EOS R Autofocus Advice needed

[bradleysdigital]

Having focus problems when using  auto exposure bracketing (3 shot) The third exposure always comes out blurry. I am using a quality tripod and a shutter release. Also having focus issues on single shots. I shoot Real Estate for work, landscapes for fun.  I need photos focused from foreground to infinity. I have Tried setting camera at  F8, F11, F13 and still does not achieve a crisp sharp image..... Have tried one shot auto-focus and servo, Have tried continuos auto-focus on and off, and have tried various AF methods. This is a brand new EOS-R with the kit lens 24-105 F4 L IS  and i have done the Firmware update

1.4.0   ANY IDEAS????? Thank you.....

[kvbarkley]

I think we need to see an example.

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

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@bradleysdigital wrote:

Having focus problems when using  auto exposure bracketing (3 shot) The third exposure always comes out blurry. I am using a quality tripod and a shutter release. Also having focus issues on single shots. I shoot Real Estate for work, landscapes for fun.  I need photos focused from foreground to infinity. I have Tried setting camera at  F8, F11, F13 and still does not achieve a crisp sharp image..... Have tried one shot auto-focus and servo, Have tried continuos auto-focus on and off, and have tried various AF methods. This is a brand new EOS-R with the kit lens 24-105 F4 L IS  and i have done the Firmware update

1.4.0   ANY IDEAS????? Thank you.....

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Set the lens to manual focus will cause all of the AEC shots to have the same focus lock.  I assume that you are doing this to capture a set of shots for an HDR image.  There is [no] such thing as automatic focus bracketing. 

If you need shots focused from the foreground to infinity, then you may need to perform focus stacking in post.  Do you understand how Depth-of-Field works?  What focal length are you using?  Are you familiar with "Hyperfocal Distnce"?

http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html 

I suspect your issues are user error.  Sorry.  But your complaints suggest that you do not understand some of the basics of photography, and commonly used post processing techniques like focus stacking.  If you are not using professinal image software like Photoshop for your professional work, then you are doing yourself a disservice.

[bradleysdigital · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your reply... I am using Auto EXPOSURE bracketing, yes for an HDR Image processed in lightroom. I am well aware of the depth of field charts and focal lengths and BLAH BLAH. However the basics of photography suggest that a lens that has an aperture range of F4 to F22 the best depth of field is achieved at the half way point in the aperture range(usually around F9-F11) and i didnt buy a 3,000 dollar camera to manually focus a basic Auto EXPOSURE bracketed shot. I use lightroom and photoshop for post processing, however i dont enjoy countless hours of focus stacking and image blending and all the other crap people have come up with, (you can get it done in the camera) P.S. Ive been shooting canon cameras since the AE-1 Program,,  so your right my basic understanding of photography has probably been forgotten in the last 30 years of shooting.... Thanks, Brad

[Waddizzle]

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@bradleysdigital wrote:

Thanks for your reply... I am using Auto EXPOSURE bracketing, yes for an HDR Image processed in lightroom. I am well aware of the depth of field charts and focal lengths and BLAH BLAH.

However the basics of photography suggest that a lens that has an aperture range of F4 to F22 the best depth of field is achieved at the half way point in the aperture range(usually around F9-F11) and i didnt buy a 3,000 dollar camera to manually focus a basic Auto EXPOSURE bracketed shot.

I use lightroom and photoshop for post processing, however i dont enjoy countless hours of focus stacking and image blending and all the other crap people have come up with, (you can get it done in the camera) P.S. Ive been shooting canon cameras since the AE-1 Program,,  so your right my basic understanding of photography has probably been forgotten in the last 30 years of shooting.... Thanks, Brad

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The statement in the bold text is patently incorrect.  Many lenses are their sharpest in the midrange of their aperture settings, typically around f/8.  As far as "best depth of field" goes, that is pretty subjective, and entirely up to the creativity of the photographer.

You should post a photo that demonstrates your issue.  If you can, include the EXIF metadata in the JPG file  I am rally curious as what focal length you are using.  Personally, I suspect that there is nothing wrong with your camera or lens.  

I like to shoot landscapes and cityscapes.  I have never done indoor architectural, or real estate, photography.  But, after hours of testing my camera inside of the house, I think I have a pretty good idea of how to capture indoor shots.  I would want to use a super wide angle lens, somewhere in the 14-16mm range.

The above shot was made at 14mm, with the lens manually focused to the hyperfocal distance.  I was about a car length away from the house.  Notice the branches on the right are also in focus.  With the aperture set to f/8, at this focal length everything from about a foot away to infinity will be in focus when the hyperfocal distnce is dialed in on th focus ring.  

Using a 24mm lens set to f/8, everything beginning at about 4 feet to infinity will be in focus.  At f/11, everything from about 3 feet to infinity should be in focus.  This is why I am curious to see a photo that demonstrates your issue.

[Waddizzle]

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@kvbarkley wrote:

I think we need to see an example.

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I agree.  I hope the example includes the EXIF metadata.

[Waddizzle]

"I didnt buy a 3,000 dollar camera to manually focus a basic Auto EXPOSURE bracketed shot."

Actually, one of the best ways to capture a bracketed shot is to lock down the focus by shooting in manual focus mode.  Simply half-press the shutter to lock focus, then switch the lens to manual focus.  Now take your bracketed shots.  I assume you are using a tripod.  

Sorry,  if it sounded like I meant to manually focus the lens.  However, if you manually focused in Live View by using the 10X feature, combined with mirror lockup, will probably yield the sharpest images.

[ebiggs1]

" i didnt buy a 3,000 dollar camera to manually focus a basic Auto EXPOSURE bracketed shot."

Even a $3000 dollar camera needs to be used correctly. It can't do everything. It sounds like you have a fairly simple job at hand and have a good camera and tripod.  You also have good post editing software, PS and LR.  This all has to work together. All great photos go through PS and/or LR.

[wq9nsc]

I may have missed it, but with what you are doing exposure bracketing should be done in aperture priority exposure mode with ISO fixed so that only shutter speed is varied for bracketing.  If you allow aperture to vary with bracketing then you will definitely have focus issues at the extremes of the bracketing due to changing DoF.

I don't own the 100-400 but a lot of the Canon lens are at their best closer to the wider end than at the true midpoint of aperture range which was probably a design choice since the majority of exposures for most photographers are probably closer to the wide open end.

Rodger

[ebiggs1]

"... the best depth of field is achieved at the half way point in the aperture range(usually around F9-F11)"

You do know this isn't correct.  The best IQ, not DOF, is almost, not always but almost always, at the half way point of a typical lens.  Most lenses this falls right at f8 or f11 mark.  There is no f9 as a standard stop.

DOF has more going for it beside the f-number.  The distance to subject or critical focus point if you will is extremely important.

"Ive been shooting canon cameras since the AE-1 Program, ..."

A DSLR works again almost like a film camera. Everybody needs a refresher sometimes.