It might be my screen or my eyes, but none of those cat shots look perfectly in focus. A you using a single (ideally centre-point) setting, or letting the camera choose?
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DSLR Photography Beginner Course UK?
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I saw this on HUKD yesterday, it might be of use.
https://www.gogroopie.com/all/1xuext7f40/awin_hukdcoursesnl_july16
£1 for an introductory course. They do apparently give you the hard sell once you get to the end of the course to sign up for more but for the sake of a quid that's not much to put up with
There are 4 photography ones to choose from. They last a month and just need a few hours a week so nothing too intense.
https://www.gogroopie.com/all/1xuext7f40/awin_hukdcoursesnl_july16
£1 for an introductory course. They do apparently give you the hard sell once you get to the end of the course to sign up for more but for the sake of a quid that's not much to put up with
There are 4 photography ones to choose from. They last a month and just need a few hours a week so nothing too intense.
I think you are probably right, I don't think they are 100% crisp and in focus either. I've been letting the camera autofocus do the work while I try to get to grips with the other settings but plan on trying manual focus very soon. I had noticed they don't look 100%.
I saw this on HUKD yesterday, it might be of use.
https://www.gogroopie.com/all/1xuext7f40/awin_hukdcoursesnl_july16
£1 for an introductory course. They do apparently give you the hard sell once you get to the end of the course to sign up for more but for the sake of a quid that's not much to put up with
There are 4 photography ones to choose from. They last a month and just need a few hours a week so nothing too intense.
I'll take a look at these, thanks so much for posting.
My experience of Canon's autofocusing is that it better than my manually focusing, at least it is when it's given a helping hand. I'm using a 5D Mk2 which isn't considered to have the best autofocusing in the world, but it's pretty good when it's just concentrating in once place. If you're not doing already, switch things to a single focus point, ideally the centre point as this will generally be the most accurate. This can make shooting moving objects a little more difficult, and in those cases I sometimes switch back to all points, but for static subjects I get the best results using just the centre point.
Just thought I'd update the thread as people have been so helpful. My cat "portraits" are coming along nicely - I've been playing with the Av setting and I managed to work out how to set my camera to a single point of focus. I think things are looking a lot crisper now - especially when enlarged on my iMac screen.
I've also been trying the Tv setting and trying to get some shots of the cats (especially the kittens) playing - which they do a lot - but I've had less successful results doing this. They tend to move very fast and are blurry in most of my shots. Am I right to go back to my 9 point auto focus for these type of pictures? I've been doing some reading - is AI servo a setting I should be using (I don't fully understand this, I will admit).
Having done a bit of online searching amongst camera reviews I have come to the conclusion that my camera (Canon 1200D) isn't the greatest for getting crisp shots of moving subjects. It's the base model but I didn't want to spend a lot of money until I was sure I'd get use from a DSLR - but I'm sure I could get better results than I am getting because I'm certain I'm doing something wrong!
I've also been trying the Tv setting and trying to get some shots of the cats (especially the kittens) playing - which they do a lot - but I've had less successful results doing this. They tend to move very fast and are blurry in most of my shots. Am I right to go back to my 9 point auto focus for these type of pictures? I've been doing some reading - is AI servo a setting I should be using (I don't fully understand this, I will admit).
Having done a bit of online searching amongst camera reviews I have come to the conclusion that my camera (Canon 1200D) isn't the greatest for getting crisp shots of moving subjects. It's the base model but I didn't want to spend a lot of money until I was sure I'd get use from a DSLR - but I'm sure I could get better results than I am getting because I'm certain I'm doing something wrong!
If your motion shots are blurry, the first thing to try is to increase the shutter speed. Of course (as you know from checking out the exposure triangle), you'll need to compensate for the resulting reduction in exposure by using a wider aperture and/or a higher ISO.
As far as autofocus modes are concerned, someone more familiar with Canon cameras may have more to add here (I'm more familiar with Nikon's autofocus system), but there are essentially two general settings to consider:
- Which focus points are used? (All of them, only one, a specific group of points, etc.) I think this is one of the areas in which the brand differences are more pronounced, so I won't add more detail here.
