Prescreen advice?

[Sandra]

Another bunch of my nooby photos. Is the composition OK or should I try and find other angles? Thanks for your help!

The composition seems to be ok but the photos are showing issues with contrast and sharpness.

[pandapilot]

Another bunch of my nooby photos. Is the composition OK or should I try and find other angles? Thanks for your help!

[dlowwa]

You mean - similar unacceptable because of the composition/noise?

You may only upload one image per side/sequence. These images were taken seconds apart; in the future please choose just one.

[dlowwa]

Thanks! This is my final take on these frames, if they cannot get any better I'll ask my friend to lend me his manual soviet 135mm and see if it makes any difference. I've reduced clarity, saturation and dehaze settings to zero and added some contrast.

These would be considered similar, though the sharpness looks acceptable.

[dlowwa]

Tried with a few other ones, these are the best ones I could find:

Those are all a bit soft too, but can't tell if blurry or not so may be fixable with better edits. If doing so, I'd crop a little less tightly.

[dlowwa]

Well... I use a cheap 50$ canon 75-300 lens (the only one I can afford ((( ), the camera was in Tv. Changed the image composition (honestly tried to copy this two https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/9596063 and https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/9380372, taken at the exact same spot) and reducted the noise.

Better, but aircraft is still somewhat soft/blurry. Maybe you should try editing a frame that doesn't have that issue so badly.

[dlowwa]

P.S. I tried to set sharpening settings as shown in the video tutorial (amount 100, radius 1.6, detail 72, masking 50), but I don't see any difference on my monitor. Here is the result:

This is better, though noisier, and other issues remain.

In general, best way to avoid a soft image is to make sure the original is as sharp as possible - this is influenced by many factors such as lens quality, camera settings, weather conditions, so it would be difficult to say what exactly is causing it in your image(s). You can also hide such quality deficiencies by using a lower resolution like 1200pix instead of 1500.

[dlowwa]

Another try with new photos. Tried to take them in the best conditions possible, any advise on processing/acceptability?

1. soft, cut off
2. soft/blurry, horizon, centering

[dlowwa]

Thanks! Is this one better?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]29689[/ATTACH]

Horizon is ok, but very soft now, and stabilizer is cut off.

[dlowwa]

I took this picture in more sunny conditions - is it any better? It is cropped a little so I can correct the composition if it's looking wrong. Thank you for your help and feedback in advance.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]29674[/ATTACH]

Horizon's a bit off (needs CW rotation) and needs better centering, but quality looks ok.

[dlowwa]

That's why I was asking about the camera. It is very noisy at 200+ ISO, and in weather like this I have to shoot f/11 1/800 at 1600 ISO (and even after that I have to add the exposure in lightroom). The results are not very good...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]29268[/ATTACH]

As I hinted at, nothing to do with your camera, and everything to do with the conditions and skill/knowledge of the photographer. A $4000 camera/lens would unlikely provide materially better results I guess.

[dlowwa]

Thanks! And "right conditions" mean more sun and a better place to spot?

Basically, yes.

That could be a real problem for me, considering I am taking mist of my pictures in St. Peteresburg (ULLI/LED). We have around 60 sunny days per year and quite a few spotting events...

Speaking as one, such is the plight of spotters who live in northerly areas

[dlowwa]

And can the noise or blur be the result of using a cheap camera/lens (2008 canon 400d and 75-300 zoom)? I can not affird a more expensive one bc I am broke(

No, more a result of you shooting in less that ideal conditions. Under the right conditions, such equipment should be more than enough to produce images with good enough quality to be accepted.

[ShipSash]

These are right accepted photos. For your images look histogram for details. This issue is may be easy corrected by levels in PS unlike other issues.

[ShipSash]

Hello. I am not screener but all your photos are not acceptable.
Reasons:
1. Dark/Underexposed
Composition/Centering
Little contrast
Noise/Grain
Jpg compression artefacts
Undersharpen/soft
2. Dark/Underexposed
Composition/Centering
Little contrast
Noise/Grain
Jpg compression artefacts
Undersharpen/soft
3. Dark/Underexposed
Composition/Centering
Noise/Grain
Jpg compression artefacts
Undersharpen/soft
4. Dark/Underexposed
Composition/Centering
Little contrast
Noise/Grain
Jpg compression artefacts
Undersharpen/soft
Blurry
Heat distortion
5. Dark/Underexposed
Noise/Grain
Jpg compression artefacts
Undersharpen/soft
Backlit
And all have dust spots.