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.....

[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.

[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.

[ebiggs1]

" I would want to use a super wide angle lens, somewhere in the 14-16mm range."

I have done real estate photos for my aunt who is a broker. Without knowing the venue you can't say what FL would be best.  It is a fools errand to suggest gear without seeing what is actually being shot and the conditions. One consideration is, as the lens gets wider, lower FL number, distortion in straight lines becomes an issue again depending on the venue.