My Car Photography page - in Progress :)

[Kzang]

So I've had some issues with my camera body (Canon 70D) and kit lens 18-135mm IS STM Lens since I've purchased it back in April 2015.

When taking photos with this lens the left side of the pictures are soft and out of focus, you will see evidence of this throughout my photos on this thread. I brought both he camera body and lens into one of Canons factory here in NJ to have it diagnosed and repaired. The camera and lens was returned to me repaired / adjusted to factory specs according to Canon techs. I tested the camera and found that the left side was still soft and was not satisfied. I returned to Canon and complained about the out of focus on the left side of the photos and a new problem. When looking through the viewfinder and taking a picture I found that the actual photos do not line up. This was also true while taking pictures using the LCD screen. I took the first photo to demonstrate this for the Canon techs.. He took the second picture to confirm.

Canon said that they will look into this and once again repair it to the factory specifications. I just received my camera and lens yesterday and have not had to test the out of focus lens but I did do a quick alignment picture and found that its not centered still. Interestingly it is centered if I take a photo using the screen versus the viewfinder.

I take pictures using the view finder exclusively.

What are your thoughts, should I send in the camera once again to have it repaired or adjusted?

[Mik3ymomo]

Sell it and use the money to buy better glass. I left kit lenses for dead about 7 years ago.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by SROC3

Go nikon

[Mik3ymomo]

Let's just be clear. This isn't an argument for Primes and against zooms. This is a starting point for a beginner who wants to start taking excellent images and I feel the 50 F1.8 as a great starting point for beginners who don't want to invest thousands of dollars in thier first lens but still want something with excellent image quality.

Zoom lenses are great and I have several. Truth is I shoot with both and there are plenty of reasons that you don't require explainations for but I will give a few.

A wide angle zoom lens won't ever be able to go down to F1.4 or F1.8. If you shoot people then you want a thin focus plane to isolate the subject.

I also never expect beginners to shoot on a tripod. For one it's another expensive piece of equipment and another people don't want to walk around with one. I prefer using Aperture vs using ISO in low light due to image quality. Dave and I differ on this point and that's ok. We both do what works best for us.

I use Aperture for effect. If I shoot something where I want the background out of focus I will shoot the lens "wide open". That's to say a lens with its Aperture as wide open as it will go (small F#).

Shooting a lens "wide open" as I say makes for a pleasing background. If you want to be creative with your images then Aperture is one way to do it. The out of focus area can provide some interesting backgrounds. We call it "Bokeh" you will hear that word a lot in certain circles.

The blurred out area is refered to as Bokeh. Some lenses provide a pleasing Bokeh. An example of being creative using Bokeh is say at Christmas time with the lights. Having the lights out of focus behind your subject makes for colorful circles that add effect and make an image more pleasing to the viewer.

The only way to pull that off in camera is with Aperture and the larger the Aperture the greater the effect. To a degree you can accomplish this with a zoom as well but mostly with the telephoto zooms that have large Apertures and a fair distance between the subject and it's background. The large Aperture primes are what most people rely on for this effect though.

This was taken with my 50 F1.8. Notice the lights behind the car out of focus.
Bokeh GT500 by -mik3ymomo-

Same with this shot. Taken with the 50 F1.8. The lights and bridge out of focus behind it. I wish I had a 50 F1.4 or even a 50 F1.2 for this shot to add even more effect. Hopefully you now understand the effect of a large Aperture shot wide open as it pertains to depth of field, blur/Bokeh.
Steves67 by -mik3ymomo-

[dcstep]

Bokeh is an "effect" and can be very pleasing, but most of us use it on a minority of our shots. I took several hundred shots in San Francisco and New Orleans in the last two-weeks and in only one or two did I go for bokeh. Even then, f/4 gave me what I needed.

You're essentially describing what I'd call a "portrait lens". I use my 70-200mm f/4L IS for portraits, but if I did it for a living, I'd go for something in the 80mm to 105mm range, with at least a f/2.8 aperture, but I consider that a specialty lens. Ultra thin DOF can be distracting if you use it on every shot. You want your subject mostly in focus, but you might only get an eye and the nose (those are essential) and nothing else. That's okay, occasionally, but boring if used too much.

