Long lens

I am an A55 owner with the Sony 18-250 lens. I'm disappointed with all photos I take with it cranked out to 250mm, even if I take lots of care to manual focus on a tripod. It just isn't sharp. Everything else is fine for me with the lens and camera.

What can you recommend for a 300 or 400mm fixed or zoom that will be sharp. I've looked on line and see some recommend the Monolta 100-400 but I don't know if it fits an Alpha mount.

Thanks for any help you can offer.
--
John

If it's the Autofocus lens it will work and is a great lens. Check Dyxum.com for information on A-Mount lenses.
--
Dave

jdonalds said:

I am an A55 owner with the Sony 18-250 lens. I'm disappointed with all photos I take with it cranked out to 250mm, even if I take lots of care to manual focus on a tripod. It just isn't sharp. Everything else is fine for me with the lens and camera.

What can you recommend for a 300 or 400mm fixed or zoom that will be sharp. I've looked on line and see some recommend the Monolta 100-400 but I don't know if it fits an Alpha mount.

Thanks for any help you can offer.
--
John

Click to expand...

--If your diaopter is not set correctly and you use manual focus, it will make your photos poor espcially at the long end..

Check out your diopter adjustment... on an A55 its a +- 4 adjustment with 0 being 20/20 vision...
How you adjust it is like this

To set the diopter correctly, you will need to set your camera on something solid, like a tripod, and point it at something flat with enough texture to be easily seen. Press your shutter release halfway down to force your camera with auto-focus.

This test relies on the idea that your camera focuses properly, obviously. Without moving the camera, turn the diopter control until (with or without glasses) the image is in focus to your eye.

My 18-250 is extremely sharp at 250.
Bill
Capturing memories, one at a time.

Visit my Smug Mug Galleries at:
http://evil-twin.smugmug.com/

It is a good idea to check the diopter as many of the cameras I get handed over by tourists to take their pic with their cam on crowded spots show a diopter setting which is bumped into oblivion...

EvilOne said:

To set the diopter correctly, you will need to set your camera on something solid, like a tripod, and point it at something flat with enough texture to be easily seen. Press your shutter release halfway down to force your camera with auto-focus.

This test relies on the idea that your camera focuses properly, obviously. Without moving the camera, turn the diopter control until (with or without glasses) the image is in focus to your eye.

Click to expand...

A much easier way to check the diopter on an SLT Alpha is to activate the menue when looking into the EVf and then to dial in a diopter setting which shows the menue text as sharp as you can get it. A high contrast, pixel sharp target.

--
Ralf
http://RalfRalph.smugmug.com/

Here is what I've been doing.

I use the LCD and the zoom focus (double click on the trash can). At that point two things happen. 1) I can manually focus until the image is sharp as can be. 2) The A55 has a nice feature that the auto focus still is functioning during manual focus and it lights up the green focus square on my target area. So not only am I seeing the image is sharp but the camera agrees. I snap the photo, then zoom in on the image 1:1 and it isn't sharp.

So I'm not using the EVF or the diaopter at all.

EvilOne said:

jdonalds said:

I am an A55 owner with the Sony 18-250 lens. I'm disappointed with all photos I take with it cranked out to 250mm, even if I take lots of care to manual focus on a tripod. It just isn't sharp. Everything else is fine for me with the lens and camera.

What can you recommend for a 300 or 400mm fixed or zoom that will be sharp. I've looked on line and see some recommend the Monolta 100-400 but I don't know if it fits an Alpha mount.

Thanks for any help you can offer.
--
John

Click to expand...

--If your diaopter is not set correctly and you use manual focus, it will make your photos poor espcially at the long end..

Check out your diopter adjustment... on an A55 its a +- 4 adjustment with 0 being 20/20 vision...
How you adjust it is like this

To set the diopter correctly, you will need to set your camera on something solid, like a tripod, and point it at something flat with enough texture to be easily seen. Press your shutter release halfway down to force your camera with auto-focus.

This test relies on the idea that your camera focuses properly, obviously. Without moving the camera, turn the diopter control until (with or without glasses) the image is in focus to your eye.

My 18-250 is extremely sharp at 250.
Bill
Capturing memories, one at a time.

Visit my Smug Mug Galleries at:
http://evil-twin.smugmug.com/

Click to expand...

--
John

jdonalds said:

I am an A55 owner with the Sony 18-250 lens. I'm disappointed with all photos I take with it cranked out to 250mm, even if I take lots of care to manual focus on a tripod. It just isn't sharp. Everything else is fine for me with the lens and camera.

