Canon 100-400 vii lens - Pictures could be sharper Need help!

[Summerlee340]

Okay, so it could be me - I'm not a total noob, but who knows. Been shooting with my Canon Rebel T3i for several years. Mostly used my 55-250 kit lens and at times I got some tack sharp photos from that lens

Regarding my new 100-400 vii lens, I have yet to get a crisp shot - the shots are just okay to me. Granted I am hand holding the camera and lens when  trying to take photos, and it is a bit heavy (mostly of birds and wildlife) but I do have the IS on.  I usually shoot on M but lately I've been using TV mode - my photos are okay but they just are not sharp enough.  I have it on AF - and sometimes it takes a few seconds to focus.

Even with my tripod, again, the shots are okay - some are passable, but I know what sharp is as I've taken a few with my 55-250 and so far I'm not cutting it.  

I usually have the lens to full zoom at 400 and I try to keep the shutter speed at least 400 as I've read the focal length should be reciprocal to the shutter speed.  My histogram looks great quite often...

Question/Issues:  Perhaps I am too far away from my subject? Birds are so skittish so I usually stand maybe  20 feet away.

 I thought with the larger zoom that meant I wouldn't have to be as close to my subject .  

So am I too far away?

If someone has a few moments, perhaps I can get some advice or point me to a great website....Thanks very much.

[ebiggs1]

Summerlee,

"I need to shoot more..."  

Bingo!  You just discovered the solution.  Practice, practice and more practice.  I teach music at the local school in the Summer Music Program.  I tell all the youngsters, 5th graders, that very "secret" to becoming good at whatever you do.  Whether it be music, baseball, art, etc. or photography.

Go outside and shoot.

[Summerlee340]

Thanks! Yes, practice... - I played the piano for years and that is pretty much all I heard (as a teen). Glad I listened.

[Summerlee340]

I know I said I would take more photos with the 100-400 on my tripod, but I had my 55-250 on, and saw tons of birds out of my window, so just went with that lens-hand held, for now.  Here are two photos.  The one of the woodpecker - I really tried to focus on the eye. The other birds, it was a bit harder to do that.  So when I focus on the eye, it appears that the surrounding area is a little sharper. I need more practice, but wanted to show you two more photos since. Again, I know it's on my other lens and not pertinent to my original question.  On another note, I downloaded DPP free from Canon. I will need a tutorial on how to use that. Wow - don't know where to begin. I wish I was retired so I could play more with this.

[ebiggs1]

Those are nice shots.

Whether the lens turns itself off on a tripod is not the issue.  Whatever works for you is the issue.  If you feel that switching the IS off helps, by all means do it.  I don't see that so I don't mess with it and leave it on most all the time.

[Summerlee340]

Thank you, ebiggs,

You addressed (on 5/29 at 3:46) whether the "lens turns itsel off on a tripod" - I think that issue was brought up by someone else (I think maybe Wadizzle) on this thread, but, that's fine because I am learning. 

And before I consider switching the IS off when I'm using my tripod, I'm at the stage where I want to figure out the three stages of the IS on this lens.

Practice makes perfect!