Everytime I shoot formals, I get blurry images! I'm using my 24-70L for the formals.
After sharpening, they are acceptable, but before sharpening they are horrible.
I really need your help!

I don't shoot with a tripod. Maybe I should. I'm also shooting with off camera flash, and a reflective umbrella.
Oh..also, I tried center focus, recompose. Then I tried picking an outside focus point, that was right on the bride and grooms faces.
Both images are blurry.

Here's a shot I took from this weekends wedding.

Here's the image straight out of the camera:



And here's the image after sharpening:




Here is the info on the images.

Tv(Shutter Speed)
1/125Sec.
Av(Aperture Value)
F6.3
ISO Speed
100
Lens
24-70mm
Focal Length
28.0 mm

I get better results for formals with a prime lens.

I've noticed with my 24-70 that I get sharper images when my aperture is open to 5.6, and when the focal length is at 70mm.

But *my* main issue with blurry formals is that I'll often be in such a hurry to be done with the damned things that I'll rush rush rush through them and not take the time to breathe, focus, click. :/

It's hard to tell from this picture but I suspect that your focus is off. Look at the picture at 100% in Photoshop and see if the grass or trees behind them is in shaper focus than they are. If so you can have your camera adjusted.

i know this wont help, but i always felt my formals were bad when i used my 17-55, but since switching to primes only - i am very happy wtih my results now - i use a 24L and i dont have any problems. ???

You're right. I shot a tighter formal at 70mm and noticed a huge improvement.Even up close it's hard to tell, but I don't think the background is more in focus than the group.I wondered about this. I thought that others might have noticed something similar with the zoom lenses.

I would send the lens into canon to be adjusted. It should improve the results dramatically accross the range. The 24-70 will change focus depending on the zoom length so it's probably a calibration issue.

The image does not look like camera shake so I do not thing the tripod is a problem but it is hard to tell form the small images. Have you tried testing your lens to see if the lens has problems? I would suggest setting it on a tripod to eliminate any chance of camera shake and then shoot a test image at about the same zoom, f-stop and such and see what the results are like. Also look at where your focal points are I sometimes get soft shots if I focus on the edge of the face and the focal point focuses on the background. Have you had this lens for a while? Any other soft images in other shooting situations?

This lens has a great reputation which makes me wonder if yours has some issues.

Just a couple of thoughts.

All lenses have a sweet spot for sharpness, based on the aperture.

This is usually two stops from wide open.

I usually use my 24-105mm f4 L USM lens for formals. So I try to set the lights at f8 -- which is two stops above wide open.

Otherwise, how is the sharpness in the lens at various focal lengths and apertures.

Probably time to do a sharpness test. Find a grid or texture that you can focus on. Photograph on an angle to it. I like picket fences, since they have a repeating pattern set on a similar repeating distance.

Set the camera on tripod and use a cable release to eliminate user shake. Mark a focus point (use a push pin or a knothole or such.)

Manually focus for one set, and then use auto focus for another set.

Use manual settings so that you can change Fstop and Shutter Speed to get equivalent exposures.

If you're in full sun at ISO 100, Start at F16 at 1/100 sec and take a pic. (adjust for your particular lighting situation)
Go to F8 at 1/400 sec take a pic
Go to f4 at 1/800 sec .... etc

(That's the sunny 16 rule of exposure)

Change zoom setting, refocus, do it again.

This might not help, but I was ready to throw my 24-70 L lens in the garbage last summer. I was using it on a 20D and I hated it. I couldn't count on it being sharp for anything and manual focus is out of the question for me as I'm pretty much blind. I fought with it constantly and stopped taking it to weddings and portrait shoots. I have heard that there is a n issue with that lens and the 20D but who knows for sure.

Anyway, I don't know what you are currently shooting with but maybe you could try it on a different camera. I use that lens on my 5D now and (don't flog me) I love it so much that it's sometimes the only lens I use on a shoot. I love it.

Good luck though - I know exactly how frustrating this is! Of all things to be blurry it's the biggest pain in the arse when formals are!!!

That is a good idea. I have Canon's home office close to me, so I might just do that.I tried two different focal points for each shot (trying to ensure one was in focus) and both were blurry. I do think it's time to really test the lens.Great advice Troy. Thank you. This is exactly what I'll do to test it.Ironically Colleen, I've always shot this lens with the 5d except at this wedding. This wedding I did put it on the 20D because I just got a new 70-200 IS lens and wanted to shoot my new favorite lens on my favorite camera body.Unfortunately, I always find the formals soft, even when it's on my 5d.

