encouragement on TIPF.

FUJI

[Leon]

thanks guys, loads of positive vibes as usual, I may have stopped sulking for a while now. well see how the next few weeks go

[FUJI]

thanks guys, loads of positive vibes as usual, I may have stopped sulking for a while now. well see how the next few weeks go

Well done Leon......reading through my post again, it should obviously read S 1000 with f and ISO to suit ambient light.

FUJI