Getting sharper images

dnme

Ive been messing about with DSLR's for a few years now. I have a Canon 60D with 18-135 kit lens, 50mm 1.8 and a Sigma 10-20. I have found that getting razor sharp images still eludes me to a greater extent. I'm fairly clued up on DOF, Hyperfocal distance, lens sweet spots, IS v Tripod etc.

When using AF, I usually use the centre AF point and then re-compose if necessary. Otherwise I use manual focus. I find I get great results from the Sigma 10-20 to be fair.

Anyway, last week I bought my first L lens (second hand from adverts). it's the Canon 24-105 f4 L. I took it out on Saturday morning and tried a few shots at varying f stops from f4 to f11. I guess I was expecting a bit more than I got. I find the initial images to be on a par with the kit lens so I guess I need to learn more and practice more. Just slightly disappointed I guess.

Here are a couple of images. PP'd with clarity and shaprening to about 60 in Lightroom then exported to Facebook size. The one of the garden ornament was taken on a tripod, 2sec self timer, manual focus etc. The bananas were centre point AF. What do you think? Am I imagining this? or are these a bit soft?

DaireQuinlan

Sharpness is a bourgeois concept



Seriously though, why is it so important to you ? It's an objective measurable quantity, but I think it has as much to do with an image being 'good' or 'bad' as whether or not the shot was, say, taken on film or digital.

dirtyghettokid

they don't look too bad to me. they aren't "razor sharp", but they look fine.

i have an unhealthy obsession with getting sharp images... i just can't get em either. i'd love to get all my stuff calibrated to see what i'd get then.

AnimalRights

90% of the time I prefer sharp though...

DNME have you tried shooting in back button mode focus?
Less chance of camera shake too..

dnme

Thanks for the replies folks. I appreciate some of the points about images being about so much more than sharpness. However the point of this thread is - achieving sharpness when sharpness is the very point. I have some great images that are unsharp, and I love them, but here I am trying out a new lens, and historically I notice that in a lot fo cases when I go for sharpness, I don't nail it. So this thread is a technical thread about sharpness. I am looking to open a discussion on this basis I guess.

AnimalRights

You're correct and well explained.
But again BBF is def a way forward for accurate focusing.
Referring ur images since they are static I def would expect sharper...I don't see an exif can u post?

dnme

AnimalRights wrote: »

You're correct and well explained.
But again BBF is def a way forward for accurate focusing.
Referring ur images since they are static I def would expect sharper...I don't see an exif can u post?

Here you go AR

Garden Ornament
1/200 Sec, F4, ISO 100, 60mm (EF24-105mm f.4L IS USM)
Tripod, IS turned off, 2sec self timer, Manual Focus

Bananas
1/500 sec, f8, ISO 100, 105mm (EF24-105mm f.4L IS USM)
Auto Focus

Why or how does BBF help? You still have to press the front button anyway to take the shot,

pete4130

BBF is really good for almost all scenarios. I find for non tripod close up/macro stuff switching the focus back to the shutter works better. Thats just me.

The Bananas are shot at 105mm which is the long end of the lens. A zoom lens generally won't perform as well at either extreme on its focal lengths. It could be a reason.

Can you post 100% crops of the area you focused on to see how sharp it is? It would be easier to see.

AnimalRights

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/backbutton_af_article.shtml

I spent ages practising in a Pub one day...I have a dreadful memory but once you get used to it....although it isn't for every1.

Snowie

What is your method for resizing an image?

But please bear in mind that the 105 is not a prime and in terms of old age the 105 is really due a 105 mk2 tbh

homerun_homer

Was looking at this this morning, might be useful.

macannrb

Like the OP, I'm very interested in getting sharper photos and I think I would be very disappointed too if I had splashed out on a lot of kit without getting good results.

This might be of interest though, especially considering you get results with your wide angle lens. It might help to improve the holding of your camera. A guy here applies the same techniques of sharp shooting to holding a camera. There are lots of helpful posture photos to help too.

http://www.pentaxforums.com/reviews/long-exposure-handhelds/introduction.html