5D MK III Soft Images Even When Changing Settings in DPP

[TheSkinsFactory]

Hi Everyone,

Like everyone else who is "upgrading" from a 7D to the new MK III I was excited. Now not so much. I've read where the softness issue was because of faulty software (DPP) so I changed the setting. Maybe someone can explain why this image isn't tack sharp. You can clearly see where the auto-focus is. Here are the stats:

5D MK III
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
f/5 1/500 s
ISO 100 @ 200mm

100% Crop

So what's the issue? Why is this not tack sharp? I have one of the best lenses Canon makes, their newest camera and I'm feeling severe buyer's remorse. So much that I'm thinking of taking it back and getting the D800 or D4. Even though I have a ton of Canon glass. Any help understanding what I'm doing wrong would be appreciated.

I've never posted here so I don't know if you'll be able to click the image or not so here's the direct link: http://www.theskinsfactory.com/tsf-clients/Soft.png

 

[tasteofjace]

I wish I had some advice to give you. I'm new to this pixel peeping stuff, but like you I want to make sure my MKIII is getting as sharp of photos as possible.

What caught my attention is the display of focus on the photo. Was that an in camera setting, or something that DPP shows you??

 

[TheSkinsFactory]

In Canon's software you can overlay where the auto-focus was. It's actually a pretty awesome feature. I normally use Lightroom to process so I've never bothered to use DPP. So I never new about it.

On a Mac:
Go to View then click AF Point.

 

[tasteofjace]

In Canon's software you can overlay where the auto-focus was. It's actually a pretty awesome feature. I normally use Lightroom to process so I've never bothered to use DPP. So I never new about it.

On a Mac:
Go to View then click AF Point.

That is cool. Is there anyway to make just the points that catch focus light up in the camera's viewfinder? Mine just all light up when focus is achieved.

 

[TheSkinsFactory]

You're better off asking one of the professional photogs here. I'm the wrong person to ask

 

[grahamsz]

I've got sharper 100% crops from my dogs using the kit lens.

I have noticed with some experimentation, that if you do a focus-recompose operation, then the highlighted focus points are the ones that the camera originally locked on when you focused. Perhaps that varies with different focus modes, but I think it's entirely possible that if that dog was moving then it's not actually showing what was in focus at the time the shutter actuated.

Remember that even at f/5 on that lens, you've only got a 3" depth of field at 10' range.

 

[grahamsz]

That is cool. Is there anyway to make just the points that catch focus light up in the camera's viewfinder? Mine just all light up when focus is achieved.

Menu -> AF5 -> AF point display during focus -> Selected (focused)

You can also do

Menu -> Playback -> AF point disp -> Enable

And you'll get that DPP like view when you review images in the viewfinder, but certainly in One-Shot mode it show the point that I locked focus on, not whether that point had focus at exposure time.

 

[tasteofjace]

That is cool. Is there anyway to make just the points that catch focus light up in the camera's viewfinder? Mine just all light up when focus is achieved.

Menu -> AF5 -> AF point display during focus -> Selected (focused)

You can also do

Menu -> Playback -> AF point disp -> Enable

And you'll get that DPP like view when you review images in the viewfinder, but certainly in One-Shot mode it show the point that I locked focus on, not whether that point had focus at exposure time.

Thank you for this info! Something i've been wondering about all this "Sharp" business. What exactly should I be expecting from the my MKIII in terms of sharpness?

I'm coming from a T3i and the images are definitely sharper from my MKIII, BUT i'm not sure if I'm getting the maximum sharpness.

 

[awinphoto]

skinsfactory... I looked at your photo... what shot mode where you using? zone? I noticed it had a bunch of points turned red... Have you tried single point/point expansion/detail single point? On my 7d, when using zone or full auto zone (all 19 points) the camera gets very hit or miss on the focus, but on single, single expansion, spot single those give me the best results... Please let me know as if it's zone is as unpredictable as the 7D's, it could just be that...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Download the Adobe DNG release candidate and use it. I just received my 5D MK III last night, and my shots are razor sharp, even at ISO 12800. I'm waiting for a DPP fix, but the on screen shots are very sharp, its just a matter of something going wrong when being saved. It looks like excessive NR.

I'll play with my camera some today and post the images.

 

[iMagic]

I think Grahamaz might be right. Did the dog move between focus and shutter actuation? Also there are many focus points and at F2.8 that may be too many if the depth of field varies too much between the focus points. Have you tried to test on stationary objects. Try something flat at 2.8 and see if its OOF. Maybe a little Micro focus adjustment?

