weird blurry pictures with d3200

a_jordan

New member
Pictures blurry and weird

hey,

my gear (i usually use for this kind of photography):
D3200
70-200MM
17-55mm

The quicker paced photos i try to take with my camera come out with his weird blurry look like the actions not being caught quick enough. when im photographing sports i always have the shutter speed at 3-4000 but i can never seem to get a clear action photo.

i dont know if im on the wrong settings or something and you could advise me on that?

heres two examples, i have PLENTY more (lol) if you need extra material.

2cifnro.jpg


zv6h5c.png


oi6cdj.jpg



kuss9.png
(THIS IS THE SETTINGS OF THE ABOVE PIC)


these are the settings id typically use for fast action shots:

ake3q1.jpg



if you could please advise me i would greatly appreciate it soo much!

thanks!
 

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ohkphoto

Snow White
Re: Pictures blurry and weird

I think it's a depth of field issue. . . too shallow with such a wide aperture. Try upping your iso and shooting at f/8.
​IMHO
 

Kodiak

Senior Member
Re: Pictures blurry and weird

Hello Jordan,

My observations on your presented picts are going in the direction AF setup!

There is something no working with you …a spell perhaps! =)

Would you be so king as to provide the info regarding you AF setup?

I would be very happy to help you,
 
They are tack sharp. I think what you are confusing with blur is Depth of Field. Main subject is sharp and everything behind it is soft. You really don't need 1/3000 or 1/4000 to stop action. 1/250 or maybe 1/500 would have done that and then you could have closed down the aperture to f8 or maybe f16

The higher number aperture the greater Depth of Field.
 

piperbarb

Senior Member
Re: Pictures blurry and weird

You should definitely stop down to at least f/5.6 or f/8. Shutter speeds of 1/1000 or so, should be fine. For the La Cross shots, follow the ball. The players closest to the ball will be in focus, and don't worry about the background. My father used to photograph polo games and that was what he always did and got some phenomenal images using a manual camera, and Ilford HP4 B&W film set at ISO 400. I think your focus is fine, just your depth of field is really shallow.

Hope that helps. The best thing you can do is keep trying until you get the results you want. What is nice about digital is that all your camera settings should be stored right in the raw image. That is a whole lot easier than film days. I love that feature of digital.
 

a_jordan

New member
Re: Pictures blurry and weird

Hello Jordan,

My observations on your presented picts are going in the direction AF setup!

There is something no working with you …a spell perhaps! =)

Would you be so king as to provide the info regarding you AF setup?

I would be very happy to help you,


Hi thanks for the reply! (all of you as well)

my typical as setup is:

I have back button focusing
The focus mode is typically in continuous or auto-servo
AF- area mode is typically 3D-tracking (11 points) or dynamic
and the metering is matrix (i know its not AF per-sey)

let me know of any changes or you think this is ok!

​thanks!
 

Kodiak

Senior Member
Re: Pictures blurry and weird

Hello again Jordan,

Indeed, I observed that the shutter speed use was high enough and the aperture
was wide but to conclude that this is the problem in an unjustified assumption.

If it was the case, one could see a sharp area somewhere on the shots! The first
one offers a blink of sharpness at the left edge of the closest bag and nowhere else.
The second shot doesn't anywhere… In both cases, speeds over 1/2000s do not
require higher ISO. My conclusions, then, go in a other direction.

I suspect that the camera cannot find the right subject to focus on!

To avoid having lots of unsharp takes, in the menu, select "shoot upon focus only".

Then, make sure you follow the recommendations (in the manual) as to how to follow
your moving subject and nail it right.

I do not know your camera but I also had to adjust to the finesses of this demanding
technique.

These shots done yesterday, where the local team in red was defeated lamentably 11:1,
were taken with a 300mm ƒ 2.8 @ ƒ5 • 1/640s • ISO 1600 • D800E:


View attachment 44619

View attachment 44620

View attachment 44621

Please go back to your manual and investigate what it was that put a spell on you! =)

I'll be, like many others, online this afternoon…

Vbrg
 
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ohkphoto

Snow White
Re: Pictures blurry and weird

Hello again Jordan,

Indeed, I observed that the shutter speed use was high enough and the aperture
was wide but to conclude that this is the problem in an unjustified assumption.

If it was the case, one could see a sharp area somewhere on the shots! The first
one offers a blink of sharpness at the left edge of the closest bag and nowhere else.
The second shot doesn't anywhere… In both cases, speeds over 1/2000s do not
require higher ISO. My conclusions, then, go in a other direction.



Please go back to your manual and investigate what it was that put a spell on you! =)


I'll be, like many others, online this afternoon…

Vbrg


I beg to differ. My comment on upping the ISO was dependent on his closing the aperture (to widen the depth of field) which would then cause the shutter speed to be slower.

From what I can see on his second photo, the raised racket does seem to be sharp.

He may be having focus issues as well which is compounded by such a shallow depth of field.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
Re: Pictures blurry and weird

these are the settings id typically use for fast action shots:

ake3q1.jpg

Your image also contains Exif data which shows the situation, thank you for that consideration.

However, for unknown reason, I am unable to find the AF-C setting in your Exif. Might just be my own problem?

