d5100 images blurred.

[VulgarDisplay]

With my 18-55 kit lens the images a hardly ever in focus. Is this just a problem with it being a cheap lense or could something actually be wrong?

The 55-200 seems to give much better results.

 

[CuriousMike]

Post examples.

 

[iGas]

Take pictures at 1/250s or faster shutter speed.

One picture at minimum focus distant at 12", one picture at 10', and one at infinity and post them in here. One set at 18mm and one set at 55mm.

 

[Indus]

Sounds like one lens is front or back focusing because the other one focuses correctly.

Do a focus test with a tripod.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

The focus point in software is directly on the center of the bird. Everything just looks soft, and this is actually with the good lense.

Looking at the image data though I think I may have made a stupid mistake while taking all the shots from this day. It was overcast, and we were on a boat that was moving, and I had the camera on aperture mode.

Took some portraits at the dock before leaving on the tour and had aperturn locked at 5.6 which now occurs to me was stupid for having these types of shots in focus because of the smaller focus plane due to the wide aperture. I should have gone up to like f/8 and used a higher ISO to get quicker shutter speeds. I'm assuming that's what the major issue was. Most of the shots I took that day have this soft focus to them.

 

[Scooby Doo]

Try taking pictures with contrast detection (aka live view). See if the results are better. My t2i's phase focus isn't quite as good as liveview, albiet much faster focusing though

 

[iGas]

It look liked the image is soft due to handshake upon close inspection. There is plenty of depth of field in that picture at f5.6 to get the crane in sharp focus. And, close down to f8 would yield better sharpness due to less lens aberration.

Rule of thumb for except able keepers rate shutter speed must be 1/lens focal length (X1.5 Nikon APSC).

ie.

55mm would be, 1/55*1.5 = 1/82.5s or 1/100s

200mm would be 1/300s

And often, it is suggested to get 100% keeper rate shutter speed should be increase by 1 stop, hence 55mm would be 1/200s, and 200mm would be 1/600s. And, shutter speed must be at least at 1/500s if the subject is moving such as walking, 1/800s-1/1000s for running, and at least 1/1000s if you are moving while taking picture of stationary subject.

 

[CuriousMike]

Per the EXIF, shutter speed was 1/640 ---- so that's double the indicated shutter speed for 200mm - with good light. But you were on a boat... moving.

I don't know.

I would try it while not on a boat moving and see if you get better results.

Edit:
I just went outside and used my son as an example; I used my 55-200, ISO 200, f5.6 @ 200mm
Variables for this include me being ~ 30 feet away from him, and you were waay further from the bird.... not to mention your body is a generation better.

 

[fetoma]

Try using it in manual focus to see if it's any better.

 

[camera1511]

Should using Manual Focus to see result . And Diff with Auto Focus .

 

[Anteaus]

Also try different focus modes. For that bird image I would have gone with single point targeting the birds eye. It would be very easy for the camera to choose inappropriate focus points in a frame like that as the object of focus is is so small in comparison to the rest of the scene. Understanding which focus modes to use in what situation is critical. You may already be using single point but I'm just throwing it out there.

I also agree with others that motion blur may play a role. As others as said with a crop sensor you need to multiply the focal length by ~1.5 to get a "minimum usable" shutter speed, but realistically you need a little bit more. Add the boat motion into the equation and you need even more as the boat is moving the camera much more than if you were standing still and holding it.