Jeff and Gibson GDG!

[sandyg]

heres an example. I'm just starting out essentially but you can see its pretty soft

There is a narrow plane of focus at the bird's feet and the bark surrounding it. My guess is that you used matrix metering (the sky's not blown out but everything else is underexposed) on Program mode (which automatically set the aperture wide open resulting in the narrow plane of focus). There is chromatic aberration apparent (the green/red fringing on opposite sides of the tree limbs) which is a function of the lens. You can easily fix this photo in software by eliminating the fringing, cropping, sharpening, adjusting contrast/brightness, and getting rid of the noise. Start shooting in RAW and you will have more latitude with adjustments in software. Learn to shoot in manual mode and aperture mode so that the you control the image instead of the camera controlling the image.

If I were you I would keep saving my money and in the meantime read all you can, join a camera club, and take some photography seminars (the Nikon School hits most major cities every year; look in the back of Outdoor Photographer magazine). If you don't already have it, buy Photoshop Elements and play around with it.

Two good books are John Gerlach's Digital Nature Photography and Digital Landscape Photography. I have both and I took a workshop with the Gerlach's. The books are easy to understand and practical, not technical.

When you're ready to buy a new lens, consider buying used from the buy and sell forum on fredmiranda.com. If you buy a Canon "L" lens, especially a used one, you will be able to sell it for close to what you paid for it. If you buy new, I recommend B&H or Adorama.

[YardleyLabs]

There is a narrow plane of focus at the bird's feet and the bark surrounding it. My guess is that you used matrix metering (the sky's not blown out but everything else is underexposed) on Program mode (which automatically set the aperture wide open resulting in the narrow plane of focus). There is chromatic aberration apparent (the green/red fringing on opposite sides of the tree limbs) which is a function of the lens. You can easily fix this photo in software by eliminating the fringing, cropping, sharpening, adjusting contrast/brightness, and getting rid of the noise. Start shooting in RAW and you will have more latitude with adjustments in software. Learn to shoot in manual mode and aperture mode so that the you control the image instead of the camera controlling the image.

If I were you I would keep saving my money and in the meantime read all you can, join a camera club, and take some photography seminars (the Nikon School hits most major cities every year; look in the back of Outdoor Photographer magazine). If you don't already have it, buy Photoshop Elements and play around with it.

Two good books are John Gerlach's Digital Nature Photography and Digital Landscape Photography. I have both and I took a workshop with the Gerlach's. The books are easy to understand and practical, not technical.

When you're ready to buy a new lens, consider buying used from the buy and sell forum on fredmiranda.com. If you buy a Canon "L" lens, especially a used one, you will be able to sell it for close to what you paid for it. If you buy new, I recommend B&H or Adorama.

Good advice. The only observation is that he was shooting in fixed aperture mode at f/8. You might also want to change your color space to RGB instead of sRGB.

[david gibson]

Hey I've been trying to get out and shoot pictures a bit more lately and I've been reading that the lens I have, the 70-300mm EF is a notoriously soft lens especially out past 200mm. What I am wonder is with my limited budget would I better off getting a sigma lens to save a bit of money. Do the Sigma lenses provide good IQ? I think I should be able to swing $500-$600 for a new lens. So what do you guys recommend?

yardley has given you all the advice you need - your only problem is softness in the photo you posted due to glare. get rid of the glare by placing the sun at a 45 deg angle in every photo you ever take from now on and all is well. oh - and make sure any anorexic underage waifs you shoot have their mum nearby...

what would we do without him?

[YardleyLabs]

yardley has given you all the advice you need - your only problem is softness in the photo you posted due to glare. get rid of the glare by placing the sun at a 45 deg angle in every photo you ever take from now on and all is well. oh - and make sure any anorexic underage waifs you shoot have their mum nearby...

what would we do without him?

Feel better now? Why do you feel compelled to turn every discussion into a pissing contest? You are a good photographer. A number of others on this site are also, and some of those do it professionally, as do you and as do I. Giving advice in response to a question -- particularly one directed personally to you and me -- is not a political act and doesn't call for snide comments. Even sandyg figured that out.

