What is wrong with these pictures

Taken with Canon 5D mk3 and Sigma 70-200 f2.8 DG EX HSM 2, something, not OS or IS stabilized. Has the lens had it or was I just shooting terribly. I know I was shooting terribly. Very bright outside, very cold. Other settings were Evaluative Metering and Auto White Balance. I kept finding the camera at f2.8 but I tried to keep it at f8 or above. I meant to go around with the 24-70 f2.8 L2 but I was exhausted.


http://foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/odd/Z.../196_thumb.jpg
Tiger f4.5 1/200 iso400
The tigers whiskers are glowing, he has a blue tint, nothing seems sharp. I was using one shot focus and rapid fire when I got this image. Most were worse.

http://foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/odd/Z.../349_thumb.jpg
Bear f4.5 1/80 iso500
I feel like the bear has too much highlight, its overexposed, there is no color depth, it is "blown out". The bear should actually be a model, he or she was really posing well. This was an opportunity, as the bears, monkeys, many other animals simply cant be taken pictures of in their enclosures to to lack of visibility and being behind scratched up plexiglass with bright glares on it which I get close and block if it is possible.

The bear is a mild example of the overexposure problem. Many many pictures simply were not any good. I imagine this would be solved with center spot metering?

http://foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/odd/Z.../527_thumb.jpg
Rabbit f2.8 1/60 iso320
There were several rabbits, I couldnt seem to get any shots in focus, nothing sharp.

http://foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/odd/Z.../573_thumb.jpg
Duck f2.8 1/160 iso400
The duck was fun. I cant say if this should be sharper or not, he was right at the 1m minimum focus for this lense. I petted him earlier. If it were iso50 I would know if it were lacking in sharpness but iso400 is a bit grainy.

http://foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/odd/Z.../684_thumb.jpg
Cat f2.8 1/30 iso2000
The cat is indoors, behind 1.5" of plastic with glares I tried to avoid. Low light.

http://foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/odd/Z.../761_thumb.jpg
Rhino f2.8 1/200 iso250
The Rhino seems ok. Its outside, very bright day, but in the shade.

I would agree with jrw. It would benefit you to become comfortable using manual mode. That way you can expose correctly for your subject and the background will not fool the in-camera metering system, which is what you are experiencing to some degree. As for focusing, with animals I would suggest you use a single focus point and make sure you are in AI servo mode. You were shooting in the toughest of circumstances too with high sun with harsh contrast.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jrw

The shutter speeds for many of the pictures are long for a non-IS lens. Minimum shutter speeds recommended for hand holding are 1/(focal length x crop factor if any).

---

I just want to add that this is minimum recommended shutter speed is for static, non-moving, subjects. As soon as you have people or animals moving, you're going to want something a bit faster. How much faster depends on the focal length and subject speed, and how large your final image needs to be.

Also, don't be afraid of higher ISOs. On a 1DsmkII, I use ISO 800 regularly, and 1600 if needed, and get nice sharp shots. A 5DmkIII has significantly better handling of higher ISOs. Figure out what ISO you're happy with (after noise reduction), which are ISO is acceptable if you really need the shutter speed higher than what you're happiest using, and at which ISO you might as well not even bother trying to shoot.

jrw, if I am shooting at 200mm I guess you mean 1/200 or above? When shooting the rabbit, I was resting the mount on a railing and felt most comfortable doing that. IS would really help with these shots. I know about the AI Servo. I was just shooting wildly at the tiger, it was difficult. It was moving fast and was close to me, shooting from above, so it would get up under me quickly. I normally use AI for moving subjects, but I had focused on the fence next to him to set up the shot and then let it walk into the shots, so it would find its way into the focal plane. I should have explained this. Keeping the single focus dot on the tigers head while moving and composing well, with the setting changing as he moved closer, seemed a bit difficult for me at the time.

I guess I should have used a 9 point or larger grid of focus area, adjusted it for his head and turned on AI. I toggled AI a lot during the day.

DavidEccleston regarding the higher ISO, I'll give it a try. I sort of like shooting at iso50 and the images are wicked detailed, but obviously that is not practical here. I guess 800 should be ok for most of the pictures here except nocturnal.

