Not happy with this shot!

[JDMils]

This is a shot of the kids with the company tram:

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Specs are:

File Name: DSC_9181.jpg (Edit)
File Size: 159 kb - 1023 x 685
Camera Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D60
Date/Time: 2010:10:02 12:21:04
Resolution: 1023 x 685
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 30.0mm (35mm equivalent: 45mm...
Exposure Time: 0.0010 s (1/1000)
Aperture: f/6.3
Focus Dist.: 5.31m
ISO Equiv.: 400
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)

I'm not happy with the focus of the shot, in-particular the kids' eyes seem to be out of focus.

From my calculations, the DOF specs for this shot would be:

Subject distance 5.31 m

Depth of field
Near limit 3.04 m
Far limit 20.8 m
Total 17.8 m

In front of subject 2.3 m (13%)
Behind subject 15.5 m (87%)

Hyperfocal distance 7.12 m
Circle of confusion 0.02 mm

If the calculations are correct, I should have a gr8 shot!? Any suggestions on what I need to look out for?

Equipment used was D60 with Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II.

 

[Iscariot]

Were the kids the focus point of the shot?

 

[JDMils]

I focused on the kids then moved the shot so that the tram corner was in the middle of the shot while holding the shutter. Maybe I accidentally let go of the shutter while moving the lens around? I still think that the kids should have been sharply in focus.

 

[kixsand]

It looks like your focus point moved with you. The front of the tram looks pretty good...the kids...not so much.

 

[Iscariot]

Maybe you were set to AF-C instead of AF-S.

IIRC AF-S would retain the focus while the shutter is half depressed while AF-C would automatically re-adjust when the camera was moved.

 

[Weebles]

Just so you know, AF-C will not re-focus if using the AF-ON (to focus) method. Releasing the AF-ON button before re-composing is one of the reasons the AF-ON method is useful and in my opinion superior to the default half-press of the shutter to focus method.

If your camera lacks an AF-ON button then you can use the AE-L/AF-L button and assign it to AF-ON only.

 

[Pupator]

The closest corner of the tram's front window appears to the be focus point. So you're focused on the wrong spot, with an already not-terribly-sharp lens in very harsh lighting conditions, at what appears to be a rather low picture quality (resolution). That's not a real recipe for success.

 

[kixsand]

Actually, if you assume the front of the tram is the focal point, the depth of field looks too slim to be at F5.6 with a 45mm lens. Maybe your focus point ended up somewhere in front of the tram...tough to tell with a single pic!

 

[JDMils]

I'll check NView tonight and post results of focus point.

 

[BruceF]

Why Focus Recompose Sucks

Also, slight subject movement could be an issue here. Pic is too small to tell on here.

 

[D7000DAZ]

What was the shutter speed ?

 

[Growltiger]

Your main problem is low resolution. You don't have enough pixels. You always need to set the camera for JPEG HIGH and FINE. You must have it set for the lowest quality.

 

[73Z1]

Your main problem is low resolution. You don't have enough pixels. You always need to set the camera for JPEG HIGH and FINE. You must have it set for the lowest quality.

+1
All the DOF in the world will not make up for lack of pixels and high jpeg compression. At 0.16Mb in size, the posted image is roughly 7% of that recorded by a 10Mb sensor. To put it another way, nearly 93% of the potential original data is missing.

In addition, your shot is over exposed, which kills contrast separation, and that kills apparent sharpness. The histogram shows all channels with the highlight side well blown out.

Try this yourself and see the results. Put your camera on a tripod and select manual focus with manual exposure mode. Focus on a contrasty subject outside similar to this shot. (Doesn't have to be exactly the same, just similar in contrast.) Use AF or focus manually to get a good focus at the focus point and then manually dial in an exposure that looks perfect on the LCD. Now if you used AF, set focus to manual and add -0.3 eV to the exposure settings for a slight underexposure. Make a shot. Next shoot a series with +0.3eV, +0.7eV, and +1.0eV overexposure. Download and review on the PC.

Even though you kept the same focus and focus point through all shots, do you notice a difference in apparent sharpness? As your images become more overexposed, the apparent sharpness decreases. Nail the exposure and your apparent sharpness with increase substantially.

 

[Robert S]

I know this doesn't address your question, but with a little sharpening and (depending on your taste) maybe a b&w conversion you could "save the day". Hope I wasn't being presumptuous doing this. :redface:

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[JDMils]

@BruceF:

At aperture 6.3 and:
Depth of field
Near limit 3.04 m
Far limit 20.8 m
Total 17.8 m

I doubt that it's a recompose issue- although recompose does in fact take a major effect when using my Nikon 50mm F1.4!!

@D7000SAZ:

Focal Length: 30.0mm (35mm equivalent: 45mm...
Exposure Time: 0.0010 s (1/1000)
Aperture: f/6.3
Focus Dist.: 5.31m
ISO Equiv.: 400


@GrowlTiger:

Shot was taken in NEF format- highest resolution. When uploading to Photobucket, it resizes the images. I will place the image on my web site in NEF and converted JPG full res and let you know so you can then take another look at it.

 

[Naptown]

Agree the OP looks overexposed by about 0.5EV.

 

[JDMils]

OK, here are the originals:

Original NEF: http://www.jdmils.com/misc_images/DSC_9181.NEF (8.78MB)
Converted NEF2JPG: http://www.jdmils.com/misc_images/DSC_9181.JPG (6.38MB)

ViewNX screenshots:

Focal Point:

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Histogram:

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200% Zoom:

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File Info 1
File: DSC_9181.NEF
Date Created: 2/10/2010 12:21:04 PM
Date Modified: 4/10/2010 9:57:13 PM
File Size: 8.77 MB
Image Size: L (3872 x 2592)
File Info 2
Date Shot: 2/10/2010 12:21:04.20
World Time: UTC+10, DST:OFF
Image Quality: Compressed RAW (12-bit)
Artist:
Copyright:
Image Comment:
Camera Info
Device: Nikon D60
Lens: VR 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3G
Focal Length: 30mm
Focus Mode: AF-A
AF-Area Mode: Dynamic
VR: ON
AF Fine Tune:
Exposure
Aperture: F/6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/1000s
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: 0EV
Exposure Tuning:
Metering: Matrix
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 400
Flash
Flash Sync Mode:
Flash Mode:
Flash Exposure Comp.:
Colored Gel Filter:
Image Settings
White Balance: Auto, 0, 0
Color Space: sRGB
High ISO NR: OFF
Long Exposure NR: OFF
Active D-Lighting: OFF
Image Authentication:
Vignette Control:
Auto Distortion Control:
Optimize Image
Optimize Image: Normal
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Auto
Sharpening: Auto
GPS
Latitude:
Longitude:
Altitude:
Altitude Reference:
Heading:
UTC:
Map Datum:

Let me know what you guys think.

 

[Robert S]

I think it's obvious that your camera "decided" to focus on something other than what you had intended. Manual focus is always a very reliable alternative.

 

[JDMils]

What do you mean? I used the AF Area mode set to Single Point which was, as shown in the focus-point screenshot above, set on the subjects in question. So the camera did not decide what to focus on- I did.

 

[trenchmonkey]

VR was ON probably shot this BEFORE it had a chance to spool up. :wink:
Very common mistake...we've all done it. :biggrin: