E-500 focus solutions?

Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 194 Location: Pittsburgh

hello, i've been wondering if any e-500 owners have any tips for a beginner about how to get better focus with this camera. i've owned it since last march, have read the whole manual several times over, use a tripod, practiced in many situations and places from montana to colorado to pennsylvania to north carolina, and it seems no matter what i try i cannot get a crisp shot. i'm frustrated by how soft my images are. Is it a product of the camera or is there something i don't know about using a specific function. Maybe my eyesite is bad?? i use manual focus most of the time, but even when i used auto focus i get the same results. here are some examples:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j241/JFMphotos/pinesunsetclingmans3.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j241/JFMphotos/StantonMt-1.jpg

thanks for reading

Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:50 am

First picture looks very nice to me. IMHO this image is a good one.
1/250 sec shutter speed and ISO 100 - You do have the option of a higher ISO in low light, however you got a good picture at the settings you used. This image needs but very little adjustment in post processing to make it "pop".

The second picture is in my humble opinion also very good. There seems to be some haze present which is not the fault of the camera or how you used it. Proper post processing of this image makes it a fine one.
Reverse USM for correction of the haze. You shot at ISO 100 and you had the option of bumping this up for a slightly faster shutter speed or possibly you aperture could have been opened up a little and you could still get good DOF. You were at f/14 and maybe f11 or even lower still would have been fine. Proper sharpening of this image some and your results will be quite pleasant I think.
There are many other things in post processing that could be optional to help improve the results of an image.

Many folks who shoot digital don't realize that nearly every image that we take can be improved some by a little post processing. Usually when we get WB and exposure right then something as simple as a levels adjustment and sharpening in post processing is all it takes.

From these examples that you have shown I believe

Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 194 Location: Pittsburgh

Thanks Kim. i do need to get a better handle on WB and ISO. i often experiment with both doing mutliple shots to see what works best. i also need to improve in my post-processing knowledge and skills, there's a lot i don't know about still. This site helps a lot.

The haze in photo 2 was due to some forest fires nearby that location (Glacier National Park), yet i still thought it should have been sharper. Maybe i could fiddle around in photoshop. Thanks.

Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 268

i love my E-500 and get very sharp clean photos. You have to get your ISO, shutter speed, and everything else down. Best think to do is lots of practice. I couldn't think of anything to go shoot recently and needed some extra practice and here are a few shots.

Exposure Time = 1/400
F Number = F6.3
ISO Speed Ratings = 400
Max Aperture Value = F3.5
Metering Mode = Pattern
Focal Length = 150mm
Color Space = sRGB
Exposure Mode = Auto exposure
White Balance = Auto white balance

Exposure Time = 1/400"
F Number = F7.1
ISO Speed Ratings = 400
Max Aperture Value = F3.5
Metering Mode = Pattern
Color Space = sRGB
Exposure Mode = Auto exposure
White Balance = Auto white balance

and a third one:
http://static.flickr.com/95/281989477_7e704e1c8a_o_d.jpg[/img]

Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 194 Location: Pittsburgh

very lovely shots kerry. i think if i tried those same shots they'd come out much poorer, i guess its up to me to learn some more. i have practiced lots, but i may have been approaching it wrong, i'll keep trying. thanks.

Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 268

I pasted in the exif information under those pictures to help.

Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:56 am

Corporeal wrote:

very lovely shots kerry. i think if i tried those same shots they'd come out much poorer, i guess its up to me to learn some more. i have practiced lots, but i may have been approaching it wrong, i'll keep trying. thanks.

I am not sure, but you didn't write about post-processing. ANY digital image needs sharpening in post-processing, especially when recorded as RAW files. The posted examples don't show much about sharpness, as they are simply too small. So, if you "use" your images without any post-processing in the computer, you should shoot JPGE and apply more sharoening in the camera.

regards
René

Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 268

These were taking as JPEG and only cropped and sized. Normally I do shoot raw but this was a just a day of practice sots. So no retouching was done at all.

Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:40 am

kerryg wrote:

These were taking as JPEG and only cropped and sized. Normally I do shoot raw but this was a just a day of practice sots. So no retouching was done at all.

My last post and the questions were aimed at Corporeal, because of his sharpness problems. Your pics look good and wouldn't need a comment like that...

regards
René