Click to expand...

How do you check the MF? Do you use the manual focus check (zooming in on the EVF / LCD)?

And do you stop the lens down to say f=11 to get the most out of the lens at its longest end? It is in the long tele range where this lens is weakest compared to non-super zooms in similar focal range. Shot wide open sharpness and contrast suffer.

jdonalds said:

What can you recommend for a 300 or 400mm fixed or zoom that will be sharp. I've looked on line and see some recommend the Minolta 100-400 but I don't know if it fits an Alpha mount.

Click to expand...

It will fit but is not as sharp as for example the new Tamron 70-300 which is best value in the quality (non-budget) 70-300 zoom market. Almost as good as the Sony 70-300 G. And fixed teles are pricey...

jdonalds said:

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Click to expand...

Check the lens reviews at kurtmunger:
http://kurtmunger.com/sony_dt_18_250mm_f_3_5_6_3id175.html
http://kurtmunger.com/tamron_70_300mm_f_4_5_6id290.html
http://kurtmunger.com/sony_70_300mm_f_4_5_5_6_gid224.html

Also check lens owner opinions over at dyxum.com

--
Ralf
http://RalfRalph.smugmug.com/

Okay your input about using F11 shows my ignorance. I'll give that a try. I certainly would not want to spend money on a new lens unless I had to. Thanks for that input.

I can't imagine the LCD is any different than the EVF for focus. Is that correct?

I looked for the Tamron 70-300 and there are several. Am I to assume that the one you are recommending is the higher priced one?

$133 Tamron AF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

$158 Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

$399 Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 SP Di USD XLD for Sony Digital SLR Cameras

Thanks,
John

Ralf Bliesener said:

jdonalds said:

I am an A55 owner with the Sony 18-250 lens. I'm disappointed with all photos I take with it cranked out to 250mm, even if I take lots of care to manual focus on a tripod. It just isn't sharp. Everything else is fine for me with the lens and camera.

Click to expand...

How do you check the MF? Do you use the manual focus check (zooming in on the EVF / LCD)?

And do you stop the lens down to say f=11 to get the most out of the lens at its longest end? It is in the long tele range where this lens is weakest compared to non-super zooms in similar focal range. Shot wide open sharpness and contrast suffer.

Ralf B said:

What can you recommend for a 300 or 400mm fixed or zoom that will be sharp. I've looked on line and see some recommend the Minolta 100-400 but I don't know if it fits an Alpha mount.

Click to expand...

It will fit but is not as sharp as for example the new Tamron 70-300 which is best value in the quality (non-budget) 70-300 zoom market. Almost as good as the Sony 70-300 G. And fixed teles are pricey...

Ralf B said:

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Click to expand...

Check the lens reviews at kurtmunger:
http://kurtmunger.com/sony_dt_18_250mm_f_3_5_6_3id175.html
http://kurtmunger.com/tamron_70_300mm_f_4_5_6id290.html
http://kurtmunger.com/sony_70_300mm_f_4_5_5_6_gid224.html

Also check lens owner opinions over at dyxum.com

--
Ralf
http://RalfRalph.smugmug.com/

Click to expand...

--
John

jdonalds said:

Okay your input about using F11 shows my ignorance. I'll give that a try. I certainly would not want to spend money on a new lens unless I had to. Thanks for that input.

Click to expand...

It will definitely benefit but remains at its weakest part of performance.

jdonalds said:

I can't imagine the LCD is any different than the EVF for focus. Is that correct?

Click to expand...

In context with another forum member's elaboration on diopter settings, if your diopter is set well, the should be no other difference other than the LCD showing the image bigger than the EVF, with nicer colors to boot. In bright light the LCD may be problematic to use but this now ventures off topic....

jdonalds said:

I looked for the Tamron 70-300 and there are several. Am I to assume that the one you are recommending is the higher priced one?

Click to expand...

Indeed, and that is the one Tamron I linked to at Kurt Mungers site. The others are 'budget' lenses which would not deliver as much an optical upgrade, if any at all, in comparison to your 18-250.

Good luck with your stopped down test- and just in case, remove any 'protective' filter you may be using and check for any differences with and without filter as well...
--
Ralf
http://RalfRalph.smugmug.com/

The Sony 18-250 is simply not a sharp lens (or fast) at 250mm, period. To get sharp image at that focal range (or longer) you can start with Tamron 70-300 USD (like Ralf suggested) which cost about $400. The next upgrade would be Sony 70-400G which is famous for its sharp image at 400mm wide open. You can't go wrong with either one of these.

