What did I do wrong?

[MrsWolfman]

Still portrait of my son. Using my canon 80d with my canon 50mm lens. Golden hour and settings were 180 / 4.0 /250 and my image is blurry when blown up.

Shutter speed to slow?

Help!

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

I'm pretty sure that the reason the focus may not be as sharp as you'd hoped is two-fold.

One, the shutter speed is fairly low, only about 1/80 of a second.  Camera shake may be an issue.  The shutter speed isn't really fast enough to freeze any motion that your son may have made when the shutter fired, either.

Two, if you used the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens, it lacks Image Stabilization to remove camera shake.  That is a pretty good lens, once you learn what it can and cannot do.  Just use a fast shutter with it.  I like f/2.8 aperture for that shot, too.

[RobertTheFat]

We'd have to see it to even venture an intelligent guess. It makes a big difference, for example, whether all or part of the picture is blurry. How much you tried to blow it up also matters, obviously.

[MrsWolfman]

I added the pic to the original post. 

Thanks!

[kvbarkley]

Looks like it focused on the tree since it was closer. If you open the pic in DPP it will tell you where the focus points were.

[kvbarkley]

What was the size of the image? Were you shooting "L" or RAW?

[MrsWolfman]

I will do that. Thank you.

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

I'm pretty sure that the reason the focus may not be as sharp as you'd hoped is two-fold.

One, the shutter speed is fairly low, only about 1/80 of a second.  Camera shake may be an issue.  The shutter speed isn't really fast enough to freeze any motion that your son may have made when the shutter fired, either.

Two, if you used the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens, it lacks Image Stabilization to remove camera shake.  That is a pretty good lens, once you learn what it can and cannot do.  Just use a fast shutter with it.  I like f/2.8 aperture for that shot, too.

[fatcat]

Wad, I thought the new 50mmSTM lens has the stabiliers in it,(STM) I thought meant stabiliation motor????I thought theOLD 50mm 1.8 11 is the one w/o stabilization.  Is my interp wrong?  L.

[kvbarkley]

No, it would have an IS in the name if it had stabilization. STM is a type of focus motor that is quiet and smooth for real-time video focus.

[fatcat]

Okay. thats where I was confused, thanks. Also to Mrs Wolfman, Wasn't your question What did I do wrong? If you Don't want to know, don't ask the question. Everyone on here is VERY helpful. I have learned so much in very little time, if you don't want to improve, then take it as criticism and walk away [Mod Note: Comment removed for language, per forum guidelines]. If you can take CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, then you will learn, and your photos will improve. It's your investment, you have to decide if you are going to invest in learning. Most of the ppl that answered you are professionals, take it or leave it.