 

[awinphoto]

lastly what setting did you change on DPP? the high quality/high speed? Just making sure so I can best find the root of the problem. Lastly, it looks like the hairs on thee chest/front leg is in decent focus and was where the camera focused... Zone could be the reason but i'm awaiting confirmation of your shooting settings.

 

[tasteofjace]

That is cool. Is there anyway to make just the points that catch focus light up in the camera's viewfinder? Mine just all light up when focus is achieved.

Menu -> AF5 -> AF point display during focus -> Selected (focused)

You can also do

Menu -> Playback -> AF point disp -> Enable

And you'll get that DPP like view when you review images in the viewfinder, but certainly in One-Shot mode it show the point that I locked focus on, not whether that point had focus at exposure time.

So I did this, but no matter what I change, I still only see the center focus box and when It achieves focus, it disappears on the viewfinder? Any suggestions?

 

[awinphoto]

That is cool. Is there anyway to make just the points that catch focus light up in the camera's viewfinder? Mine just all light up when focus is achieved.

Menu -> AF5 -> AF point display during focus -> Selected (focused)

You can also do

Menu -> Playback -> AF point disp -> Enable

And you'll get that DPP like view when you review images in the viewfinder, but certainly in One-Shot mode it show the point that I locked focus on, not whether that point had focus at exposure time.

So I did this, but no matter what I change, I still only see the center focus box and when It achieves focus, it disappears on the viewfinder? Any suggestions?

Are you shooting in zone AF? this is what it sounds like you are doing? If you shoot single or expansion, you will only see the AF points available until you move them to a new location and only those AF points in focus within the points you selected will light up when focused. Makes it easier to pin point where you want focused instead of letting the camera guess for you.

 

[grahamsz]

So I did this, but no matter what I change, I still only see the center focus box and when It achieves focus, it disappears on the viewfinder? Any suggestions?

Don't particularly feel like explaining canon's af system to you, but try putting your camera in A+ mode on the mode dial and playing with it then. That picks a fairly sensible set of AF points

 

[grahamsz]

Download the Adobe DNG release candidate and use it. I just received my 5D MK III last night, and my shots are razor sharp, even at ISO 12800. I'm waiting for a DPP fix, but the on screen shots are very sharp, its just a matter of something going wrong when being saved. It looks like excessive NR.

I'll play with my camera some today and post the images.

I'm using the DNG converter -> lightroom workflow and quite happy too

 

[JR]

Download the Adobe DNG release candidate and use it. I just received my 5D MK III last night, and my shots are razor sharp, even at ISO 12800. I'm waiting for a DPP fix, but the on screen shots are very sharp, its just a matter of something going wrong when being saved. It looks like excessive NR.

I'll play with my camera some today and post the images.

Good to know you got a good copy. When you look at your in camera JPG on the rear screen, do they look sharp there as well? On my unit literally 100% of the in camera JPG were soft on the rear panel. Just curious.

 

[eeek]

The focus confirmation is a circle on the far right, bottom of the view finder.

 

[tasteofjace]

That is cool. Is there anyway to make just the points that catch focus light up in the camera's viewfinder? Mine just all light up when focus is achieved.

Menu -> AF5 -> AF point display during focus -> Selected (focused)

You can also do

Menu -> Playback -> AF point disp -> Enable

And you'll get that DPP like view when you review images in the viewfinder, but certainly in One-Shot mode it show the point that I locked focus on, not whether that point had focus at exposure time.

So I did this, but no matter what I change, I still only see the center focus box and when It achieves focus, it disappears on the viewfinder? Any suggestions?

Are you shooting in zone AF? this is what it sounds like you are doing? If you shoot single or expansion, you will only see the AF points available until you move them to a new location and only those AF points in focus within the points you selected will light up when focused. Makes it easier to pin point where you want focused instead of letting the camera guess for you.

I'm starting to feel a bit retarded.. haha

No matter what settings I change in AF I still get the same thing through my viewfinder. It's blank until I hold the button down half way, then I get a center box that disappears as soon as it grabs focus. :-\

 

[grahamsz]

When you cycle through the AF modes, the one that just shows you an outline of the whole AF area is the 61 point full auto one. Or just flip your mode dial into A+ so you can see what you are looking for.

I can get it so when i hold two fingers up in front of the lens the overlaid squares look like a U shape.