Blurred photos... really frustrating! I revised this so it could be more understandable

I have a focusing problem with my lens. I don't know if this has to do with the camera settings. Whenever I try to focus a subject, yes it gets focused (i see the red dot in the viewfinder) but the problem is, i'm not satisfied with it. It's kind of blurred and not sharp at all... I compared 2 pictures, first auto focus and 2nd, manual focus... Seems to be that i have a sharper eye than the lens have. Is there anything I can do about this? I guess this is all about the focal length greater than the shutter speed. I always experience this blur even with the flash.

I want to add some additional information to make this discussion more clear.

I was asked to do a little birthday album for my friend and to find out most of the pictures were blurred. It was an indoor shot and the event happened during evening. I took pictures of my friend using auto focus... I use Program Auto w/ Flash giving me a shutter speed of 60 and most of the apertures were about 3.5 - 4.0.

My camera is a Canon 400D (Rebel Xti) w/ an 18-55mm USM lens.
I followed some of the rules like an old rule was that the shutter speed should always be equal to or greater than the focal length of the lens being used. And generally, when I use the camera's built-in flash, it gives me a shutter speed of 60. The aperture sets by itself since it's in Program Auto.

I didn't use any tripod but i think the flash was enough to avoid blurry images. All of the subject I shot were not in motion.

Metering used: center-weighted average metering
ISO: 400

As soon as i got home, i tried experimenting on my camera and used a tripod. I tried to picture my guitar using AF w/ an ISO of 100...f/14 and shutter speed at 8 seconds. This was indoor and not much of light inside the room. This was without the flash. Oh by the way, i also used a self timer for this one... AF picture gave me a little blurred subject where it was supposed to be focused... then i activated the flash giving me more blurred subject with the shutter speed at 60 and f/ 3.5. then i set to MF (manual focus), using the same subject, composition and camera settings, this time with no flash... and the images were sharp. I tried using flash again and it was still sharp but not as sharp unlike the previous image.

Any one know why is this happening? I think this has nothing to do with the aging of the camera since i had this camera for 4 months.

Tags: 18-55mm, USM, canon, focus, lens, problem, zoom

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Thomas D Dittmer on August 8, 2009 at 11:59am

I shoot many air shows with many fast moving subjects. When I saw you are using "p" program mode, I began to think your program mode might be selecting a shutter speed that is too slow to hand hold. Use Av (aperture priority mode) and select a aperture setting, but the camera may present you with a shutter speed that is to slow to hand hold at the aperture you select. A better method may be to select Tv (shutter priority) and choose a shutter speed of 1/125 or the fastest speed that will sync with your flash. I am not sure what your sync speed is, but I use EOS 20D's and the sync speed is 1/250 of a second. Plenty fast to handhold a flash shot. Experiment and see what you come up with....

Tom

Permalink Reply by Dennis Lauer on August 8, 2009 at 1:17pm

I agree with Tom, however, an even better idea would be to get comfortable with using your camera on full manual rather than trust the camera to think for you, and if it is in your budget a 430ex external flash bounced off the ceiling or a wall will give much nicer pictures as well as a lot more lighting options.

Dennis

Permalink Reply by Michelle on August 21, 2009 at 6:46am

My first alarm bell went off at a shutter of 1/60. Sometimes I am a little old fashioned, but I learned back in the days of film that hand holding can't be done under 1/80. I know with some of the IS lenses it can, but I follow it as a rule to be safe.

The next thing I saw was the program. People seem to think that seeing how this isn't the nice green square that this isn't auto. It is just a fancy form of auto. Sorry. You are letting your camera have WAY to much control. Buying a DSLR with all of the capabilities of yours and letting it do the work for you is like buying a Corvette and pushing it. You're not going to get the results you would if you started the engine.

Focus locks on the point it sees as highest contrast-it can be faulty. Especially in lower light situations. Which it sounds as if you were by your shutter speeds, ISO's and Apertures. Do you have this problem in bright light too? Have you compared photos taken in a WELL lit situation where your flash was never needed at all?
You seem as if you are trying to use your flash to reduce blur-that will work if it is motion blur in a couple of ways. If your shutter is to slow it will freeze motion allowing you to use a much slower shutter than you normally could. Or if you are shooting in lower light it will help you to get your shutter up in speed. Either way it isn't what you are having the problems with here.

And lastly, the lens. These lenses are notorious for issues. From what you have said I would probably be sending it in for servicing. It sounds as if something is misaligned, although it is the camera body that locks on the focus with Canon's. Have you tried other lenses on your camera at all? Even if you take your camera in to Best Buy and ask to try out one of their lenses and play with it a little. Anything to make sure that the camera is seeing the proper contrast as a double check before you send the lens in.