Focus Issue on New Canon 135mm f2 L ?

its grabbed the grass in front of the girl. What focus point pattern are you using?
best to use single focus point placed on exactly what you want in focus.

Kevin Coppalotti wrote:

its grabbed the grass in front of the girl. What focus point pattern are you using?
best to use single focus point placed on exactly what you want in focus.

Nailed it!  Even in the first shot, his right eye (slightly further away than his left) is slightly more in focus.  With around f/2, you have to be spot on the focus.  I usually use center focus, but doing so risks a slight shift if focusing and recomposing.  Do not use a multipoint focus and let the camera choose which one.

Caldvan wrote:

It looks like the grass in front of the girl is in sharper focus- do you know what the selected focus point was? When you got the lens, did check the focus / do focus adjustments?

Thanks for the reply Caldvan. My focus point was the center, and I selected the eyes as my focus point. I have not done focus adjustments on the lens as this is the first I'm experiencing this issue. I will investigate further now though.

Thanks for all of the replies! I should've added more details.

I always use center point focus. I focus on the eyes, then recompose. Since this is the first time I've experienced this issue, and only the second time I've shot the lens, I wasn't quite sure where to go from here.

Is it a distance issue? Another poster seemed to have a similar issue when photographing from a distance.

Would like to get to the bottom of this. Thanks again!

Luxologist wrote:

Thanks for all of the replies! I should've added more details.

I always use center point focus. I focus on the eyes, then recompose. Since this is the first time I've experienced this issue, and only the second time I've shot the lens, I wasn't quite sure where to go from here.

Is it a distance issue? Another poster seemed to have a similar issue when photographing from a distance.

Would like to get to the bottom of this. Thanks again!

At least with photos like the first photo, you are close enough to your subject that the "focus and recompose" could produce thin enough DOF where the eyes become out of focus. Just food for thought.

It's hard to answer a beginners question when the fancy camera and fancy lens suggest some knowledge. And then we learn bad practices are being followed.

Focusing and recomposing with a very wide aperture on a telephoto lens guarantees lousy results.

(Be prepared for comments from ignorant amateurs arguing about this.)

TEST: Put your camera on a tripod.

Put a sharp, flat, object in front of the camera.

Focus.

See if the picture turns out OK.

That will tell you if your camera and / or your lens is broken, or if it is operator-error.

Once you learn that that your camera and lens works OK, you can start to figure out what happens when the camera is not rock solid, and the subject is not rock solid.

BAK

BAK wrote:

It's hard to answer a beginners question when the fancy camera and fancy lens suggest some knowledge. And then we learn bad practices are being followed.

Focusing and recomposing with a very wide aperture on a telephoto lens guarantees lousy results.

(Be prepared for comments from ignorant amateurs arguing about this.)

TEST: Put your camera on a tripod.

Put a sharp, flat, object in front of the camera.

Focus.

See if the picture turns out OK.

That will tell you if your camera and / or your lens is broken, or if it is operator-error.

Once you learn that that your camera and lens works OK, you can start to figure out what happens when the camera is not rock solid, and the subject is not rock solid.

BAK

Can you be any more insulting?  Seriously.  Take the tripod out of your ass and get over yourself.  It's hard to find any merit in your response due to the overwhelming amount of egotistical, self-worshiping nonsense that fills the reply.

xroxer wrote:

I thought the original poster only had an issue with the second image. The first was OK to him?

Focus and recomposing would not be the issue with the second image right? It looks front focused by a few feet at least.

BTW - I am a beginner.

I'm getting a real sense that this site, and forum is not worth the time or energy.

My issue is primarily with the second image.  I understand why one eye is out of focus in the first image.  I understand that when using a wide aperture such as f/2 there will be a very thin window for DOF.  My issue is why am I getting a completely out of focus face, using apertures in upwards of f/2.8, f/3.5, etc... on an f/2 L lens, at distance?  My 85mm f/1.8 does not present with this problem at f/2, f/2.8, etc...

Further, why is it that photographers, both self proclaimed professionals as as well as beginners feel the need to insult and put down rather than assist and encourage?  Unless you have an amazing portfolio and are making a ton of money, you're really not in any place to put others down, or make passive aggressive comments about the ability of others.

xroxer wrote:

I thought the original poster only had an issue with the second image. The first was OK to him?

