doubting my skills

racingsnake · 06-20-2012, 10:34 AM

Hey everyone,hope all is well.
To cut the story short here's the deal.
I sometimes for the life of me can't get a good shot.
I've got a few shots uploaded to this forum and they all look fine I suppose.
But today I can't get a single sharp shot at all.
I'm using Tammy 17-50 hand held at different ISO and shutter speeds as well as f numbers and still no luck.
I do find one common thing though.
When I shoot something close to the camera everything is ok.
As soon as I take a few steps back and try and take same shot its all blurry.
I can't really pinpoint the problem yet and that's why i need your help guys.
It really drives me nuts sometimes.
Oh one thing as well - the exposure didn't go any lower than 1/100.
I know it's my technique but I just can't figure it out.
Thank you so much guys.

Last edited by racingsnake; 06-20-2012 at 11:17 AM.

JinDesu · 06-20-2012, 10:45 AM

Most.. interesting post I've seen in a while.

Can you post some pictrures?

And what settings are you using? Manual? Av?

racingsnake · 06-20-2012, 11:15 AM

i'm mostly using Av mode with my auto lenses and M mode with my legacy stuff.
i can't post any photos of a crap shot cause i deleted them all out of rage)))
but i will attach an unprocessed raw image i took just a few minutes back.
i am really at a loss of what is going on.
i still blame myself for it though but what am i doing wrong?that is the question.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g8g3lcrr3iq4mgp/_IGP4226.PEF

pezmaker · 06-20-2012, 11:19 AM

Was this an autofocus lens, or manual? Where were you focusing? It looks like the small bulb pointing to the viewer is sharp, as is the edge of the wood. Did you inadvertantly change the focusing point, so that the center of the viewfinder is no longer where the focus lies?

---edit---
d'oh, exif says autofocus.

racingsnake · 06-20-2012, 11:22 AM

Originally posted by pezmaker

Was this an autofocus lens, or manual? Where were you focusing? It looks like the small bulb pointing to the viewer is sharp, as is the edge of the wood. Did you inadvertantly change the focusing point, so that the center of the viewfinder is no longer where the focus lies?

---edit---
d'oh, exif says autofocus.

yeah i did use autofocus just to confirm.
and i did focus on the bulb pointing at me and then recomposed to get a bit of street in the shot as well.

pezmaker · 06-20-2012, 11:25 AM

What do you find wrong with that shot? With the sharpness showing the lovely grain of the wood on the left, being able to read the markings on the bulb wires, and the clear sharpness on the edge of the bulb, i'm not sure what's wrong. I wish I had taken that shot

magkelly · 06-20-2012, 11:25 AM

Have you had your eyes checked lately? If you're taking pics and the close up ones are coming out fine but anything farther away you may need to have your eyes checked. You may need to adjust the diopter on the camera too. It may be that what your eyes think is focused really isn't if you're having any vision issues. I have major issues with that myself. My normal shots can all look great but I can really be off with MF lenses sometimes even with a diopter. I'm seriously thinking of getting a magnifier. Even the diopter just isn't quite enough sometimes.

eddie1960 · 06-20-2012, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by magkelly

Have you had your eyes checked lately? If you're taking pics and the close up ones are coming out fine but anything farther away you may need to have your eyes checked. You may need to adjust the diopter on the camera too. It may be that what your eyes think is focused really isn't if you're having any vision issues. I have major issues with that myself. My normal shots can all look great but I can really be off with MF lenses sometimes even with a diopter. I'm seriously thinking of getting a magnifier. Even the diopter just isn't quite enough sometimes.

mag if you have a specific reading prescription under +3 pentax parts has Diopters that work (in -1,-2,+1,+2,+3) I have the +3 and when combined with the built in adapter I will be good for quite some time yet. makes a huge difference. they cost about $30

racingsnake · 06-20-2012, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by pezmaker

What do you find wrong with that shot? With the sharpness showing the lovely grain of the wood on the left, being able to read the markings on the bulb wires, and the clear sharpness on the edge of the bulb, i'm not sure what's wrong. I wish I had taken that shot

cheers for the compliments - but that's a good shot))))
i can't show any bad shots i'm afraid cause i was really pissed off with myself and deleted them!
but that's my whole point-i take a shot like that and i'm like happy and ready to hug everyone and then i turn around, take another shot and get all "back off - i'm dangerous" cause the quality simply sucks!!!

racingsnake · 06-20-2012, 11:31 AM

Originally posted by magkelly

Have you had your eyes checked lately? If you're taking pics and the close up ones are coming out fine but anything farther away you may need to have your eyes checked. You may need to adjust the diopter on the camera too. It may be that what your eyes think is focused really isn't if you're having any vision issues. I have major issues with that myself. My normal shots can all look great but I can really be off with MF lenses sometimes even with a diopter. I'm seriously thinking of getting a magnifier. Even the diopter just isn't quite enough sometimes.

yeah my eyes are fine.
i see everything crisp and clear through the viewfinder and in real life)

JinDesu · 06-20-2012, 11:33 AM

Originally posted by racingsnake

cheers for the compliments - but that's a good shot))))
i can't show any bad shots i'm afraid cause i was really pissed off with myself and deleted them!
but that's my whole point-i take a shot like that and i'm like happy and ready to hug everyone and then i turn around, take another shot and get all "back off - i'm dangerous" cause the quality simply sucks!!!

