Elinchrom lighting and sharpness problem

MD120 · Feb 21, 2016

Hi everyone,

I have an Elinchrom D-ite 4 it lighting kit and have a problem with it. Mostly, when I shoot I don't get sharp images , I use Canon 700d with 24-105mm lens. I tried every thing changing modifiers, locations, lighting setup, camera settings, different lenses and still have the same problem. When I use speedlites or jinbei strobes I got stunning detailed images !

So, my question is, Is there a problem with these strobes or is there certain consideration I have to take care about to get sharp images?

How to do I get a sharp full-body portrait with this kit?

To show you the problem I have attached 100% zoomed photo with problem

Thanks

Nixon Glenn · Feb 21, 2016

MD120 said:
Hi everyone,

I have an Elinchrom D-ite 4 it lighting kit and have a problem with it. Mostly, when I shoot I don't get sharp images , I use Canon 700d with 24-105mm lens. I tried every thing changing modifiers, locations, lighting setup, camera settings, different lenses and still have the same problem. When I use speedlites or jinbei strobes I got stunning detailed images !

So, my question is, Is there a problem with these strobes or is there certain consideration I have to take care about to get sharp images?

How to do I get a sharp full-body portrait with this kit?
To show you the problem I have attached 100% zoomed photo with problem

Thanks

I think your lens is out of focus on his face. It can be cause be several thing.

#1 The camera can not get the focus right due to low ambient light in the room

#2 The AF assist light falls outside the focus area so that you camera nail the focus on that area instead your subject

#3 The aperture you use is too wide (shallow depth of field/sharpness) and you do focus and recompose

#4 The lens has back focus or front focus issue. But if you always nail the focus with the lens on bright light condition then the problem is not on your lens.

Unsharp images can also be caused by too slow shutter speed with either the subject or the camera moves or shakes a little. But from your photo I think its more to out of focus thing.

Sailor Blue · Feb 21, 2016

The flash duration of the D-Lite RX 4 is 1/800 sec. That is probably the t.5 so expect the t.1 to be around 1/400-1/500 sec which is still fast enough to stop almost any subject movement or camera shake.

That leaves us with an Auto Focus problem.

Low light levels from the ambient lighting and modeling lights can cause AF problems with some lenses. I found this to be a problem with a Canon 7D and the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS kit lens but not with my constant f/2.8 aperture Tamron SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 XR Di USM lens.

The answers to this problem are a better lens or brighter ambient or modeling light.

It could also be that your lens needs an Auto Focus Microadjustment but that doesn't appear to be possible with your camera. If you lens does need AF Microadjustment then your only option may be to send the camera and lens to Canon so they can adjust your lens to work properly with your camera.

Jason Stoller · Feb 21, 2016

MD120 said:
Hi everyone,

I have an Elinchrom D-ite 4 it lighting kit and have a problem with it. Mostly, when I shoot I don't get sharp images , I use Canon 700d with 24-105mm lens. I tried every thing changing modifiers, locations, lighting setup, camera settings, different lenses and still have the same problem. When I use speedlites or jinbei strobes I got stunning detailed images !

This is very interesting. From what you have said here you changed your light sources you get stunning detailed images but only with the Elinchrom you have the issue.

Do you mind posting some images you have taken with the Jinbei Strobes and Speedlites you have taken so we can have a peek at them also.

That way we might get more of an idea of what is going on.

MD120 said:
So, my question is, Is there a problem with these strobes or is there certain consideration I have to take care about to get sharp images?

How to do I get a sharp full-body portrait with this kit?
To show you the problem I have attached 100% zoomed photo with problem

The Images from the Jinbei Strobes and Speedlite you talked about we can really compare. This image is clearly out of focus. I have a couple of ideas about what can cause this but I would like to see the other images from the other lights first where you said you were able to get stunning images.

MD120 said:
Thanks

--
Jason S
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!

Leonil · Feb 22, 2016

I have to agree with everyone else - its most likely an Autofocus problem with poor ambient light.

I own a 650D and a 7D and they both nail focus when Im in the studio or doing sports with my 70-200 f4. But when I shoot at my school hall with really dim mood lighting, both my cameras beep and blink they have locked focus, they take the picture, they look good in the screen, and when I get home I have to pretend I was not taking pictures because EVERY single image missed focus.

Solutions from my experience:

1) Increase the power of the modeling lights

2) Turn on the house lights while shooting and increase the shutter speed from 1/125th to something like 1/160th, 180th or 200th of a second.

3) Put your camera on a tripod, prefocus then lock it in.

You will have to remember the Consumer level cameras (the 3 digit cameras from Canon or the 4 digit cameras from Nikon) tend to not have any focus points calibrated for any kind of minus EV and therefore require ambient light that is properly exposed to focus. Currently Canon only goes to -1 EV for most of their 2 digit camera lines, and -2 for 7D and 5D3 and -3 for the 6D and 1DX2.