There were other pictures, much worse than the bear, such as a lion laying in the bright sun, (the only bright spot in the whole area) while surrounded by shade and dark green trees (the trees haven't much turned yet in Tokyo although some hints of oranges and yellows are showing on some)

I was already determined to return today and shoot again, but I slept in. Tomorrow is rain, the weekend is busy, they're closed on Monday so I should try again next Tuesday or sometime during the week.

Shooting through the glass is a challenge. I shot Seoul, Korea from Seoul Tower last month and it was difficult because of that. The best preparation is to wear black and keep a black cloth or jacket, felt or something, to put up on the glass and put the lens right to the glass. As I was wearing black gloves (often on 1 hand only), I was cupping the hood to the glass for many pictures.

THANKS FOR THE INPUT. I'll try again next week. I should see if they allow a tripod, but I doubt it. I can barely carry my camera around at this point, due to the neck injury I have. So it is becoming a challenge to do much. My best solution is the Lowepro Inverse AW200 for waist carrying and a Tamrac camera strap with a suede section on the strap, I wrap this around my wrist and carry the camera in my hand. During the zoo shooting, I was using a Black Rapid camera strap to hang the camera at my waist, with 3" wide shoulder pad and pockets, but the weight was still causing aggravation. It's night impossible to carry the Tamrac Expedition 5x anymore, but I do anyway, as the pain becomes numb and blocked after a while.

Some things I miss here: Tramadol: although I was sick of it anyways after 8 years of it. Twinings Lemon Green Tea, Celestial Seasonings Honey Lemon Ginseng green tea. Equinox. Central Park. Cheap Subway Fare (but renting a car in Tokyo and driving aimlessly through Japan is wicked good fun, with that thought, I am reserving one again now ;) ). Also, things that are commonly accessible in Washington and Colorado but should not be until they actually make a realistic medical solution that doesn't damage the lungs and the sensibilities.

I have a lot of interesting photos but I haven't sorted through much. I havent taken anywhere near enough photos here.

I just sorted out this one, it was taken on September 19. It might have a bit too much purplish hue to it, but thats what the data is giving me from the sky. Probably a little bit of pollution there. Panoramic 4 images wide, with HDR 3 layers deep, total of 12 images put together.

http://foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/Tokyo...pano_thumb.jpg

So I guess I could use this for the monthly competition, not sure if it counts.

Regarding your first set of photos, the color seems a bit cool, maybe bump it up in post. I'd probably adjust vibrance/color saturation as well. Maybe even adjust specific color channels to get the natural color. My other suggestion would be to try using a CPL. If adjusted, I think it would cut down on the reflected light coming off your subjects.

Regarding the landscape, very nice, but it needs to be added to the weekly competition thread, which I don't believe is up yet for this week. The weekly winners compete for the monthly shot, and then, at the end of the year, the monthly winners compete for the best shots of the year. We are all about competition here at TDP ;)

BTW, sorry to hear about your neck.

Shoot RAW instead of JPG. Then the white balance does not matter... you can change it to whatever you want when processing.

http://www.foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/o.../203_thumb.jpg
http://www.foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/o.../212_thumb.jpg
http://www.foxy.ne.jp/images/photo/o.../368_thumb.jpg

I always shoot in raw, I know it helps a lot with white balance. These are all ISO800 with center spot metering. I'm not sure how big the center spot is for center spot metering. I tried partial metering later on and it seemed better in these situations. I'm curious if the metering freezes the same way focus lock does when not using AI focus.

You are shooting through chain link?
Shooting through glass at the tiger?
Either way it is hard to fault the camera if this is the case.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UmiKaibutsu

I kept finding the camera at f2.8 but I tried to keep it at f8 or above.

---

What do you mean here? Either you put the camera into a mode where you control the aperture (M or Av) or you don't (Auto, P, Tv). The only wiggle room there is that P does allow you to override.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UmiKaibutsu

I was using one shot focus and rapid fire when I got this image.

---

Ding ding ding! This can be a big contributor. One-shot focus not only locks focus, it also locks exposure as soon as focus is locked. If you recompose in any way, you'll have both a high potential for out-of-focus shots AND a high potential for incorrect-exposure shots.

