Why aren't my photos crisp?

[seaguy7]

I've admired all the cool macro photos that people post here so much that I finally bought a nice macro lens (Canon 100 2.8 USM macro EF on a Canon Digital Rebel). I've been playing with it for awhile and I am very disappointed.

None of my pictures are super sharp. I've tried on the tripod with timer to make sure it wasn't camera motion. I've tried macro mode, Aperture set open, closed, fast shutter speed, fast ISO (800) slow ISO (100), with flash and without, manual focus, auto focus, spot focus. I had similar results with my wide angle lens but assumed it was the lens since it wasn't designed for macro photos. I am wondering if something is wrong with my camera. The view finder is not super sharp either which makes focusing difficult.

Here is a sample of one of the better ones. Most are even fuzzier.

Any ideas?

 

[gregr]

I feel your pain...
Was the image sharp in the viewfinder? There is a diopter adjustment for people that wear glasses- maybe that is off. It's the tiny wheel near the top right corner of the viewfinder- check that.
If the pictures are sharp in the viewfinder and the diopter is correctly adjusted for your eyes, and you had a decently fast shutter speed for the picture you posted... I'd say something is wrong with the camera. You say you are getting soft images from two different lenses?
One thing you didn't mention-- are you shooting squarely into the tank? Shooting at an angle will give you a little softness but not enough to account for what you posted. Things can add up though- slowish shutter speed, shooting at an angle and a big aperture- add those together and you will get soft pics.
Greg

 

[BlueCorn]

A good trick for setting the diopter adjustment is to leave the lens cap on and use the adjuster until the text display in the view finder appears sharp.

 

[30galreefkeepr]

you may be the victim of a terrible digital camera as well. Set shutter speed as fast as you can (who cares about grain, lets try to get some detail). Close the aperture a bit to make it a bit darker, so maybe we can fight some trails.

 

[VoidRaven]

Ok, some silly questions but still....

1) Did you turn off your pumps?

2) Are you shooting straight-on or at an angle? You should be shooting straight-on to your subject.

Just a couple that came to mind.

 

[BlueCorn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7493014#post7493014 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 30galreefkeepr
you may be the victim of a terrible digital camera as well.

Unless there's something physically malfunctioning, I don't believe that applies to a DRebel.

 

[30galreefkeepr]

WOW, yeah i totally over-read the caption where it told what kind of camera. jokes on me

 

[astrogazer]

Looks like camera shake to me, but hard to tell without the exif data.

 

[astrogazer]

A high shutter speed and minimum aperature will assure a clear shot almost every time, but you're going tio have to throw light at the tank, either strobe it or flood it.

 

[palawan]

Are you shooting through the tank? or using an under water camara case? I think those sharp pictures are shot using an underwater camara case or something.

 

[jwedehase]

The two most comon culprits are camera shake and glass distortion.

Camera shake: Even just pressing the shutter release will create camera shake. Try using the timer and a tripod. Once you do this, you'll also be able to step the ISO down as low as it goes (100) which will help (minutely) graininess and photo quality itself. Camera shake is also magnified with a macro lens, because your subject is typically so small.

Glass distortion: You know when you look through the glass diagonally enough, your view starts to distort? This is only magnified with a camera, and again, even moreso with a macro lens. Shoot with the lens perfectly perpendicular to the glass. The further away you get from perpendicular, the more distortion you'll experience.

As a side note, try flipping that MODE dial over to AV, instead of P, and set the f\stop to f\8. That 100mm macro tends to shoot sharpest at f\8. Again, this will only be minute. The biggest difference will come from a tripod and timer, and shooting perpendicular through the glass.

 

[piberoptikz]

I agree. Camera shake and out of focus.

 

[seaguy7]

Thanks for the tips guys. As I mentioned, I have tried using a tripod and timer to eliminate camera shake. However, two tips posted seem to be the primary cause. First my diopter was all the way in one direction. I hadn't thought of this (duh) but that is why the viewfinder was fuzzy and why I had difficulty focusing. The other point seems to be the angle through the acrylic. I didn't realize this could have such an impact. In any case, I tried again perpendicular to the acrylic and after adjusting the diopter. They look much better.

It still isn't as sharp as many I've seen but it's getting better. I do not turn off the pumps. Why is that important?

-Greg

 

[Frisco]

One problem that nobdy so far seemed to mention is the potential quality of the acrylic itself. How about trying to take a non-tank macro to just test the lens and cam? The 100 2.8 should be incredibly sharp.

 

[seaguy7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7495591#post7495591 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Frisco
One problem that nobdy so far seemed to mention is the potential quality of the acrylic itself. How about trying to take a non-tank macro to just test the lens and cam? The 100 2.8 should be incredibly sharp.

Good idea. I just took this one without tripod w/built-in flash. It is a cloudy wet day in Seattle. My tank is 3/4" acrylic from Envision. I believe it is very high quality but 3/4" probably does impact the images.

I am now satisfied that it is the operator, not the camera or lens and I'm getting it figured out.

Thanks,
-Greg

 

[astrogazer]

Macro work can be difficult to master, practice, practice and more practice. As for me, I turn off the sharpening in camera and do my tweaking in post production.