In my experience, miss focus with studio lights are always due to lack of ambient light and the camera making a guess.

tcphoto1 · Feb 22, 2016

I will never understand why someone uses AF when shooting people, the DOF is rarely enough to just point and shoot. The 24-105/4 is not a great lens to begin with and you compound the problem with not focusing manually. Do you really think the AF sensor is hitting the pupil or the nose or elsewhere?

Boomanbb · Feb 22, 2016

MD120 said:
Hi everyone,

I have an Elinchrom D-ite 4 it lighting kit and have a problem with it. Mostly, when I shoot I don't get sharp images , I use Canon 700d with 24-105mm lens. I tried every thing changing modifiers, locations, lighting setup, camera settings, different lenses and still have the same problem. When I use speedlites or jinbei strobes I got stunning detailed images !

So, my question is, Is there a problem with these strobes or is there certain consideration I have to take care about to get sharp images?

How to do I get a sharp full-body portrait with this kit?
To show you the problem I have attached 100% zoomed photo with problem

Thanks

I'm sorry but i just can't wrap my head around the idea that someone who owns multiple brand studio strobes would ask this question. What does AF have to do with the brand strobe? Heck, this photo is from 2013. I feel like we are being punked.

-
Ben Boozer
Disagree without being disagreeable

Jason Stoller · Feb 22, 2016

Boomanbb said:
MD120 said:

Hi everyone,

I have an Elinchrom D-ite 4 it lighting kit and have a problem with it. Mostly, when I shoot I don't get sharp images , I use Canon 700d with 24-105mm lens. I tried every thing changing modifiers, locations, lighting setup, camera settings, different lenses and still have the same problem. When I use speedlites or jinbei strobes I got stunning detailed images !

So, my question is, Is there a problem with these strobes or is there certain consideration I have to take care about to get sharp images?

How to do I get a sharp full-body portrait with this kit?
To show you the problem I have attached 100% zoomed photo with problem

Thanks

Click to expand...

I'm sorry but i just can't wrap my head around the idea that someone who owns multiple brand studio strobes would ask this question. What does AF have to do with the brand strobe? Heck, this photo is from 2013. I feel like we are being punked.

-
Ben Boozer
Disagree without being disagreeable

Ben that is exactly why I asked to see the other stunning images. It just did not make sense to me especially with the information that was given.

--
Jason S
We are just Beta Testers who pay the Camera Companies to test their new products!

Paul Jones · Feb 22, 2016

MD120 said:
Hi everyone,

I have an Elinchrom D-ite 4 it lighting kit and have a problem with it. Mostly, when I shoot I don't get sharp images

So, my question is, Is there a problem with these strobes or is there certain consideration I have to take care about to get sharp images?

How to do I get a sharp full-body portrait with this kit?

Hmmmmmm, I'm thinking it's something you're doing wrong.

I own Elinchrom D-Lite 4 studio flash units and get pin sharp images.

I also shoot with Bowens, Broncolor, Elinchrom BRXi and various other lighting brands and get pin sharp images.

It's not the lighting kit that's at fault.

Cheers

Paul
--
Paul Jones

http://www.pauljones.org

(NSFW)

drh681 · Feb 23, 2016

If the OP can't figure out how to set the time/date on his camera; he may not have figured out the AF system was turned off while using the Elinchroms.

drh681 · Feb 23, 2016

tcphoto1 said:
I will never understand why someone uses AF when shooting people, the DOF is rarely enough to just point and shoot. The 24-105/4 is not a great lens to begin with and you compound the problem with not focusing manually. Do you really think the AF sensor is hitting the pupil or the nose or elsewhere?

Jason Stoller · Feb 23, 2016

drh681 said:
If the OP can't figure out how to set the time/date on his camera; he may not have figured out the AF system was turned off while using the Elinchroms.

Jason Stoller · Feb 23, 2016

tcphoto1 said:
I will never understand why someone uses AF when shooting people, the DOF is rarely enough to just point and shoot. The 24-105/4 is not a great lens to begin with and you compound the problem with not focusing manually. Do you really think the AF sensor is hitting the pupil or the nose or elsewhere?

MD120 · Feb 24, 2016

Jason Stoller said:
drh681 said:

If the OP can't figure out how to set the time/date on his camera; he may not have figured out the AF system was turned off while using the Elinchroms.

Click to expand...

drh681 · Feb 25, 2016

MD120 said:
Jason Stoller said:

drh681 said:

If the OP can't figure out how to set the time/date on his camera; he may not have figured out the AF system was turned off while using the Elinchroms.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

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