It's kind of like slow-shutter-speed waterfall and wave shots. I say, show me what you friggin' saw, at least occasionally. Smoothed out water is a nice specialty technique, but don't use it on EVERY water shot. Same goes for bokeh in a portrait.

Zooms first, specialty lenses next, that's my mantra. (High quality zooms, of course).

Dave

[Mik3ymomo]

I think we can agree Dave that there are probably differences in Style in the way we shoot but it doesn't make one right and the other wrong. A lot has to do with how you want your images to look.

I do go for dramatic effect, arguably even to a flaw in some opinions. I like how I shoot. I like how it looks and if someone reading my posts does as well there are explainations on how I go about getting that look in my shots. It's just a hobby for me so I enjoy sharing my experience.

[Kzang]

What is the location of that bridge Mik3ymomo ?

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Mik3ymomo

I think we can agree Dave that there are probably differences in Style in the way we shoot but it doesn't make one right and the other wrong. A lot has to do with how you want your images to look.

I do go for dramatic effect, arguably even to a flaw in some opinions. I like how I shoot. I like how it looks and if someone reading my posts does as well there are explainations on how I go about getting that look in my shots. It's just a hobby for me so I enjoy sharing my experience.

No acrimony meant or felt.

When talking to a noob, I want him/her to understand the full range of photography, so that's why I keep responding to your posts. I see large-aperture primes as a niche tool. OTOH, zooms are tools that maximize versatility.

I go for well composed realism most of the time. I use bokeh, HDR, slow-shutter blur, etc. as tools in my bag, but my overwhelming desire is to convey "being there." What did my eye see is where I start. I'm a huge believer in, "f/8 and be there." I look for beauty and try to capture it and seldom try to make something out of nothing or make something more interesting that it really is.

Dave

[Mik3ymomo]

Originally Posted by Kzang

What is the location of that bridge Mik3ymomo ?

That is the Ben Franklin bridge that goes from Camden NJ to Philadelphia PA. That is the Cambells field parking lot nearest to the bridge on the Camden side of the bridge. It's on the Camden waterfront close to Rutgers university.

Camden isn't really a place I recommend exploring so only go in if you know where you are going or go with someone who does.

[imserious]

Originally Posted by Mik3ymomo

Steves67 by -mik3ymomo-

Was this under parking lot lights or did you artificially light this shot? I really like night shots like this and want to start experimenting to get this look.

[Mik3ymomo]

Originally Posted by imserious

Was this under parking lot lights or did you artificially light this shot? I really like night shots like this and want to start experimenting to get this look.

Hand fired a Nikon Strobe. SB-800

[imserious]

Originally Posted by Mik3ymomo

Hand fired a Nikon Strobe. SB-800

Did you mount the flash on the camera and shoot straight on or did you do something else like hand hold it with a diffuser pointing up?

Reason I ask is that the flash does not look harsh and looks rather diffuse, but you can tell light was added since the surround area is dark. Or maybe the darkness is just post processing?

[justanotherdude]

Wasn't going to read this whole thread, too tired for that. From what I saw though, your photos so far look good. What I would suggest is to watch your framing. A few of the photos you were either cutting off a portion of the car or cutting it close.

Try to remember the 1/3, 2/3's rule. Might help.

Keep up the good work.

[Kzang]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Yes, the 70D is an excellent crop-sensor body. You'll want at 35 or 40mm for that, not a 50mm, but it will not matter a whole bunch. You can shop for price vs. quality. Don't get too carried away with an extremely wide aperture, but get at least f/2.8.

Dave

Looking for advice on getting a Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens from amazon for $149. The 50mm lens is great but I want to get a wider angle lens without having to spend too much money.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Kzang

Looking for advice on getting a Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens from amazon for $149. The 50mm lens is great but I want to get a wider angle lens without having to spend too much money.

Looks like a great value to me. Compare to the 24mm 1.4L here:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=0&APIComp=5

They're neck and neck at f/4

[Mik3ymomo]

Originally Posted by Kzang

Looking for advice on getting a Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens from amazon for $149. The 50mm lens is great but I want to get a wider angle lens without having to spend too much money.