I'd highly recommend you switch to AI Servo. I'd also recommend you customize the buttons on your camera to make the AF-ON button actually serve as an AF-OFF button. When you do that, you regain the ability to have focus lock on the rare occasion you want it, but you preserve continuous metering and of course you get continuous focusing. (Others might then say to do back-button focusing, but I'd suggest more time with your camera before you take that leap.) Our cameras stay in AI Servo probably 97% of the time. The only time I put them into One Shot is if there's an external flash on the camera and I want to use the focus assist lamp (it only works in One Shot focus).

One shot for accuracy of focus on non moving objects. AI Servo for moving objects.

Of the shots you posted I do not see any that the initial shot using one shot wouldn't have taken. Of course walking out of the focus area in a burst those would be lost.

The thing that does jump out at me in the pictures is the point of focus. It should be the eye of the animal. Use a single point even in AI Servo, stay on the eye. The way I judge if a shot is sharp or not is the detail in the eyes and eyelash.

Peety: I was unconsciously putting the camera on f2.8. I only shoot in Av or M, usually Av 95% of the time. That way, I only have to change ISO or shutter. In Av mode, the shutter wheel is right by the shutter release. Very annoying how it is swapped with speed when in M mode btw. It is easier to reach the aperture than the ISO, as ISO takes a button press (tiny button) and then wheel, then soft tap on the trigger (shutter release) to end ISO setting mode. So that is how it finds its way to f2.8 so easily.

Regarding 1 shot focus: I guess I should make each animal a special occasion, rather than strolling about the zoo casually snapping pics over my shoulder (not even bothering to look in the viewfinder) while chit-chatting, sipping wine and nibbling on cheese in my nonchalant zoo visiting manner as I remain oblivious to the numerous obstacles of wire fencing, 3" Plexiglas and strollers that occur, at random, every 10 feet or so.

I think I had 1 shot focus set, when I was shooting a vulture. Using the center sensor point for focus, I set focus on aforementioned vultures eye, then composed the shot. The vulture was sitting still. I can't use AI Servo to do that.

So, now, you are saying I can remap my AF-ON button to work as AF-OFF? I honestly never understood that particular button. I think it is time for me to map some buttons and review the manual again. I am constantly using the manual AF/MF control on the lens and it is not particularly ergonomic.

I don't know the statistics, but I feel like using a 5pt or 9pt grid with AI Servo is going to be better than 1 focus point.

Today I climbed Mt. Takao (its only a little mountain, Fuji was much more fun) and met several other photographers (im trying to ignore the pain this has caused right now). 2 of us descended together and I was trying to explain photons and light energy when he asked me why I knew this. I explained my training in physics and he asked if he needed to study physics to be a good photographer. I wasn't really sure but I told him no, when in fact, studying physics will certainly help to be a good photographer. Especially if one understands the behavior of the photon. The amazing thing is that his camera had a swivel display, the Canon Xsi or something. It was a touch screen monitor. **Why doesn't my 5D mk3 have touch screen monitor????** He has 5 menus with 4 options in each. The 5D has about 100 options, so why doesn't it have the touch screen monitor?

As we were descending late, it became dark. So I took his camera, then asked for his iPhone (which we were using for a flashlight) and I believe he was a little bit nervous I was taking all his electronics! So I put the camera on 8 seconds shutter, ISO100 and f4.5. I stood 6 feet away and drew a Japanese kanji character 金 with the iPhones LED light. When the shutter closed, the kanji appeared on the monitor. This was to emphasize my point that the sensor is the canvas that the photographer must create his art on and that it is done with light (photon energy) as opposed to paint. Less control of light, flashes, strobes, reflectors, gives emphasis on composition and other ways to control the end result.

If you can make sense of everything I've written I appreciate input. I will be going to the Zoo again next week with a friend so I will certainly take the camera along and try for some good shots again. A lot of it has to do if the talent wants to show themselves, otherwise they are hard to get good shots of. With many of them it is nigh impossible due to the fences and Plexiglas.

Ill research remapping buttons before I complain about Canons choice of layout, but I do find it less ergonomic than it could be. Somebody needs to get a good dev, hook up a Zigview to Oculus Rift or gut a dslr and route the video signal to Oculus Rift but that would only be good for live view. I think this is a good idea.