I'd say taking bad shots is a learning experience - if you don't learn from it, then it's going to happen again. Next time you get some bad shots, keep them, put them up here, let us help!

racingsnake · 06-20-2012, 11:37 AM

Originally posted by JinDesu

I'd say taking bad shots is a learning experience - if you don't learn from it, then it's going to happen again. Next time you get some bad shots, keep them, put them up here, let us help!

yeah thanks so much for your help guys!
i guess i'll have to try and take some bad shots tomorrow)

eddie1960 · 06-20-2012, 11:43 AM

Originally posted by racingsnake

yeah thanks so much for your help guys!
i guess i'll have to try and take some bad shots tomorrow)

LOL, Everyone takes bad shots or at least mediocre ones, they just learn to edit so you only see the good ones

As you develop what you accept as good changes that's all.

**Rondec** · 06-20-2012, 12:00 PM

Do you think it's possible that it's the lens? If you have any other lenses, trying them to see if you can get more consistent results with them.

racingsnake · 06-20-2012, 12:07 PM

Originally posted by Rondec

Do you think it's possible that it's the lens? If you have any other lenses, trying them to see if you can get more consistent results with them.

well i certainly thought so as well.
but i can't really blame the tammy. yeah i do get a missed focus here and there but that seldom happens.
when i was failing time after time with my tammy today i slapped on my helios and gave it a shot.couldn't get a single sharp shot either in that same room.i was trying to get a shot of my girlfriend while she was studying.the sun was beginning to set.the light was all natural.i tried focusing on the eyes to no avail with both lenses.it was all blur.i place my camera on a glass then (immitating a tripod), switched IS off and no luck still.
i was only able to get a crisp shot with eyelashes i could count only when out of frustration i asked her to come to the balcony which was facing the sunny side.
bingo!!!my helios did it!!!!
so yeah i recon the shutter speed had a lot to do with it and the fact how close was i to the subject.
but correct me if i'm wrong - doesn't sharpness of an image suffers the farther you get away from the subject,especially when shooting people?

06-20-2012, 10:34 AM	#1
racingsnake Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 431	doubting my skills Hey everyone,hope all is well. To cut the story short here's the deal. I sometimes for the life of me can't get a good shot. I've got a few shots uploaded to this forum and they all look fine I suppose. But today I can't get a single sharp shot at all. I'm using Tammy 17-50 hand held at different ISO and shutter speeds as well as f numbers and still no luck. I do find one common thing though. When I shoot something close to the camera everything is ok. As soon as I take a few steps back and try and take same shot its all blurry. I can't really pinpoint the problem yet and that's why i need your help guys. It really drives me nuts sometimes. Oh one thing as well - the exposure didn't go any lower than 1/100. I know it's my technique but I just can't figure it out. Thank you so much guys. Last edited by racingsnake; 06-20-2012 at 11:17 AM.

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06-20-2012, 10:45 AM	#2
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Most.. interesting post I've seen in a while. Can you post some pictrures? And what settings are you using? Manual? Av?

06-20-2012, 11:15 AM	#3
racingsnake Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 431 Original Poster	i'm mostly using Av mode with my auto lenses and M mode with my legacy stuff. i can't post any photos of a crap shot cause i deleted them all out of rage))) but i will attach an unprocessed raw image i took just a few minutes back. i am really at a loss of what is going on. i still blame myself for it though but what am i doing wrong?that is the question. https://www.dropbox.com/s/g8g3lcrr3iq4mgp/_IGP4226.PEF

06-20-2012, 11:19 AM	#4
pezmaker Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 276	Was this an autofocus lens, or manual? Where were you focusing? It looks like the small bulb pointing to the viewer is sharp, as is the edge of the wood. Did you inadvertantly change the focusing point, so that the center of the viewfinder is no longer where the focus lies? ---edit--- d'oh, exif says autofocus.

06-20-2012, 11:22 AM	#5
racingsnake Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 431 Original Poster	Originally posted by pezmaker Was this an autofocus lens, or manual? Where were you focusing? It looks like the small bulb pointing to the viewer is sharp, as is the edge of the wood. Did you inadvertantly change the focusing point, so that the center of the viewfinder is no longer where the focus lies? ---edit--- d'oh, exif says autofocus. yeah i did use autofocus just to confirm. and i did focus on the bulb pointing at me and then recomposed to get a bit of street in the shot as well.

