Poor Quality out of Focus on 80D

[newtonaudrey]

I'm having a terrible problem with my images looking great in camera until I zoom in. Everything was shot in RAW at ISO 100.

This photo was taken with the autofocus turned on and looking through the viewfinder. Upon first look I just thought I focused in the wrong place. You can see the groomsman on the far left is almost in focus but the one on the right looks awful. Is it my aperture? It was taken at 4.5 with an 18-55mm. Is it my focus point? I'm new to this but I'm pretty sure I didn't focus on that side. I've looked into getting the lens calibrated but all the tests I've done seem to tell me the lens is functioning normally where it's at. 

This picture was taken a moment later in live view and physically touching where I wanted to focus. It looks better but upon zoom you can see the quality is actually super poor. Is it my settings? The shutter was slow at 1/50 but I feel like that's not awful. I feel like no part of this image is in perfect focus. My lenses were also cleaned beforehand.

Switching to my 50mm made some things better but check out this image at f4.0 and 1/125. The focus for some reason falls on the wedding band and the left side of the groom's ring but not on the orange gem that I had wanted in focus. I could have touched the wrong area but does that explain why the groom's gemstone is blurry and the texture beside it looks fine? Once again, the photo looks perfect on the back of my screen until I zoom in. 

Thank you in advance, I'll take any suggestions! It's so hard to do a wedding where everything is fast paced and you think you have a good image until you zoom in later! 

[Tim]

newtonaudrey, 

The first two images have several technical problems that would be easily overcome.  For one, the settings you mentioned are mainly the cause of the issue.  ISO 100 is too slow, you'll want to push this higher so you can get the stops needed to have a faster shutter speed and narrower aperture.  The sensors in these cameras can be pushed to higher ISO without a loss in quality, it's not like the days of film where an image taken with 3200 speed film would be grainy.  

1/125 of a shutter is too slow and f/4.5 is too large an aperture.  I'd set the camera to Av, ISO 800, f/8-11 and then let it pick the shutter speed.  With the narrower aperture you'll get better depth of field, which will allow more of the image to be in focus.  If you look at the folks in those pictures, they're not all standing in the same focal plane, they're not in one straight line, they're like almost in an arc and that absolutely worked against you here with the shallow depth of field. 

The third image, based on your description, suffers from poor focus.  Really, I probably would not recommend shooting LiveView for a wedding that you're getting paid to shoot.  It's slower than using the viewfinder and does not lend a professional touch to the images.  Touching the area you wish to focus on is not the best method, especially when a camera like this has auto focus points which can be set.  For next time, I'd suggest shooting with the viewfinder and manually setting an auto focus point with the camera, so you know exactly where you want to focus with a higher degree of accuracy.  The composition on these particular images may be able to benefit from some adjustment as well.   

[newtonaudrey]

Thank you so much Tim I super appreciate it!! I will practice all of those tips you mentioned. As long as it’s a me problem and not a camera problem I’m happy 🙂

[CaliforniaDream]

A lot of my focusing problems were resolved by using BBF (Back Button Focusing). This lets me separate the action of focusing and the action of actually taking the photo. Both my 80D and 5D are set up that way and it makes the process of focusing and then composing two separate events. I use single point focus in the center and then make sure that the bride or if no bride, the most important person in the shot is the center of focus. I also use an medium ISO, high depth of field (unless it is a portrait shot), and a fastish shutter. This works very well for me.

[newtonaudrey]

I will have to try that!! Thank you so much for the suggestion!

[ebiggs1]

I agree with "Product Expert Tim" but only to a point.  ISO 100 should have been sufficient or at least ISO 200 would be for the available light I see in that shot.  Do you notice how one side of the group is closer to you than the other? This and the rather large and undesirable f4.5 aperture caused the focus problem.  You must square yourself and be perpendicular to your subjects in large group shots.

I have many weddings under my belt in the past five decades. My choice settings or basic settings are ISO 200, Av, Raw and One Shot with just the center focus point selected. I generally set WB to Auto but shooting Raw that is not required.  Post editing in LR/PS is mandatory if you expect to produce top notch work.

In a related point, you crop is off. 

If I can be of any further help don't hesitate but, warning, I will tell you like it is.

[newtonaudrey]

Thank you so much for your help! I didn’t edit any of these so the crop is really bad lol!

[ebiggs1]

You are certainly welcome.

  If you intend on doing weddings more than just a passing occasional, invest in the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens.   Lightroom and/or Photoshop is mandatory!

[newtonaudrey]

Awesome! Wow I’m so glad I signed up here, you and everyone else are super helpful!!!

[ebiggs1]

We are glad to have you and hope something helps!