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70-200 2.8 USM II sharp only sometimes

77dark
Contributor

Hello, I am looking for a solution in this forum because a few weeks ago I bought a Canon 70-200 2.8 USM II lens (previously I had a 55-250 STM) and I have had problems with it.
I have had the opportunity to photograph football during these weeks and I have not been convinced by the telephoto lens due to different things that I am looking for how to solve:
One of the most recurring problems is that I can very rarely get the image to be sharp enough, at least in 300 images, about 30 or 40 at most are usually sharp, in many of them the focus seems to be nowhere. .
Another problem I have is that even if there are two people nearby, only one will be in focus and the other will not (I think I was able to solve it by changing from f2.8 to f.4, I don't usually worry because I usually shoot during the day and I have enough light).
My camera is a Canon 60D, I take photographs in burst mode and previously in one shot, selection of automatic focus points and all active points, AI Servo mode, the photographs that I will show will contain the EXIF ​​data and have been taken from 1/1250 to 1/6400 so I don't think the problem with sharp focus is due to slow shutter speed, I don't use a tripod but I can stay stable.
Adding that the camera does not have an autofocus micro-adjustment and that neither the lens nor the camera have suffered any blow, fall or any problem, nor has the camera been calibrated, so it could be a problem for that as well.
In the first photo I give as an example the blur of two people standing next to each other.
In the second photo I give as an example the little sharpness I get in the vast majority of the photographs.
In the third photo I give as an example when it is maximum clear.

Problem with focusing two peopleProblem with focusing two peopleProblem with focusProblem with focusFocus working great and good sharpnessFocus working great and good sharpness

13 REPLIES 13

The EXIF ​​data was deleted by a program I used to make it smaller in MB, I didn't realize until recently.
It's true about the focused image, they are both almost still, that's why I think it's so easy to focus.
I am using AI Servo focus mode with the Viewfinder

Regarding the EXIF, I apologize for that, the images were too heavy and I didn't have time to reupload them.
Yes, I have focus points enabled and when I look at the gallery, many times they are not directly on the player but rather they are around them, a short distance from them.

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

Here as with almost all OOF photos, it is user error. Follow Rodger's advice. One exception, I prefer Av mode over M mode. Stick with One shot until you really understand any auto assisted focus modes. Just the center focus point.

EB
EOS 1D, EOS 1D MK IIn, EOS 1D MK III, EOS 1Ds MK III, EOS 1D MK IV and EOS 1DX and many lenses.

Update: Today I have been able to try several games and I have tried to use the focus point only in the center, although it is much more difficult to always center the action, it has done its job focusing very well and when it failed to focus it was my mistake, no of the camera, so it is true that the automatic focus was a problem since the camera could not guess where I wanted it to focus and it does not have artificial intelligence focus to follow human faces.
I really appreciate all your answers and that you have taken the time to tell me how to solve it, and as they said in one of the first messages, the error is the human's and not the camera's.

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