Sample from Tamron 70-300 USD, handhold at 300mm, wide open aperture f5.6:





Sample from Sony 70-400G, handhold at 400mm, wide open aperture f5.6:

Thanks all. I'm going to scrounge up some cash to buy the Tamron. It's in my wish list on Amazon so perhaps Father's Day! One can wish.
--
John

200-500mm and my Sigma 50-500mm (Bigma) are giving good result.

SSS turned off when on tripod?

Camera shake?, use a remote trigger.

Higher shutter speed.

Agree about removing filter.

What are you viewing results on, is that ok?, what do they look like played back on the camera's lcd?

There are many experienced people on this forum, if you post a couple of examples I'm sure they would give a few pointers, or give an opinion on whether you are expecting too much.

Btw, that diopter thing caught me out once. Sunny day using the evf and manual focus. I thought my new lens had gone faulty, just the diopter setting inadvertently touched getting the camera in/out of the bag.

Have a look at what others using your camera/lens combo have posted.

If you have a filter, remove it.

Here are a few typical shots from my Tamron 18-250mm on the long end at 250 mounted on my KM 7D .Not sure if they work for you, but they work for me.





Date Taken:2011-11-09 14:05:25
Camera:KONICA MINOLTA MAXXUM 7D
Exposure Time:0.0028s (1/350)
Aperture:f/6.7
ISO:100
Focal Length:250mm (375mm in 35mm)
Flash:flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Meteringattern
Exposure Program:aperture priority
--
Bill
Capturing memories, one at a time.

Visit my Smug Mug Galleries at:
http://evil-twin.smugmug.com/

jdonalds said:

I've looked on line and see some recommend the Monolta 100-400 but I don't know if it fits an Alpha mount.

Click to expand...

The Minolta 100-400mm f4.5-f6.3 APO is an A-Mount lens. It is also quite an interesting lens in that it is compact (same length as a Beercan) and designed for hand-held operation, ie. no tripod collar.

In good light it produces photos with a decent IQ at all ranges, although they become gradually softer towards 400mm. It is definitely compromised in less than ideal light, where it will spend a lot of time hunting as there is no focus limiter.

This lens is perfectly suited to air-shows, but not particularly good for woodland wildlife shots...

...but it is the most portable 400mm AF lens for A-Mount !

This is what you should typically expect from the 100-400mm APO in good light at 400mm. Nothing special about this shot, xf-JPEG taken with an A700 - no PP. Note the purple fringing and relatively low contrast at 400mm / f6.3.

jdonalds said:

Thanks all. I'm going to scrounge up some cash to buy the Tamron. It's in my wish list on Amazon so perhaps Father's Day! One can wish.

Click to expand...

If you are a real bug for sharpness you should be looking at the Sony 70-300G or Sony 70-400G. Otherwise you will end up buying twice once you discover how good those are. They cost more, but are worth it.

While some have suggested stopping way down, the Sony 18-250 does real well at f8 to f11. Going above that really only needs to be done if more DOF is needed. And wider open than f8 is not the sweet spot for sharpness for the 18-250.

I'd also suggest that you may be looking at fine motion blur and thinking it's focus problems. Fine motion blur is a very common problem. Be sure you can distinguish between the two. Fine motion blur can be a problem with longer tele lengths, though I consider 250mm to be just medium tele I know it has to be used carefully for good results or you will get soft photos from motion blur. If your camera is one of the Sonys that has a vibration indicator scale showing in the viewfinder use it as biofeedback for how much vibration you are shooting with and shoot when the indicator is at minimum, that really helps to improve your stability holding the camera and leads to better shots.

If you are using a tripod, even on tripods, where most choose tripods by their weight rather than their vibration suppression ability such motion blur can be a problem. And the longer the lens the better the tripod you need. Try reading this page about tripods for some thoughts, though he's not really talking about long tele much:
http://www.bythom.com/support.htm

Rashkae said:

If you have a filter, remove it.

Click to expand...

Assuming it's a quality multicoated filter as it should be, this will make little or no difference. If you are using a low quality filter not only remove it, but get rid of it and get a quality filter and put that on.

Hi

I went for the Tamron 70-300mm USD, see some of my gallery shots in my archive although most are bad light which could be better. Plus it should maintain its value pretty well on the used market. I think the swan pictures(in my gallery) show particularly good IQ. The only other lens i think i would consider next is the Sony 70-400mm G but im not quite prepared to pay that just yet.
Adam

Okay, remove the filter, turn SS off, set to F11, have it on the tripod, and I'll post a photo or two from the Sony 18-250.
--
John