topic Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus in EF & RF Lenses

Photos Completely Out of Focus

arceneaux811 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 12:47:31 GMT

I have a 7D Mark ii mounted with a Tamron 70-200 f2.8 VC DI USD (That I just purchased). I took about 50-75 test shots yesterday and EVERY shot (except the one I manual focused on) were out of focus! I was shooting out doors so my ISO was at 100 Shutter speeds varied between 625+ and aperture was wide open at f2.8 (although I did shoot some at f4 and same result). The camera and lens seem to autofocusing fine however when I zoom at 100% after I take the photo, the whole shot is out of focus. I mounted my Canon 24-105 f4L to the 7D Mark ii and tested it and the shots were tack sharp. I then set my Tamron 70-200 f2.8 to the exact same settings and shot the same subject and the entire photo was out of focus...Not sure whats going on but ANY HELP WOULD BE HUGE!!!!! Thanks in Advance

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

ScottyP — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 12:55:39 GMT

Sample shots?

How oof are we talking; way out like the AF wasn't even active or slightly off like you need to do AFMA?

Also is that lens the brand new Tammy model or an older version?

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 14:34:26 GMT

Like Scotty asked, a sample would be nice.

I have the Tamron and can confirm it is a very sharp lens. If I couldn't have the fantastic Canon 70-200mm f2.8L, it would be the Tamron.

There are a few considerations you need to observe. You know the reciprocal of the focal length is a good starting point for sharp photos with a tele? Example if you are at 200mm you should be shooting with a SS of 1/320 or more likely 1/500 on your camera. You need to add the crop factor to the focal length for the SS. Second with am extremely high mega pixel density camera like the 7D Mk II, the standard rule of thumb may not be fast enough. Two things come into play here, too. The very high IQ of the Tamron lens and the high resolving power of the sensor. Minor imperfections will show more readily.

"I mounted my Canon 24-105 f4L...", not a good comparison. The Tamron is a much better lens meaning it requires more attention.

"...when I zoom at 100% after I take the photo, the whole shot is out of focus." You are at pixel level so this will show all the mishaps. But the fact you say nothing is in perfect focus concerns me. This could be caused by several things. One is too slow of SS used. The reason for my explanation above.

A sample would be nice.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

kvbarkley — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 14:36:20 GMT

Can you focus OK in live view?

You might need to do an auto focus micro adjustment. Google "dot tune method"

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 14:40:28 GMT

Not likely if "the whole shot is out of focus." A lens needing focus adjustment there is usually something in the photo in focus.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

kvbarkley — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 16:02:58 GMT

We don't know what was in "the whole shot", it could be a flat brick wall - which is pretty much the only kind of shot where I would expect everything to *be* in focus.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 16:11:35 GMT

Perhaps. A sample would be nice to see.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

arceneaux811 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 16:30:06 GMT

Thanks so much for your input. Ive attached a few sample shots. The photo of my daughter was shot at: f2.8/, 1/4000, ISO 100, 200mm. The second photo of my son was shot at: f2.8, 1/640, ISO 100, 117mm. You can see that in both photos its as if the AF wasnt working at all however in camera it shows that its focused, the lens is working properly and foucsing but the images are terrible. When I manual focused they were much more inline with what I expected...

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

arceneaux811 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 16:33:12 GMT

I also tried to do AFMA however the Calibration sheet i was using was totally out of focus and couldnt get a reading that would indicate that it was front or back focusing...Just not sure what to do as ive heard nothing but great things about the lens and then its been complete opposite...

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

arceneaux811 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 16:48:20 GMT

Its the Tamron VC 2.8 A009 model.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

kvbarkley — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 17:00:08 GMT

First see if there is a firmware update for the Tamron. You may have to send it back to them.

Or just send the lens back, though there is no guarantee the next one won't do the same thing.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

RobertTheFat — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 18:33:52 GMT

@kvbarkley wrote:
First see if there is a firmware update for the Tamron. You may have to send it back to them.

Or just send the lens back, though there is no guarantee the next one won't do the same thing.

We've all gotten spoiled by Canon's implementations of the 70-200 zoom, especially the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II. There's a reason why that lens costs as much as it does.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

diverhank — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 18:46:15 GMT

One quick thing you can do before sending it in is to turn off VC and shoot the same thing again to see if the images improve. I had similar experiences with my Tamron 150-600mm - everything was a blurry mess until I turned off VC. It ended up getting sent in and fixed by Tamron (broken VC mechanism) and it is now working just fine.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 19:12:48 GMT

arceneaux811,

That is the same Tamron that I have. I have two of them one for Canon and one for Nikon. Both are great. The Nikon version being better than the Nikkor which is three times more expensive.

" f2.8/, 1/4000, ISO 100, 200mm." Try turning VC off. At 1/4000 you don't need it and it might be hurting. You also don't need it with the light you had.

Before returning it you need to find out if it is the lens or something else. You will need a good tripod. Stop it down to f4. The Tamron is at its best at f4. Take some shots at a more reasonable SS of 1/500. ISO at 200. See if they improve.

Now another question. Did you do a lens correction in PS? You can open a jpg with ACR 9 and perform this. I did it to you photo and the result is here:

You can see with just a simple lens correction profile it is very much better? Do the test I suggested first. You may be surprised. I do lens correction on all my shots upon import into LR. She is a doll, BTW !

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

arceneaux811 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 19:18:38 GMT

Thank you for your suggestions. Ill test them out and let you know. I usually do a lens correction profile in LR before Post however I did not on any of the photos I shot with the Tamron 70-200 as the image out of camera looked so terrible (and they never made it to post).

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 20:32:09 GMT

Great, remember turn VC off.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

RobertTheFat — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 21:16:50 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
You can see with just a simple lens correction profile it is very much better? Do the test I suggested first. You may be surprised. I do lens correction on all my shots upon import into LR. She is a doll, BTW !

Really? "Very much better"? Maybe a bit more contrast in the girl's face, but I don't see any improvement in overall sharpness. Oh well, it's time for a visit to my optometrist anyway, I guess.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 21:59:25 GMT

Robert it doesn't take too much to make what he was getting, "very much better". Simple click on lens correction. Don't you think it is worth it? He may have a true problem with that lens. Testing is the only way to tell. Not simple snap shots with lens correction. It may not be the lens at all and trying to fix what isn't broken is useless.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

ScottyP — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 00:48:23 GMT

Looks like it needs a considerable amount ofAFMA. There is nothing in focus because there is nothing in the shots that is like 2 feet behind or in front of your subjects where the lens is focusing. I'd guess a shot of an inclined ruler next to a target would show back or front focus. I'd send it back for another copy while you can. No need to live with a lens that needs + or -20 or something. Maybe grab that super nice brand new Tammy 70-200 if this is not it.

If it is the image stabilization ruining the shot, then the advice to send it back is still good but for a different reason.

I can't see anything else. Your shutter is nice and fast and ISO is nice and low.

Re: Photos Completely Out of Focus

arceneaux811 — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 13:06:00 GMT

Thanks guys for all the suggestions and help! I decided to send the lens back to Tamron as it has a 6year limited warranty to have them check it out. Once I get it back from them ill update as to what they thought the issue was and if they were able to fix it so that if anyone else runs into the same problems this thread may help them out. Thanks again!