Canon SX50 consistently out of focus pictures

[KSL23232323]

I bought the Canon SX50 Power Shot about 4 months ago and have taken at least 8000 photos in that time.  Mostly birds and wild life.  I understand apppeture, Shuter speed and ISO for the most part and typically use the manual option.  The auto mode usually doesn't give me a high enough shutter speed for my subjects.

I am so frustrated with this camera at this point.  I can't believe how poor most of the photos are.  I have the IS set at continous and most photos are taken at the full 1200 mm.

If I try the continous shooting it is slow and clunky.  And doesn't capture what I want.

I realize I am new at this but I am missing something.  I have thought of selling the camera and getting something different but I love not having to change lenses and the nice zoom.

I have attached a couple of untouched images.  None of which are the nice crisp photos I am after and I am definitely unable to print anything (espically if the ISO is too high). Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you!

I had another image I wanted to upload but its too big.  I have no idea how to change its size.

[TTMartin]

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@KSL23232323 wrote:

Hi TTMartin,

In some cases I know it is the user!   However, in others I have the shutter speed set high enough that I don't think it should be a problem.

One of the photos I wanted to upload here was too large to do so.  The bird and pine needles surrounding him are out of focus. He was high in a pine tree within the branches.  The pine needles were not in the way of focus.  Bright sunny day. Settings:  F/8.0; 1/1600; ISO:3200; 215mm  Any thoughts?

In regards to 'missed focus' - how do I resolve that?  What am I doing wrong.

Thank you.

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Again if every thing is blurry and nothing is in focus that is NOT missed focus, that is most likely camera shake. Missed focus means the camera focused either in front of or behind your subject, which means something in front of or behind your subject will be sharp. If nothing is in focus, it is NOT missed focus. 

[newsense52]

"  In regards to 'missed focus' - how do I resolve that?  What am I doing wrong. "  

Do it again ( same settings ) even without the bird and rotate camera from landscape to portrait  with the digital zoom is  off  and using the optical zoom only.  There is great difference between the plane of focus is not perpendicular to the lens axis this cause D of F is not well define as acceptable  plane of focus. I would set F value to  F4. Post it again and we will see the difference. 

[hschld]

wow I have a picture that looks just like that. you're not in Montana are you? I'm having focusing and seem to lose my picture before the auto snaps it....then its blurry!

[John_]

I have had my SX50 for years now and can get crisp pictures at 100X zoom as long as I am resting my hands and camera on something steady. Be careful while pressing the shutter button down too. Bring a monopod along those are lighter than tripods and use a remote shutter switch to eliminate shaking the camera while pressing the shutter button. Take some test shots with the camera resting on something and the focus frame where you want it to make sure it is camera shake and not a problem with the camera itself. Shift the focus frame onto your subject although on fleeting subjects like wildlife that might be a challenge. That is explained in the manual.

[Jansartsy]

Hi there! A friend gave me the sx50 some years ago. I've had problems focusing with it as well. I just found your post and I'm watching these videos. Very helpful! Thank you!