EOS RP 600 Lens Blurry

[jponzini]

I own an EOS RP. When I use the 600 lense with the camera the pictures are blurry. Any suggestions?

[kvbarkley]

Can you post an example?

Are you hand holding it?

What is your shutter speed?

Try taking an image on a bright sunny day.

[kvbarkley]

More importantly *which* 600 mm lens?

f/4 at $12000

f/11 at $700?

[kvbarkley]

If it is the 600 mm f/11, do you have it extended all the way?

[jponzini]

Yes, the lens is extended and locked. F/11

[ebiggs1]

On any lens, using an aperture of f11 is going to require a good deal of light. A bright sunny day for instance. Anything less is going to require the camera to slow the SS down, Slowing the SS down on a 600mm lens is an almost guarantee to yield blurry pictures.

Using a 600mm lens on any camera mandates a SS of 1/1000 for good IQ. You can "learn" how to get decent photos at slower SS but 1/1000 is the general consensus for the optimal SS. Given the 600mm is a f11 lens, it is probably sharper at f16. Most lens are at their best one or two stops down from wide open. I don't have one so I can't verify that is true with the R 600mm f11 but I suspect it is. And, if so, an even faster SS will be a good idea, 1/2000.

Keep in mind these are starting points and even higher SS may be needed.

[amfoto1]

Another possibility...

Are you trying to focus too close? The RF 600mm f/11's closest focus distance is approx. 15 feet (4.5 meters). Any closer than that will be blurred.

If this is the problem, you can make the lens focus closer with macro extension tubes that fit between the lens and the camera. While the tube(s) is installed you won't be able to focus to infinity, but there are no optics in the tube to "mess" with image quality. 

AFAIK, Canon is not yet making macro extension tubes for the RF mount system. But there are several 3rd party manufacturers making them. They're inexpensive.and easy to use.

Another possibility...

I don't have that lens, so I don't know how effective its Image Stabilization is. But, even with IS, 600mm is a lot of telephoto to try to hand hold steady and your RP camera doesn't have in body image stabilization to help. Perhaps you need to keep increase your shutter speed. Or use a tripod or monopod.

A third possibility...

Do you have a "protective filter" on the lens? Sometimes a filter will do more harm than good. Try some shots without the filter and see if they're sharper. On a related note... Do you have the matched lens hood to use? That ET88B hood may sometimes help autofocus performance (plus make for better images while providing better protection than a "protective filter"). 

If you could post one or more sample photos showing the problem here (in fairly large size and with the embedded EXIF data attached), we might be able to narrow down the possibilities more and give you better advice.

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2), EOS M5, some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR