I consider myself an experienced photographer, currently on my 4th DSLR (600D, 70D, 7Dm2, 5dm3). I've been taking photos professionally for some time and I am always improving in any areas that I think I can improve at.
But I can not trust any shots taken with aperture larger than f/2.8 (let's say from 1.8 to 2.2 mostly). No matter what technique I use, even on controlled conditions shooting high contrast targets, I can't get tack sharp focus in more than 70% of the shots.
I've had the 50mm 1.8 II, 2 copies of the 85mm 1.8 and now the new 50mm 1.8 STM, which according to reviews has very accurate autofocus. And with 4 different lenses and 4 different bodies, I could not get a combination that gets reliable (>90% in focus) results. I actually get around 70% in useable focus, and the others are a bit front or back focused (never in just one direction).
I would like to believe I am doing something wrong, but I can't see anymore flaws with my technique. Sufficiently high shutter speed, proper lighting, center point high precision AF, no shaking, no recomposing and I still have to rely on luck to get a tack sharp shot.
The 5dm3 (my best performer) with the new 50mm 1.8 STM in test shots at 1.8 is giving me about 70% shots in acceptable focus, 25% a bit off and 5% way off. When shooting portraits at f/2.2 for example, I take 3 shots refocusing in each of them so I am almost guaranteed to have one that is properly focused.
MFA was almost useless in any of my bodies and lenses, because when the focus is missed, it does not happen in one constant way, it is always randomly off to the front or back.
Now here is my big question: am I worrying too much? are all these lenses and bodies working properly and it's just me having too high expectations? Is 70% of 1.8 shots in focus acceptable?
I simply can't believe that I have 4 faulty bodies or 4 faulty lenses. But on the other hand, some reviews that I read lead me to think that with a properly working body/lens, the center AF point on a stationary target is almost guaranteed to nail the focus.
But I can not trust any shots taken with aperture larger than f/2.8 (let's say from 1.8 to 2.2 mostly). No matter what technique I use, even on controlled conditions shooting high contrast targets, I can't get tack sharp focus in more than 70% of the shots.
I've had the 50mm 1.8 II, 2 copies of the 85mm 1.8 and now the new 50mm 1.8 STM, which according to reviews has very accurate autofocus. And with 4 different lenses and 4 different bodies, I could not get a combination that gets reliable (>90% in focus) results. I actually get around 70% in useable focus, and the others are a bit front or back focused (never in just one direction).
I would like to believe I am doing something wrong, but I can't see anymore flaws with my technique. Sufficiently high shutter speed, proper lighting, center point high precision AF, no shaking, no recomposing and I still have to rely on luck to get a tack sharp shot.
The 5dm3 (my best performer) with the new 50mm 1.8 STM in test shots at 1.8 is giving me about 70% shots in acceptable focus, 25% a bit off and 5% way off. When shooting portraits at f/2.2 for example, I take 3 shots refocusing in each of them so I am almost guaranteed to have one that is properly focused.
MFA was almost useless in any of my bodies and lenses, because when the focus is missed, it does not happen in one constant way, it is always randomly off to the front or back.
Now here is my big question: am I worrying too much? are all these lenses and bodies working properly and it's just me having too high expectations? Is 70% of 1.8 shots in focus acceptable?
I simply can't believe that I have 4 faulty bodies or 4 faulty lenses. But on the other hand, some reviews that I read lead me to think that with a properly working body/lens, the center AF point on a stationary target is almost guaranteed to nail the focus.