Should I return/replace my lens? EF-S 55-250mm sharpness/focus

streetsnyc wrote:

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and help!

By using live view and taking a photo of an analog wrist watch, I think that I've determined that the lens can definitely create sharp images. What do you think? I know it's not ideal as my space is not well-lit and I had to shine a flashlight to even see anything...

Manual focus

Auto focus

So, given that, I believe that it is not my equipment that is defective, and that it's just me that needs improvement

Any general tips for capturing sharp images when it comes to shooting street portraits of people or animals in motion? For instance, I'm never sure if I should use AI Servo or One Shot. It's hard to do a controlled test of this, for obvious reasons

Speaking of which, would the autofocus system of my camera be another issue? Because I believe that I achieved the sharpest image (using the watch as a test) by manually focusing. The difference is barely noticeable except when viewed at 100%, but it made me wonder if there's anything I can do to optimize AF accuracy? For instance, I use an AmazonBasics UV filter.

Finding a solid object to rest against is good, but not always possible.

Whether you have a rest or not, use a solid but not too firm grip with both hands.   Take a deep breath in, then let half of it out and hold it, then squeeze the trigger slowly.  (Technique from shooting lessons)