I am glad you brought this up. I too seem to have issues from time to time and it is so darned frustrating. I have two primes, but one is a 50mm and the other is 85mm..I cannot get wide enough with the 50mm. Nothing is more frustrating when I don't know why something was not just right. If I did know then I can fix it...so I feel your pain

When shooting formals with my 24-70mm, to make sure I nail the focus, I always zoom out, FL on the centermost person, and pull back, frame it, breath out, squeeze the shutter.
I started doing this after I back focused a few formals last year.

Apreture is almost always set f5.6-8 depending on lighting.

I also hate formals, but... it's a necessary evil.

I think I'll get a seminar ramped up....

Dr. Troylove's How to love posing, and stop hating formals!

Anyone interested?

So you're at 24mm (fully zoomed out).. you then focus on the center person, lock it... then what do you pull back? You're already at 24... and if you moved back you'd shift your focal plane...

everything except for pull back makes sense to me...

Don't mind the posing. Hate the focusing problem. I'm going to test my lens today, and if I can't see an obvious problem, I'm going to consider getting a prime.

I guess at 6:45 am I'm not thinking as clearly as I should! LOL!
What I mean is, I ZOOM in, (70mm or so) FL, and THEN zoom OUT (24mm or so).


Sorry for the confusion...

Hahaha now it makes sense!

Hi,

I feel for you, been there, had that issue. (with a 20D I was using at that time)

Anyway, you can do a little testing to see if your lens needs re-calibrated. Have a look at the link below.

Hugh.

Focus Chart

Awesome. Thank you.

gonna take another track....

i use off camera flash - hand held. (usually in very dark locations, or horrible church light.) as soon as i added the flash, the focusing issue was eliminated.

here's a link to a few formals from the last wedding - http://www.biz.bellissimadesign.info/index...viewImage=11457

flash off camera, right next to me. i use an umbrella, 1/2 power (usually). about f/5.6, dial in your background. ISO 400. this example was a dark church and we had 12 minutes for formals, and the next wedding was setting up on the altar behind them.
i like the 17-35 for formals - wider, get more in. then, since my flash is stationary, i can move around to get closer when i want, for tight shots.

i used to hate formals until i got that flash off my camera and learned to work super fast. the flash will freeze your subject. (i do not even own a tripod.)

Robin, unless I'm misreading your post Jennifer said she uses flash off-camera. So, flash doesn't seem to be helping her in this case.

I too use flash off camera and this happens at times and is so dang frustrating!!

it is clear in the image posted that there are dark shadows - especially the eyes - that would be eliminated and the image would be much sharper if flash was a factor. it doesn't have evidence of flash firing or enough power being used.

where's Zack?



if you guys are using flash off camera, you should be able to manually focus, too. have you tried that, and it's still soft?

i'm using a 17-35mm - not the sharpest glass canon makes - and by using flash to freeze and manually focusing you should see a huge improvement.

FWIW - faster glass, with a WIDER aperture is not the answer, unless you want no DOF, making focus even more difficult. actually, impossible.

I am using off camera flash as a fill, not as a main light. I'm trying to balance ambient light with flash here.

Doesn't there need to be two stops difference between ambient light and flash to freeze motion?

I'm not very good at manually focusing. Also, there is a diapter on the camera, so if it's not set properly to your vision, manually focusing will still give blurry images.

definitely back focusing. I was having a terrible time with this with my D200... Whatever camera system you are using, make sure you use your back-button focus.

look at zack's last post - he shot a wedding alone - look at that kind of flash control.

sharp as a tack.

based on the shadows, try more fill - i swear it will sharpen up. and the wider app will allow for the fudge factor of perfect focuing. try manual.

Shane...I use back button focus.Ok...I'll try to increase the flash output.Thank you.

This is a wonderful thread- thanks for starting it! I've had the same trouble and like Carrie said I think it was just because I was in such a hurry to get them over with. Even with aperture over 5.6 and a fast enough shutter speed, I still had focus problems. I never thought of using my prime. I'll do that next time!

here's a question to answer...
is the lens you are using ever sharp? what are you doing when it is sharp?
if it's sharp sometimes, perhaps it needs to be serviced or checked (with the body you use it on) if it's never sharp - call canon. they really want to know.

i don't like the 24-70mm and i've contacted canon about it. if you are having trouble with it, i strongly suggest letting canon know. the only way they know to do something about it is to know that people are having problems with it.
i've seen numerous threads about this lens, and i think i even started one once! yet canon says they have very few complaints.

As soon as I finish editing today, I'm going to check that lens. I'm really starting to think that it is infact the lens. I'm noticing that its out of focus, more often than not, but it's never as important as during formals, so I haven't been paying enough attention.