06-20-2012, 11:25 AM	#6
pezmaker Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 276	What do you find wrong with that shot? With the sharpness showing the lovely grain of the wood on the left, being able to read the markings on the bulb wires, and the clear sharpness on the edge of the bulb, i'm not sure what's wrong. I wish I had taken that shot

06-20-2012, 11:25 AM	#7
magkelly Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,901	Have you had your eyes checked lately? If you're taking pics and the close up ones are coming out fine but anything farther away you may need to have your eyes checked. You may need to adjust the diopter on the camera too. It may be that what your eyes think is focused really isn't if you're having any vision issues. I have major issues with that myself. My normal shots can all look great but I can really be off with MF lenses sometimes even with a diopter. I'm seriously thinking of getting a magnifier. Even the diopter just isn't quite enough sometimes.

06-20-2012, 11:30 AM	#8
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by magkelly Have you had your eyes checked lately? If you're taking pics and the close up ones are coming out fine but anything farther away you may need to have your eyes checked. You may need to adjust the diopter on the camera too. It may be that what your eyes think is focused really isn't if you're having any vision issues. I have major issues with that myself. My normal shots can all look great but I can really be off with MF lenses sometimes even with a diopter. I'm seriously thinking of getting a magnifier. Even the diopter just isn't quite enough sometimes. mag if you have a specific reading prescription under +3 pentax parts has Diopters that work (in -1,-2,+1,+2,+3) I have the +3 and when combined with the built in adapter I will be good for quite some time yet. makes a huge difference. they cost about $30

06-20-2012, 11:30 AM	#9
racingsnake Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 431 Original Poster	Originally posted by pezmaker What do you find wrong with that shot? With the sharpness showing the lovely grain of the wood on the left, being able to read the markings on the bulb wires, and the clear sharpness on the edge of the bulb, i'm not sure what's wrong. I wish I had taken that shot cheers for the compliments - but that's a good shot)))) i can't show any bad shots i'm afraid cause i was really pissed off with myself and deleted them! but that's my whole point-i take a shot like that and i'm like happy and ready to hug everyone and then i turn around, take another shot and get all "back off - i'm dangerous" cause the quality simply sucks!!!

06-20-2012, 11:31 AM	#10
racingsnake Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 431 Original Poster	Originally posted by magkelly Have you had your eyes checked lately? If you're taking pics and the close up ones are coming out fine but anything farther away you may need to have your eyes checked. You may need to adjust the diopter on the camera too. It may be that what your eyes think is focused really isn't if you're having any vision issues. I have major issues with that myself. My normal shots can all look great but I can really be off with MF lenses sometimes even with a diopter. I'm seriously thinking of getting a magnifier. Even the diopter just isn't quite enough sometimes. yeah my eyes are fine. i see everything crisp and clear through the viewfinder and in real life)

06-20-2012, 11:33 AM	#11
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Originally posted by racingsnake cheers for the compliments - but that's a good shot)))) i can't show any bad shots i'm afraid cause i was really pissed off with myself and deleted them! but that's my whole point-i take a shot like that and i'm like happy and ready to hug everyone and then i turn around, take another shot and get all "back off - i'm dangerous" cause the quality simply sucks!!! I'd say taking bad shots is a learning experience - if you don't learn from it, then it's going to happen again. Next time you get some bad shots, keep them, put them up here, let us help!

06-20-2012, 11:37 AM	#12
racingsnake Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 431 Original Poster	Originally posted by JinDesu I'd say taking bad shots is a learning experience - if you don't learn from it, then it's going to happen again. Next time you get some bad shots, keep them, put them up here, let us help! yeah thanks so much for your help guys! i guess i'll have to try and take some bad shots tomorrow)

06-20-2012, 11:43 AM	#13
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by racingsnake yeah thanks so much for your help guys! i guess i'll have to try and take some bad shots tomorrow) LOL, Everyone takes bad shots or at least mediocre ones, they just learn to edit so you only see the good ones As you develop what you accept as good changes that's all.

06-20-2012, 12:00 PM	#14
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	Do you think it's possible that it's the lens? If you have any other lenses, trying them to see if you can get more consistent results with them.

06-20-2012, 12:07 PM	#15
racingsnake Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 431 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rondec Do you think it's possible that it's the lens? If you have any other lenses, trying them to see if you can get more consistent results with them. well i certainly thought so as well. but i can't really blame the tammy. yeah i do get a missed focus here and there but that seldom happens. when i was failing time after time with my tammy today i slapped on my helios and gave it a shot.couldn't get a single sharp shot either in that same room.i was trying to get a shot of my girlfriend while she was studying.the sun was beginning to set.the light was all natural.i tried focusing on the eyes to no avail with both lenses.it was all blur.i place my camera on a glass then (immitating a tripod), switched IS off and no luck still. i was only able to get a crisp shot with eyelashes i could count only when out of frustration i asked her to come to the balcony which was facing the sunny side. bingo!!!my helios did it!!!! so yeah i recon the shutter speed had a lot to do with it and the fact how close was i to the subject. but correct me if i'm wrong - doesn't sharpness of an image suffers the farther you get away from the subject,especially when shooting people?