Out of focus or wrong settings?

Evil Nemesis wrote:

Hi everyone,

Just took this shot using my rebel t3, (1100D) at night with 55x250 stm canon lens at full zoom, image stabilization was on / manual focus was on the focal length was at 250mm / shutter speed was 1/6, ISO = 1600 Aperture = 5.6, metering mode = pattern, no flash and I didn't use any tripod.

1 thing I can guess is I used too much of a noise right? or it's just that those entry level can't produce sharp pictures like seen around the web.

I will highly appreciate any feedback on this. You guys were and are always helpful. Thanks in advance. (The image is scaled down for uploading)

You are pushing the envelope with your photography. IMHO that's a good thing. See where the limits of the equipment are. See where your limits are. Sometimes the very best photographs are accomplished in this manner.

That said, if you are looking for better image quality, the issue is not really with the equipment here. Sure, you could upgrade to a full frame sensor. Or buy a faster zoom like the 70-200 f/4L IS, or even the 70-200 f/2.8L IS Mk II (or similar 3rd party lens). But given the setup you currently have here, I'd work on technique first.

The easy way to get knock-your-socks-off night shots is to follow the advice of the others and use a tripod. This will increase sharpness in several ways: better stability for reduced camera shake is a given of course, plus it'll allow use of a smaller aperture so you're not shooting wide open (any lens' weakest spot), and also allow you to shoot at a lower ISO (noise reduction robs you of detail). I'd advise picking up a remote release too. The 10-second self timer can be used in a pinch (but never use the 2-second self timer for this).

Bottom line. Shooting with a tripod will allow both the camera and yourself to shoot at your strengths. You'll get maximum IQ out of whatever equipment you have.

With that being said, I personally almost never shoot with a tripod   , (unless I need absolute maximum IQ or a max keeper ratio). There are indeed a couple of tricks we run-and-gun shooters can employ to put the odds back in our favor though.

First off, use your feet instead of the zoom whenever you can. Shorter focal lengths will exhibit less camera shake (plus your max aperture will be faster allowing shorter shutter speeds). You could then even use a shorter (maybe sharper) prime if you have one.

Find something to set the camera on (but don't use a running car!).

Similarly, find something to brace the camera or yourself with. I try to always stop where there's a nearby brace (tree, building, wall, fence, car, etc).

Use good handholding technique. Sometimes an iron grip isn't the best. Watch your breath control and shutter timing (deep breath in, let half out, hold and shoot). Gentle on the shutter. I use the principle of isometrics when handholding any camera (I call it the "Twist Grip" technique). Let both hands put just a little force on the camera against each other. With small point and shoots, it feels almost like you're trying to twist the camera a teensy little bit.

Shoot bursts and then cherry pick the best one. There will always be one frame that's sharper than the others. I call this "Poor Man's Image Stabilization." Note: I've found that shooting bursts also works very well for other types of photography too (such as birding, macros, portraiture, etc).

There are a couple of (low light) modes built into recent cameras (not 100% about yours). One is the "Handheld Night Scene Mode" where the camera increases ISO and shutter speed (for improved handhold-ability), and then shoots a short burst (and combines them into one image). The magic comes when it then applies something of a subtractive noise reduction, resulting in a cleaner picture than you would have otherwise had. The down side is that it's fully automatic, and only works for jpegs.

The other feature is called "Multi-Shot Noise Reduction." The processing is similar, but lets you manually adjust more settings.

I've found these modes to be really effective (and not just for night scenes). Give them a whirl next chance you get. There's no free lunch when you're pushing the envelope this hard, but IMO this is as close as you're liable to get.

Happy shooting!

R2