Your picture above shows AF-C focus mode, which can normally be a good thing for photographing motion. However, we also need to know that we have to hold shutter half press for it to focus, which can at times take a bit longer than we realize. It is is extremely possible to take the picture quickly with a shutter jab, before the lens has time to focus critically (and then results will not appear sharp, if not focused yet).

So while you are watching the scene and composing in AF-C mode, think, and hold half press down so it can/will focus. In AF-C, focus follows action only when half pressed. Give it a fraction of a second of "half press", before the final shutter activation.

Beauty of AF-S mode is that shutter will not activate until it sees focus (yes, I know there are options to modify things, but I am discussing defaults, not options).

Where it focuses is another story. Can depend on your AF Area selected.
 
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Moab Man

Senior Member
I do not have the experience that the others on this thread do (some I'm sure have forgot more than I know), but here is my two cents from having practiced these same shots.

As said, the aperture needs to be upped f5.6 - 8.

I am also suspicious of the 3D tracking. The saying, "jack of all trades, master of none." You have so many moving objects that I suspect the camera is trying to find the best compromise for everything the camera is looking at but not truly focusing anything.

My best shots for this same shooting occurred with ISO 400, f5.6-8, shutter 1/1000+ (depending on light), and my focus on AF-C (but not 3D).

Anyway, that's my two cents, but I am most suspicious of the 3D tracking trying to find a balance within all the commotion.
 

Kodiak

Senior Member
Hello everyone,

So, clearly, two positions are facing one another.

The point here is not to debate which position is right or wrong…! More important,
is that different opinions will possibly take the member to the right solution.

By definition, the only winner in a forum is the one that benefits the most from it!
…and that should be the member! I do not wish to make a point and win it. I don't
care being right or wrong! I am not even willing to fight. My only gratification is to
see the OP come back and say: "Problem solved!"

Wrong opinions, as mine maybe, are also part of the thinking, the elimination process
that brings to a solution.This is a forum, not an arena or a ring!

My logic is impeccable. My logic is based on assumptions that may be wrong. So, my
logic may be impeccably wrong. The only advantage I have is experience… but like
I said, I'm not even willing to fight.

The only one that should profit is the member …right or wrong!

Even negative space may contribute to the success of a great photograph!
 

ohkphoto

Snow White
Hello everyone,

So, clearly, two positions are facing one another.

The point here is not to debate which position is right or wrong…! More important,
is that different opinions will possibly take the member to the right solution.

By definition, the only winner in a forum is the one that benefits the most from it!
…and that should be the member! I do not wish to make a point and win it. I don't
care being right or wrong! I am not even willing to fight. My only gratification is to
see the OP come back and say: "Problem solved!"

Wrong opinions, as mine maybe, are also part of the thinking, the elimination process
that brings to a solution.This is a forum, not an arena or a ring!

My logic is impeccable. My logic is based on assumptions that may be wrong. So, my
logic may be impeccably wrong. The only advantage I have is experience… but like
I said, I'm not even willing to fight.

The only one that should profit is the member …right or wrong!

Even negative space may contribute to the success of a great photograph!


Hello, Kodiak

I was simply pointing out that all remarks/suggestions to close down the aperture WERE justified and were based on your remark here:

Indeed, I observed that the shutter speed use was high enough and the aperture
was wide but to conclude that this is the problem in an unjustified assumption.

Read more: http://nikonites.com/photo-feedback/15241-weird-blurry-pictures-d3200.html#ixzz2ZiGoi63o

In other words, it IS a justified assumption.

It's not a competition of who is right or wrong and the viewpoints are not mutually exclusive. Several, including you, have indicated that his focus problem is multi-faceted.

In terms of your logic being "impeccable", I don't know if you're joking or not, nor am I questioning it. I do believe that anything based on a faulty assumption leads to a faulty conclusion, and hence, invalidates the argument, and the whole point of "logic" is to authenticate the validity of the "argument."
 

jwstl

Senior Member
Re: Pictures blurry and weird

I'm with Kodiak on this one. I've taken many shots over the years at 2.8 with my 80-200, and I can assure you that, at the distances these shots were taken, something would be sharp if focus was acquired and there's nothing in these images sharp enough to prove focus was ever acquired. They look like images taken in AF-C without accurate focus.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

pedroj

Senior Member
I shoot sports in aperture priority a couple of stops closed..."F4 lens at F5.6" in AF-C focus, spot, ISO 200 and shoot in bursts....
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
If that isn't primarily a depth of field issue, I'll eat my boots. Is the camera set to release on focus-lock? I'd be curious to know... Because if it is then the shutter won't release until the AF has a lock on *something*.





....
 
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a_jordan

New member
If that isn't primarily a depth of field issue, I'll eat my boots. Is the camera set to release on focus-lock? I'd be curious to know... Because if it is then the shutter won't release until the AF has a lock on *something*. ....

hey thanks for helping, dont think its on, how would i check on the d3200?

​thanks again
 

WhiteLight

Senior Member
I think you can fix your issue by changing from 3D tracking like Moab said..
AF-C, with Matrix metering & F/8 and upwards should help the trick...

provided of course that the focus lock as noted by Horoscope Fish is in place

3D tracking sounds all cool, but it won't really work all the time :)
 
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