I know you didn't ask me but I seem to love giving you my advice lol.

I want to elaborate on what Dave said. I did not look at his link and I really don't need to because it's a general rule that lens image quality tends to improve universally when stopped down.

With a wide angle lens you will usually be taking pictures of things that are very large in close proximity or capturing an entire scene like a landscape that will usually include things close to you and things far away that you want to see in focus.

That means it's typical to shoot that type of lens stopped down at least to F4 and probably even F8 or more. Most lenses are at their best between F5.6 and F8.

Dave gave you the right answer, I just like that people understand why so it can help them in the future.

Even more... Wide angle lenses are probably where image quality and how sharp a lens is won't matter as much as with other lenses. Even so, pretty much everything sold today that can be purchased new is at least serviceable if you stop it down, even if you have to use a tripod in lower light.

Most landscape photographers use a tripod. It can be a necessity when stopping down the Aperture of a lens to the point the shutter is too slow to hand hold.

When you stop down a lens you are mostly using the center most part that has the least amount of distortion and flaws.

Ok I'm done.

Ask Dave another question lol

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Mik3ymomo

Ok I'm done.

Ask Dave another question lol

I didn't feel like that was for me alone...You added to the discussion, for sure.

Dave

[Kzang]

No, it wasn't meant for dcstep only, I just quoted this last communication because we were talking about different type of lens. I appreciate both you guys feedback

I placed an order on the 24mm f/2.8. I am really enjoying the 50mm prime lens as well because it is so sharp.

I'm hoping the 24mm will produce pics just as sharp with a wider FOV.

[Kzang]

Mik3ymomo Tried many times but can't seem to get the background blurred affect using my 50mm f 1.8 at low light like you did with your samples above! As you can see from these photos I couldn't open the aperture up and most are at f10 except for the first and second photo which is at 1.8. But the bokeh isn't as quite as nice as yours.

Here are some night shots taken recently.

[bailyhill]

Originally Posted by Kzang

So I've had some issues with my camera body (Canon 70D) and kit lens 18-135mm IS STM Lens since I've purchased it back in April 2015.

When taking photos with this lens the left side of the pictures are soft and out of focus, you will see evidence of this throughout my photos on this thread. I brought both he camera body and lens into one of Canons factory here in NJ to have it diagnosed and repaired. The camera and lens was returned to me repaired / adjusted to factory specs according to Canon techs. I tested the camera and found that the left side was still soft and was not satisfied. I returned to Canon and complained about the out of focus on the left side of the photos and a new problem. When looking through the viewfinder and taking a picture I found that the actual photos do not line up. This was also true while taking pictures using the LCD screen. I took the first photo to demonstrate this for the Canon techs.. He took the second picture to confirm.

Canon said that they will look into this and once again repair it to the factory specifications. I just received my camera and lens yesterday and have not had to test the out of focus lens but I did do a quick alignment picture and found that its not centered still. Interestingly it is centered if I take a photo using the screen versus the viewfinder.

I take pictures using the view finder exclusively.

What are your thoughts, should I send in the camera once again to have it repaired or adjusted?

Hello
I don't think the problem is necessarily your lens, as far as the soft images on the left side of the photos. Your CCD chip might not perpendicular to the optical axis of your camera. Does this happen with other lens' or only the 18-135? Does the problem go away with your other lens? Can you
use this lens on another camera, and see if the soft focus affects the second camera. Perhaps, the camera shop where you bought it will allow you to put your lens on another camera. Also take a new 18-135 lens with your present camera, and see if the focus is soft left. Now you will be able to see if its the lens or the camera. The fact that the view finder is off but the photo is centered when you use the screen, suggests to me that the chip is tilted. The bad news is that this cannot be fixed by the NJ service center, but must be done by the factory. Not sure the Factory would try.

Swap the lens and body and let us know what happens.

PS: I am not a photographer, but have lots of experience with Astronomy CCD cameras, and chip tilt is a common issue. Some companies make an accessory to tilt the camera body to fix this. This accessory is not designed for use with a DSLR.

Sin_Gas

[Kzang]

It was the kit lens.. Since then I have it realigned and calibrated.
It does not happen with my other lens.

[imserious]

Getting better. Keep it up!