noob question on studio

[aphro6677]

dear pros,

I've just set up my own home studio using strobe light and realized that the lighting was quite ok. the only problem I had was the blurry image that I have received. almost 70% of my photos need editing. anyone can kindly advise me on what's going wrong? thanks so much below are the specs I used.

dslr nikon d5100 with kit lens
2 x 300w strobe with soft box
focal length at 26mm
f8 1/125 iso 200
auto focus

 

[daredevil123]

dear pros,

I've just set up my own home studio using strobe light and realized that the lighting was quite ok. the only problem I had was the blurry image that I have received. almost 70% of my photos need editing. anyone can kindly advise me on what's going wrong? thanks so much below are the specs I used.

dslr nikon d5100 with kit lens
2 x 300w strobe with soft box
focal length at 24mm
f9 1/125 iso 200
auto focus

Can you post a blurry picture up here so we can see what is the problem?

 

[catchlights]

what kind of subject are you shooting? stationary or with movement?

 

[aphro6677]

phototaking people... slight movement.

 

[catchlights]

the studio flash is not fast enough to freeze action, if this is question you are asking.

 

[aphro6677]

i cant upload the file to this forum.

pls see the image at http://www.sendspace.com/file/iis27x

 

[David Kwok]

i cant upload the file to this forum.

pls see the image at http://www.sendspace.com/file/iis27x

The pic indeed looks soft at 1/125, it shouldn't be due to movement since even the shoes look soft. Only f/8, shouldn't be diffraction or softness in the lens too, in any case, diffraction doesn't looks like this kind of soft.

1) Do you have any filter in front of your lens ?
2) Did you used any software creative filter used in your camera during the shot ?

Curious, do external strobe have slow sync mode, or also known as rear curtain and it's activated ?

I saw in your EXIF that under the Flash parameter, it indicated "Flash did not fire". Are you using continuous light source ? The symptoms of the soft effect looks like movement during flash.

 

[aphro6677]

The pic indeed looks soft at 1/125, it shouldn't be due to movement since even the shoes look soft. Only f/8, shouldn't be diffraction or softness in the lens too, in any case, diffraction doesn't looks like this kind of soft.

1) Do you have any filter in front of your lens ?
2) Did you used any software creative filter used in your camera during the shot ?

Curious, do external strobe have slow sync mode, or also known as rear curtain and it's activated ?

I saw in your EXIF that under the Flash parameter, it indicated "Flash did not fire". Are you using continuous light source ? The symptoms of the soft effect looks like movement during flash.

1) nope, no filter
2) no software creative filter also

i dont believe my external strobe has this function. i bought it used from another cser. a simple strobe with only on/off switch and test button

i was using manual mode for my d5100 and adjusted the flash setting to no flash. no continous light. there was slight movement from the model only. almost 70% of my photos came out to be soft and im mostly using a tripod throughout the shoot

 

[genobee kai]

Were you using VR on tripod?

 

[aphro6677]

ya. vr was on

 

[Cowseye]

ya. vr was on

Dang, that's is a problem. Off VR and try again. On tripod, most of the time VR cause more problem than aid.

 

[daredevil123]

ya. vr was on

When on tripod, VR needs to be off.

 

[aphro6677]

wow thanks! will try offing it fo my nxt shoot ^_^

 

[daredevil123]

wow thanks! will try offing it fo my nxt shoot ^_^

Also... if you are in a studio environment, you control all the lights. you also control all the settings...

Even if you are shooting without a tripod, why do you even need VR?

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

I really don't know if VR can have such a pronounced negative impact on a photo.

Have even shot long exposure with VR mistakenly left on, and no huge adverse effect observed. So to get this kind of blur at 1/125s? Hmmmmm... :think: I don't know...

 

[daredevil123]

I really don't know if VR can have such a pronounced negative impact on a photo.

Have even shot long exposure with VR mistakenly left on, and no huge adverse effect observed. So to get this kind of blur at 1/125s? Hmmmmm... :think: I don't know...

Depends on the version of the VR la bro... yours is VR2 leh, it will sense if it is on a tripod.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Depends on the version of the VR la bro... yours is VR2 leh, it will sense if it is on a tripod.

ok point taken...
but 1/125s and that kind of blurring....

Is it possible that it is a problem of mis-focus instead?

 

[aphro6677]

I've tried it with vr off now. helps alot. but still not the sharpness I want. especially on the eyes. I used af-s. should I use manual focus instead? 18-55 kit lens can provide very sharp photos? or do u need to change other lens?

 

[Rashkae]

I've tried it with vr off now. helps alot. but still not the sharpness I want. especially on the eyes. I used af-s. should I use manual focus instead? 18-55 kit lens can provide very sharp photos? or do u need to change other lens?

You should not need any other lens - The kit lens it actually good enough. What if you shoot outdoors, etc? Still have soft pics?

 

[LFC25]

If you take RAW then the pics need sharpening in post-pocessing.