Focus and recomposing would not be the issue with the second image right? It looks front focused by a few feet at least.

BTW - I am a beginner.

Xroxer, since you mentioned it.  Please share your enlightened expert opinion as to how or where I went wrong with the first image.  As a disclaimer, I'll add: This was a test of the new lens.  My usual portrait lens is a Canon 85mm, but was told that this lens was one of the sharpest in it's class, so I wanted to try it out. There is no editing, no sharpening (in camera or in post), nothing.  This is straight out of the camera.  This was not a delivered image, but rather a test of the various apertures of the lens.  I put it up to show a comparison between the 2 images.  Similar apertures, different distances, very different results.

Now, please educate me on how you would've done this, or made this image better.  If you have examples, I'd love to see them.

Thanks!

xroxer wrote:

You read my post wrong. I'm completely on your side. I found the first photo in focus and sharp. The second photo was out of focus but beautiful IMO.

I am a beginner having issues with my 135 that look similar to your issues with your second photo. I was surprised people were suggesting technique is the problem when the focus on the second photo was clearly a front focusing issue to me and not a recomposition issue.

If I misread your post.  I sincerely apologize.  After reading many of the replies, I felt as though my question/issue were being side-stepped in order to prove how much better everyone else is and how they wouldn't have such an issue.  Made me defensive.  I'm all for constructive criticism, but it needs to be constructive, not just "you suck, your images suck, and your fancy camera sucks, etc."  I'm of course not implying that you said that.  Not at all.  But this tends to be the usual tone on forums such as this.  I was hoping it wouldn't be as bad here.  I was wrong.

Thanks for your feedback and explanation.  I once again apologize for misinterpreting your post.

Keith Z Leonard wrote:

xroxer wrote:

I agree the "you suck" attitude is prevalent here. There are some very helpful posters though. I've learned a lot so far.

I'm still concerned about my 135L though. I think I will bring it to Canon to check out.

While at times that attitude does happen here, this thread really isn't bad, I think some over-sensitivity is happening. A lot of people post here about issues without knowing that the equipment is ok, and they are just missing some technical part of the technique. Some have very legit issues with equipment. On average though we see probably 10 people claiming problems with equipment that they don't know how to use for every 1 person with an actual problem.

Having said that, people here make suggestions in an attempt to exhaust the easiest to fix possibilities. If OP is of the opinion that he is a perfect photographer and clearly this is an equipment issue, why even post here looking for help? Just call Canon. The suggestion to put it on a tripod and shoot a stationary target is a good one, that way you can be sure it's a lens problem and doing that test at different distances will give you information to tell Canon. They might ask you to send the lens and the body in for calibration.

Of course with primes you often need micro-focus adjustment, which would require that you.........put the camera on a tripod and photograph a stationary target! My 135L didn't need any adjustment at all, but my 85mm and 50mm primes did.

To me this tread seems about someone who is frustrated (understandable) and over-reacting/making assumptions that the people replying are being insulting when they are trying to be helpful.

Another bit of insight is that I don't get reliable sharp images at 1/250 with my 135L on 35mm, and certainly wouldn't on crop, but in your examples the bottom image is certainly front focused, so that's probably not an issue here.

A simple explanation would've been sufficient.  However, read a few of the replies and you'll see, adding a tripod to the equation was not the implication.  I'm not being over-sensitive, I'm annoyed at those who post holier-than-thou replies, or make insinuations that a person is ignorant, or on some level beneath them.

I never once stated or implied that I was a perfect photographer and that I suspect my gear has a problem.  Not even close.  I expressed a concern over a brand new lens that is exhibiting a focus issue I've not seen on my other lenses.  Now, that being said, with the exception of my 85mm, all my other lenses have been zooms. So, if there is a technical issue that I need to learn or be aware of with prime lenses of this nature, then that's why came for advice.  I have recently decided to switch to all primes so I get there will be a learning curve to some degree.  I just thought this would be a good place to get it all sorted.  Again, I seem to have been mistaken.  Thank you for your input.  I will look into micro-focus adjustments.