Choosing between Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 and Nikon 17-55 f/2.8 on D300.

[TheChef]

That means u are using 51 point AF right? Between the time the dslr focused and the dot in your viewfinder come up can translate to a 1 second delay. Hence confirm blur. Haven even consider the time u saw the dot and fully depress shutter release - maybe another second.

Also i don't think S or C servo differs too much. Basically even for C-Servo it is not fast enough at all to focus-lock on a constantly moving subject. Just do a try ya...

On fashion photographers, I suspect they pre-focused a "Sharp Zone" for walking subjects. Therefore at a certain zone - say 10 meters in front of camera, all subject will be sharp throughout. So they simply wait for the model to walk into the "Sharp Zone" and once in, simply shutter release.

Well put. :thumbsup:

 

[tanjonhan]

That means u are using 51 point AF right? Between the time the dslr focused and the dot in your viewfinder come up can translate to a 1 second delay. Hence confirm blur. Haven even consider the time u saw the dot and fully depress shutter release - maybe another second.

Also i don't think S or C servo differs too much. Basically even for C-Servo it is not fast enough at all to focus-lock on a constantly moving subject. Just do a try ya...

On fashion photographers, I suspect they pre-focused a "Sharp Zone" for walking subjects. Therefore at a certain zone - say 10 meters in front of camera, all subject will be sharp throughout. So they simply wait for the model to walk into the "Sharp Zone" and once in, simply shutter release.

assuming using D300, in continuous servo mode, switch off the lock focus tracking mechanism, the focusing tracks pretty fast bro....

anyway resolving power wise, if insist tt 70-300 better than 17-55 then so be it. One has higher magnification, standing from the same distance, the subject will be larger than the other on the 70-300, thus there is more pixels for the details of course will look like more resolving power, if that is how you are comparing...unless u telling me 17-55 u stand closer, 70-300 you stand further such that the subject is the same size in yr viewfinder and then 70-300 has better resolving power ...then i have nothing to say..

it was mentioned that the bad pic was taken in single servo mode. I feel its highly likely that it is due to the subject moving. Say the model was at 5 m from you and it was in focus, after which the moment u lock focus and pressing your shutter, during this moment the model has alr stepped forward at least half a step or more...so your point of focus is a small distance back from where the model is currently at..that's why its blur. Single servo, the camera focus once locked is locked...so yep...i usually use continuous servo for such situations....yep

so don't condemn the lens, it is really great!

**add on: at the same time yes as what earthling82 mentioned, prefocused area too, with more DOF....

 

[TheChef]

assuming using D300, in continuous servo mode, switch off the lock focus tracking mechanism, the focusing tracks pretty fast bro....

anyway resolving power wise, if insist tt 70-300 better than 17-55 then so be it. One has higher magnification, standing from the same distance, the subject will be larger than the other on the 70-300, thus there is more pixels for the details of course will look like more resolving power, if that is how you are comparing...unless u telling me 17-55 u stand closer, 70-300 you stand further such that the subject is the same size in yr viewfinder and then 70-300 has better resolving power ...then i have nothing to say..

it was mentioned that the bad pic was taken in single servo mode. I feel its highly likely that it is due to the subject moving. Say the model was at 5 m from you and it was in focus, after which the moment u lock focus and pressing your shutter, during this moment the model has alr stepped forward at least half a step or more...so your point of focus is a small distance back from where the model is currently at..that's why its blur. Single servo, the camera focus once locked is locked...so yep...i usually use continuous servo for such situations....yep

so don't condemn the lens, it is really great!

**add on: at the same time yes as what earthling82 mentioned, prefocused area too, with more DOF....

The blurring is due to the moving model and the photographer's inexperience in coping with such shots.

 

[luntut]

thanks for the inputs people.

btw,

1. I never condemned the lens. its one of my most favourite lens. I am just not sure if I am doing something wrong, or I am having a lemon. Even for such lens there are lemons out there. Go Google, you can dig up quite a few threads across the web.
2. I am definitely inexperienced. If I knew what I was doing and what to expect, I probably will not be posting already. So, cut me some slack. Let the man without sin cast the first stone.
3. to earthling82 and tanjonhan- I had been using the 21pt Dynamic AF. And yep, I had my focus tracking set to normal on the first day, second day did not try. Did not RTFM enuff. I had turned it to off, and shall try it again this weekend. thanks bros!

 

[copikau]

Since you're not using flash,
how bout beefing-up yur ISO's and use faster shutter? ... :dunno:

 

[luntut]

it just allows the shooter to be able to freeze motion cos the shutter speed will be faster.

the AF speed is probably what caused the blurry-ness, which is a by-product of my inexperience in coping with this, as decided by TheChef.

 

[catchlights]

it just allows the shooter to be able to freeze motion cos the shutter speed will be faster.

the AF speed is probably what caused the blurry-ness, which is a by-product of my inexperience in coping with this, as decided by TheChef.

unless the male model is doing 100m sprint, your shutter speed need not use more than 1/500s.

 

[luntut]

unless the male model is doing 100m sprint, your shutter speed need not use more than 1/500s.

I have sort of figured out.

so back the question on the blur, what could be the possible cause??

other then the user-fault issue, which i wiill be working on it, any other possible factors?

 

[YSLee]

AF could be off, you know.

 

[luntut]

Body AF or lens AF?

i was thinking of doing AF finetuning, but when i fixed it onto a tripod, the images seem pretty ok. but like i said again, it was tested against font 12 words, and not hair thin lines...

 

[catchlights]

I have sort of figured out.

so back the question on the blur, what could be the possible cause??

other then the user-fault issue, which i wiill be working on it, any other possible factors?

Body AF or lens AF?

i was thinking of doing AF finetuning, but when i fixed it onto a tripod, the images seem pretty ok. but like i said again, it was tested against font 12 words, and not hair thin lines...

You already found your answer, don't you?