[sandyg]

Feel better now? Why do you feel compelled to turn every discussion into a pissing contest? You are a good photographer. A number of others on this site are also, and some of those do it professionally, as do you and as do I. Giving advice in response to a question -- particularly one directed personally to you and me -- is not a political act and doesn't call for snide comments. Even sandyg figured that out.

What do you mean, "Even sandyg figured that out."?
I don't think much of you either, but I have the sense to know when to attack and when to keep quiet. You ought to do the same.

[Cody Covey]

There is a narrow plane of focus at the bird's feet and the bark surrounding it. My guess is that you used matrix metering (the sky's not blown out but everything else is underexposed) on Program mode (which automatically set the aperture wide open resulting in the narrow plane of focus). There is chromatic aberration apparent (the green/red fringing on opposite sides of the tree limbs) which is a function of the lens. You can easily fix this photo in software by eliminating the fringing, cropping, sharpening, adjusting contrast/brightness, and getting rid of the noise. Start shooting in RAW and you will have more latitude with adjustments in software. Learn to shoot in manual mode and aperture mode so that the you control the image instead of the camera controlling the image.

If I were you I would keep saving my money and in the meantime read all you can, join a camera club, and take some photography seminars (the Nikon School hits most major cities every year; look in the back of Outdoor Photographer magazine). If you don't already have it, buy Photoshop Elements and play around with it.

Two good books are John Gerlach's Digital Nature Photography and Digital Landscape Photography. I have both and I took a workshop with the Gerlach's. The books are easy to understand and practical, not technical.

When you're ready to buy a new lens, consider buying used from the buy and sell forum on fredmiranda.com. If you buy a Canon "L" lens, especially a used one, you will be able to sell it for close to what you paid for it. If you buy new, I recommend B&H or Adorama.

This was shot in Av mode and it was very overcast. I had to go that open to be able to get the shot at all. When i got up around F10 or higher my shutter speed was around 1/200 and at 300mm I just couldn't get the light to get a picture at all. This was shot in RAW obviously, but i converted to be able to post up here. Didn't mean to start a pissing match was just looking for some advice

[david gibson]

This was shot in Av mode and it was very overcast. I had to go that open to be able to get the shot at all. When i got up around F10 or higher my shutter speed was around 1/200 and at 300mm I just couldn't get the light to get a picture at all. This was shot in RAW obviously, but i converted to be able to post up here. Didn't mean to start a pissing match was just looking for some advice

the photo itself is not the issue, its just not the best to be able to answer your original question. thats my one and only point. not trying to tell you how to take a better shot, just to take one that would help me qualify your complaint about your current lens. you were trying to get advise on your lens and how to possibly improve upon it with the best bang for the buck, right? at least thats how i interpreted the original question and tried to answer accordingly. no pissing match on my end, wont even attempt to beat a loose and wildly flailing garden hose that hits everything but its target.......

i'll leave it at that, hope you get some advise on your current lens and potential cost effective Sigma replacements


[original quote] Hey I've been trying to get out and shoot pictures a bit more lately and I've been reading that the lens I have, the 70-300mm EF is a notoriously soft lens especially out past 200mm. What I am wonder is with my limited budget would I better off getting a sigma lens to save a bit of money. Do the Sigma lenses provide good IQ? I think I should be able to swing $500-$600 for a new lens. So what do you guys recommend? [/QUOTE]

[subroc]

Okay thanks, I am getting a ton of noise even at 400 ISO. Is that from lens or body? I only have a Rebel XT but not sure if it is worth it to upgrade the body and have to wait longer for glass or get lens and get proficient at shooting with what i have

Well, the fact that camera equipment can be pretty expensive if you have a limited budget, it may be a good idea to use what you have for the time being. Use it, see or understand where and what the limitations are for your use and address those limitations at that point. You may need/want a body; you may need/want a new lens.

Good luck, whatever you decide.