Any ideas why this is blurry? Thanks!

[ltilley]

I've attached the file, although I provided a link of a larger size, so you can see how blurry this really is.

Was my focus that far off? What it camera shake? I used my Canon 100-300 lens at 1/400 of a second, so I thought camera shake wouldn't be a problem at that shutter speed. I was zoomed all the way to 300. Should I be shooting at a faster shutter speed?

I'm disappointed because they all came out that way. I tried to sharper some in photoshop, but they didn't really look right sharpened that way.

http://tilleynewman.com/AIMG_8548.jpg

Thanks in advance for all your help!

[livin4lax09]

yeah, your focus is off. it's not the sharpest lens to begin with, either.

[ltilley]

yeah, on closer inspection... seems like my foreground is sharper. I find when focusing on something so far away - it's hard to tell if I'm focusing on the right distance. Are there any tricks on focusing on something farther (further?) away?

I'm near sighted, although I wear glasses and/or contacts...

I just want my pictures in sharp focus and I'm not so sure what I'm doing wrong. I took some landscape photos that had sharp focus, but it was with a shorter lens and I used a smaller aperture also.

[another view]

The rule about 1/300 or faster for a 300mm lens is really a guideline, not an absolute. It may take some practice to be able to do it - especially with lenses over about 200mm. Try shooting at 300mm with shutter speeds of 1/250 up to 1/1000 and see what the difference is and at what point the focus becomes acceptably sharp. Do this a few times to get a more accurate feel for what you can do consistently.

I do agree about the focus looking like it might be 10' in front of the moose which didn't help, but should be sharper at that point as well.

[livin4lax09]

you can always check your focusing ring, and see what your lens says for how far away the focus is. that's if your subject stays in the right place for long enough...

[Frans]

It looks like what the previous poster stated that the in front seems to be in focus. I had similar problem when I first purchased by 350D, the camera wouldn’t focus to infinite. The camera was later exchange. Then again when I purchased a Sigma 30mm f/1.4. This would forward focus, this again was exchanged. The is a very easy test you can do to check the focus. Get a tape measure (ruler) , place it at a slight angle to the camera and where want the focus point, place flat block next to the tape measure. Using a tripod take a photo with the lens fully open and the look at it on the computer at 100% zoom+ . The tape should be in focus just in front and about double the front focus distance behind. If there is a problem you need to try it with other lenses to determine if it is the camera or the lens. My camera (cannon 350d) has a focus screw (Alan key) just before the shutter on the right wall looking inside the camera that is use to correct focus misalignment.

[freygr]

Auto focus failed you, If it doesn't look in focus I will use manual focus

[Alison]

Nothing much is said about aperture here. What were your settings? Did you have your camera on TV?

[dmm96452]

If you have the camera set to use all of the autofocus points make sure when you are composing the image that it has selected the correct point to focus on. The software in the camera tries to identify the subject and focuses on that area. It gets it wrong sometimes.