60d soft focus issues

[mb1465]

I've had my 60d 8 months and within the last month or so I've been experiencing soft focus. I've tried different lens so it's not my lens. I have it set on AF and not manual and am still having the less than crisp images being produced. Any suggestions or ideas? 

Thanks

[ebiggs1]

Examples please!  

[TCampbell]

What would really help is if you could upload a few sample images which STILL have all of the original camera EXIF data intact.  

Are you using the viewfinder (normal use) or using the LCD screen (live-view mode) to frame and focus?

Assuming you are using the normal "viewfinder" method of using the camera, I'm especially interested to know if the camera was in "One Shot" vs. "AI Servo" focusing method.  

Also... do you allow the camera to auto-select it's AF point (out of the 9 available points) or do you select the point that you want the camera to use.

It's especailly important to see the EXIF data associated with the images ... in addition to the images themselves.  We need to see things like which mode you used... what shutter speed was used... the focusing mode, which focus point(s) were active, etc. and it's all in that data.  We just need to make sure that when you post the image(s) that you don't use a tool that strips the meta-data from the image.

[mb1465]

This is straight out of the camera, it was shot in raw and converted to JPEG exporting from LR (which I am still trying to learn)

[TCampbell]

This actually isn't bad... it needs a little TLC in Lightroom but the data is there and it doesn't look very soft (at least in this reduced size).

Here's what the EXIF data tells me (there's more but I'm just pasting the exposure info):

Camera: Canon EOS 60D

Lens: EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Shot at 20 mm

Exposure: Auto bracket exposure, Aperture priority AE, 1/30 sec, f/22, ISO 200, Compensation: +1

I can see you're using aperture priority (good!)

I can see you set the f-stop to f/22 using a 20mm lens.  What I can't see (because the lens doesn't provide the data) is the focused distance.

I can tell you that when using this camera with that lens at 20mm and f/22, the "hyperfocal" distance is a mere 3.12 feet... meaning if you focused to 3.12' then everything from about 1.5' to infinity would be in acceptable focus.

At f/22 you're going to be getting some diffraction issues... mostly these will only be noticeable if you zoom to 100% (e.g. large prints).  But small image sizes wont reveal them.  At 20mm using f/11 the hyperfocal distance becomes 6.17' (I have an app to look this up) and everything from 3' to infinity would be in focus... but with substantially less diffraction (diffraction is based on laws of physics and lens quality has no bearing on it... the math for calculating diffraction assume "perfect" optics.)  Diffraction is related to the wave-nature of light and what happens when you put light through small openings.  Light doesn't technically focus to a single "point"... it focuses to a spot known as an "Airy disk" (named for the astronomer, George Airy, who discovered it.)  It turns out the smaller the aperture size (larger f-stops) the larger the size of this spot.  There comes a point where it's not only larger than a single pixel... it may be larger than several pixels.

ANOTHER issue I notice is that your shutter speed is 1/30th second in this shot.  If you're on a tripod that's probably not a big deal.  But if you are hand-holding the camera... it's tough (though not impossible) to hold the camera stady enough to have no effects of camera motion causing some blur.  Even "mirror slap" vibration can be a problem if a tripod isn't solid or if you've got windy conditions blowing the camera while it's trying to take the shot.

Lightroom will let you apply some sharpening to tighten up the shot.

I messed with this just briefly using Nik Vivezza... brought down the exposure a bit, reduced exposure on the clouds and boosted contrast in clouds to create more contrast.  Reduced exposure on the highlighted area of the hills.  Also applied overall sharpening.  The whole thing actually improves considerably and this is with the reduced resolution JPEG.  You could work wonders on this with the RAW image (btw, if you're shooting landscapes.... always shoot in RAW and let Lightroom deal with the RAW to JPEG conversion.  You'll get MUCH more data and far more adjustment latitude that way.

If you want to have fun with this, post the full size version (preferably RAW if you have it as a RAW) somewhere then (a) provide a link and (b) invite people to try their hand at processing it for you and I think you'll be quite suprised at how good some of the results will be.  

[hsbn]

The softness of your image is the result of lens diffraction. You don't want to stop down further than F16. At F22, it's really going to rob your image sharpness.
Also, you shoot at 1/30s, even if you're using a tripod, make sure to turn on Mirror Lock Up, otherwise, the vibration from the mirror can cause some blur too.

[mb1465]

Thank you both so much for your info. I will try your suggestions on my next job and see how things go. Mostly I do Real Estate photography and have been having trouble with the lack of sharpness. The landscapes I do as a hobby. 

[ebiggs1]

I am with the others.  Your problem is f22.  Most people forget that too small an apperture, or at least the smallest the lens has, is nearly as bad as the widest.  For the sharpest results avoid either extreme.

I doubt 1/30 is an issue.  At least most people can shoot a 10-22mm at 1/30th with no problems.  But upping to f11 will also boost the SS.