Originally posted by justinr the images are just an awful lot softer.
That's a very imprecise description of the problem. It's important to be confident about the real source of the problem is when you say your images are soft.
Softness can be caused by SO many things:
- motion blur (induced by subject movement, camera movement, even mirror slap),
- poor optics (resolution, CA and flare, as well as filters interfering),
- poor data processing (in-camera settings for sharpness and contrast, as well as your post-processing);
- your image display giving the appearance of softness (not enough resolution in rear LCD, miscalibrated PC monitor);
- your output choices giving the appearance of softness (bad printing, poor paper choices etc)
AS WELL AS
- missed focus (which could be a result of wrong focus point chosen, mis-adjusted lens AF calibration, camera AF confusion with too many high contrast objects in the focus area, poor choice of aperture for the scene not generating enough DOF etc). What AF mode do you see the problem occuring in, btw? Do you usually shoot centre-spot or matrix? If you do use centre-spot AF are the results more reliable?
It's a process of elimination.