EOS Rebel SL1 photos with EF 75-300mm lens are all blurry

[LindaF]

We just took a trip to Yellowstone and used our EOSRebel SL1 with an EFS 18-55mm lens and a 75-300 lens. We could not get a sharp photo with the 75-300. The photos were blurry in the viewfinder and on my computer when I transferred them. Even the photos I took with the camera resting on a solid surface are not sharp (we don't yet have a tripod). We set the camera to AV, ISO 200, F5.0 for most photos. Do we need a better camera body or is there a setting we need to change?

[strux]

Did you accidently switch off the autofocus on the lens? I've done that taking my camera out of the bag. The lens caught on something and the switch got turned off. 

[kvbarkley]

What was the shutter speed? the 75-300 does not have IS, so it can have a lot of blur.

Can you show some examples?

[stevet1]

Linda,

You don't mention the pictures taken with the 18-55.

If you're getting nice pictures with one lens, but not with another, I don't think it's the camera body that needs to be changed.

PS: f/5.0 is a kind of low aperture, I think. Your depth of field is going to be very small. Try setting your aperture at f/8, unless you are using f/5.0 for certain artistic reasons.

Steve Thomas

[Tintype_18]

Tripod is most helpful, too. AMHIK

[Tronhard]

Hi Linda and welcome to the forum:
There are several elements at play here, potentially and I go through them in no particular order, except perhaps increasing expense.
Holding Technique:
I have no idea how you hold your camera, but that can have significant impact on sharpness and one that increases with focal length.  A lot of folks migrating from a cell phone hold a dedicated camera the same way as a phone, but that is an extremely unstable method considering the weight of the camera + lens and the focal length.  The correct way to shoot, especially with a telephoto lens, is outlined in the following:

Focus:
By default, the camera's focusing system is inclined to focus on the closest object, which may well not be the exact point you need to get.  For example, when shooting an image of an animal or person, the eye is critical to get sharp, but the camera may focus on a twig, plumage, glasses frame (for a human) and not the critical point.  You may have to consider where your images are sharpest and, if you need to, refine the focus system to use a different focusing method - of which there are several.  I use a spot focus and lock it in before recomposing and firing the shutter.

Shutter speed.  Conventional wisdom says the minimum shutter speed is 1/focal length, but since you are using a crop-sensor body and the 75-300 does not have image stabilization, you should consider shooting at 1/ 1.5x focal length.   Thus is you are shooting at 300mm,  your minimum shutter speed would be 1/450sec.

The lens itself could be an issue.   It could be a mal-adjustment, but it could just be the inherent nature of the 75-300 lens, which is, IMHO, one of the worst optics in the Canon range.
If you want that focal range I recommend considering the far superior 70-300 lens see this article:
70-300 Canon Lenses In-Depth Analysis - Canon Community

For more specific advice, I would recommend sharing your images - preferably via a link of a full-size image along with the EXIF data.

[Tintype_18]

I also have a monopod which is much easier to carry than a tripod.

[ebiggs1]

"We set the camera to AV, ISO 200, F5.0 for most photos. Do we need a better camera body or is there a setting we need to change?"

You do not necessarily need a better camera but yo do need some better techniques. Almost all out of focus, OOF, or blurry photos are user caused over camera issues.

"Even the photos I took with the camera resting on a solid surface are not sharp"

This most likely eliminates the tripod or monopod as a remedy although a tripod is a goods idea even if it is a bothersome item to deal with on vacation. I never take one myself so I never suggest anyone else do it either.

Let's look at the main dial. IMHO, never use any of the so called creative settings on the dial. Only the P, Av, Tv, and M. BTW, only use M as a last resort when nothing else seems to work which should be very seldom to never.

Personally I am a big fan of Av but in your case you set ISO way too low. Your lens has a very slow aperture so a high ISO is almost going to be a given even in good daylight. I am going to suggest it never go below ISO 800. I believe your SL1 has an auto ISO setting. You cans select it and choose a low limit and a high limit. If not just make sure you select a higher ISO number when you use the 75-300mm zoom. although the 18-55mm is also a slow lens the much shorter focal length, FL, is more forgiving. A telephoto lens not only magnifies the subject it magnifies all the bad stuff at the same time. This is why blur is so much worse in a tele.

However, Kido some images could have been missed focus since you did not u/l a sample, plead do, I can not tell if it is a miss focus or not. Here is what you do put the 75-300mm on the SL1 after you have done a full reset back to factory settings use Av, f5, ISO 1600. WB set to daylight. AF on the lens and just the center focus point in the view finder, VF. This is very important you set the focus mode to One Shot and not Ai-servo, never use Ai-servo.

Now on a nice sunny day go out side to a park or nice place and do some random shooting of various subjects. Have fun! Success and all is well or not and perhaps there is a camera/lens issue. I must remined you to do the full reset back to factory default before you do this test. It is extremely important that you do.

[ebiggs1]

All of what I just suggested or anything anyone else suggests it useless if it doesn't address the problem. So, a sample photo would be of great help in diagnosing exactly what is the problem.