- How often (if at all) is focus updated while you've got the shutter button half pressed? Does the camera try to acquire focus only once (when you first half press the shutter button—called 'AF-S' on Nikon, 'One-Shot' on Canon), or is the camera continuously checking and updating it's focus while you've got the shutter button half pressed ('AF-C' on Nikon, 'AI Servo' on Canon)?
Been trying the above in garden this evening, many thanks. The cats aren't really cooperative as it's very warm and they just want to sleep so I'll practice more later. I've found how to set to burst mode and AI servo, it's straightforward to set up.
Just a word of caution on burst mode, sometimes referred to as spray and pray.
It has its place, especially for fast moving subjects. But not only does it fill up your SD card, but it will increase your editing time when your trying to decide between 5 very similar shots.
Not saying don't use it, just don't use it all the time.
My 32 gb cards store 900 RAW images each-- it's really not an issue any more.
No it's not, but I'm not wanting to spend my evening's looking at 30 shots all identical trying to pick the best one.
I'd rather compose my image and take my time. If it's fast moving, then 2 or 3 should normally do if the settings are right.
I'd tend to agree if it just cats in the garden and you can shoot them again, but sometimes you don't have that luxury and it's better to have to pick the best of 30 than not have one out of 3!
I have been thwarted in my cat photography today - they have all developed a disconcerting habit of turning their backs on me when I point the camera at them (eek, I think they need a break) so I have been practising my depth of field shots in Av mode using single and multi focal points.
My first one is of yarrow flowers - I discovered that it looked a lot better at f2.8 than it did at f1.8 with my 50mm lens. Any other tips to improve this one?
I was playing with using a single point of focus and my camera's 9 point setting - I seemed to get better results with the multi point setting when trying to pick out flowers - is that to be expected?
Can I ask something - this might be a really dumb question but if I'm using a single pof and the thing I want the subject at the side of the image, how do I do that? My single focus point is in the centre of the viewfinder. On my old compact cameras I used to focus on my subject in the centre of the frame and then compose my image whilst keeping the shutter button half pressed. Can I do this with a DSLR or is there a different way?
My first one is of yarrow flowers - I discovered that it looked a lot better at f2.8 than it did at f1.8 with my 50mm lens. Any other tips to improve this one?
I was playing with using a single point of focus and my camera's 9 point setting - I seemed to get better results with the multi point setting when trying to pick out flowers - is that to be expected?
Can I ask something - this might be a really dumb question but if I'm using a single pof and the thing I want the subject at the side of the image, how do I do that? My single focus point is in the centre of the viewfinder. On my old compact cameras I used to focus on my subject in the centre of the frame and then compose my image whilst keeping the shutter button half pressed. Can I do this with a DSLR or is there a different way?
The yarrow flowers are a tricky shot, because even at 2.8 there is a lot of depth. Getting them all in focus is impossible (as is isolating one, unlike your lavender shot). Try a narrower aperture and experiment.I have been thwarted in my cat photography today - they have all developed a disconcerting habit of turning their backs on me when I point the camera at them (eek, I think they need a break) so I have been practising my depth of field shots in Av mode using single and multi focal points.
My first one is of yarrow flowers - I discovered that it looked a lot better at f2.8 than it did at f1.8 with my 50mm lens. Any other tips to improve this one?
I was playing with using a single point of focus and my camera's 9 point setting - I seemed to get better results with the multi point setting when trying to pick out flowers - is that to be expected?
Can I ask something - this might be a really dumb question but if I'm using a single pof and the thing I want the subject at the side of the image, how do I do that? My single focus point is in the centre of the viewfinder. On my old compact cameras I used to focus on my subject in the centre of the frame and then compose my image whilst keeping the shutter button half pressed. Can I do this with a DSLR or is there a different way?
As for moving the focal point, does your camera have a joystick type pad in the back? That's how it's done on a Nikon anyhow. Or you can compose, keep the shutter button half pressed (or again on a Nikon use the focus lock button), then move the focal point.
I prefer to move it using the control pad thing.
I'm sure your camera will have those settings, I just don't know what they are called on your camera.
Lastly on the bottom shot, consider getting real low to improve the composition. I think you'll like the results.
Can I narrow the aperture and still keep the blurred background? Actually why am I asking? There's one way to find out!
Bingo, found that - many thanks - it's so obvious now!
You can always blur the background! Aperture is just one of the controls. Having a bigger gap between your subject and your background being the other.