Critique Please.

[Tiercel 6,986]

I have been trying to get my head around ISO and depth of field. Yesterday I took a walk up a river valley that is very overgrown and quite dark. Here are some of the shots I got if I can remember correctly I will give the ISO and F for each shot. The problem I have is, as the new screen has not yet arrived I have to wait till I get home to see each shot.

 

This was taken with f5.6 @ 400 ISO as there was light coming in from the left.

 

 

This one was taken with f11@ 100 ISO

 

 

This next shot it was quite dark with just odd streaks of sunlight above the tree.

Taken @ f5'6 I think and 1600 ISO

 

 

This shot of the water gushing out of the pipe was F5.6 and 3200 ISO I thought the higher shutter rate would catch the droplets of water flicking of the main flow.

 

 

The last shot was of a swarm of gnats down the river I cannot remember what the F was and not sure but I think it was 800 ISO.

 

 

If anyone can tell me where I am going wrong or how to make the shots better, I would be very grateful.

 

TC

 

 

 

 

[J Darcy 5,871]

In what way do you want to improve the shots? make them crisper?

[Tiercel 6,986]

Crisper, better settings, any ideas people have. Not too worried about composition as I will never be artistic.

 

TC

Edited May 14, 2015 by tiercel

[Lid 194]

And what camera and lens is it too?

[Tiercel 6,986]

Canon 600D with a EFS 18-55 IS lens, but no back screen for the moment.

 

TC

[Lid 194]

You should be able to get the exif data off the photos to confirm the settings used.

 

Although higher ISO will allow smaller apertures for good for depth of field and/or higher shutter speeds, it's best to keep the ISO as low as you can for quality. You could try using a tripod to achieve this, but watch when it's windy with long exposures (ie longer than 1/60).

 

My thoughts:

 

Photo 1 - needs a higher f stop

Photo 2 - I like this and I think it is only limited by the quality of the lens (which isn't bad at all!)

Photo 3 - the high ISO has caused reduction in quality and high noise

Photo 4 - same problem as 3, plus it would be interesting to know what the shutter speed was

Photo 5 - over exposed and ISO too high. Did you have spot metering set as it seems be exposed for the level of light by the bench?

 

I think the Canon 600D has Depth of Field preview button. Have you tried it? To get best DoF, you need higher f stops and focus on the foreground. ISO as low as you dare. There is a point where you don't need to increase the f stop depending on the distance of the scene. I can't remember how to ascertain it though, apart from trial and error.

[walshie 2,804]

Whatever the technical quality, I really like the 2nd pic. Where is it?

 

All look good to the layman TC.

[Tiercel 6,986]

Thanks, I think I am beginning to understand now. This is the exif data for number 4. Manual exposure, ¹/256 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1600

 

TC

[Tiercel 6,986]

Whatever the technical quality, I really like the 2nd pic. Where is it?

 

All look good to the layman TC.

Local reservoir. Swiss Valley.

 

TC

[paulus 26]

most landscapes use f8 to f10, for highlighting individual objects/features then go lower on the f stop, in general the larger the f number the higher the ISO but that is also true of shutter speed, but in those pictures other than maybe achieving an effect on the running water then your priorities would be a slow a shutter speed as possible combined with as as low an ISO as possible, if that makes sense. a better lens with Image stabalisation will help for hand held shots.

[Lid 194]

Thanks, I think I am beginning to understand now. This is the exif data for number 4. Manual exposure, ¹/256 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1600

 

TC

 

1/256 is too slow to freeze the water drops. See here for a useful looking article.

[paulus 26]

and turn auto iso off

[mattybugeye 885]

I use a low ISO around 100 - 200 outdoors to reduce noise and preserve image quality

Only bump up my ISO if light is bad

I use the lowest f stop I can to get a faster image and nice bokeh

It's hard with a kit Lense as they not really great quality

I use a Nikon 300mm f4 for wildlife

And a 35mm Nikon dx f1.8 for most other photography use both on lowest f stop unless after motion blur

Your pics look ok just keep noise down and shoot on apiture priority until you get used to rest of your settings

I'm still learning but they my findings so far lol

[J Darcy 5,871]

IMO the lens looks 'soft'. This is not a focus issue, but a lens quality issue.

To freeze water drops you'll have to crank the speed up to 1000, or go the other way and get it on a tripod and shoot at 1/2 sec with a deep dof to create a liquid effect of the water....

[byron 1,279]

tiercel.

I would take on board what matty says..them kit lenses are shite....I know darcy reckons that the best picture he;s taken was with one of these,,must of been a good copy...your back screen will give you a different picture to what comes out on your computer screen..ok if your using histogram.i would stick it into av mode,,until you know your way around it..try auto bracketing..it will take three pics,,under expose, cock on, and over expose..i know afew lads around here who shoot in manuel..[very experienced]but if the light is constantly changing you will miss that shot,,IF you aren't constantly checking exposure/iso,others I know shoot in av all the time.i know manuels the way to go but I would try a better lens..the canon is 70/300mm is a good cheap lens and the copy I have takes nice clean pictures..

good luck..

 

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