TIPS FOR SHARP IMAGES

Stan Hill

Evergreen Camera Club

April 2014

CHANGES

Fujifilm velvia 50, f-22, manual focus, wood tripod, cable release…………

Now…while principle similar, more options

Hand Held Shots The longer the lens the more critical Rule of thumb: Shutter speed at 1/focal length

of lens (for full frame/35mm film cameras) If full frame, using 100mm lens then 1/100sec But if smaller sensor such as APS-c or MFT

(micro 4/3rds) then must uses faster speed APS-C 100mm lens x 1.5 = 1/150sec MFT 100mm lens x 2 = 1/200sec

IF 500mm lens then 1/500sec (full frame) 1/750sec on cropped and 1/1000 sec (MFT)

Do not over-estimate your ability to hold that much lens stable. Yes you can lean against something, rest lens on something, this is all good….but if really have the time and subject is stable do all you can to get lens stable. Saying that even in landscapes where subject is not moving, light can be very quick. So if great light I snap off a few images then set up tripod etc. and hope light is still great.

Can test your stability…pix with and w/o tripod to see how good you really are.

Careful with auto exp & aperture priority..keep eye on shutter speed

IS or VR lens

I personally own some, but I try not to put too much faith in them. Again, I do not want to over estimate my ability to hold lens perfectly stable.

Great for low light, where long exposure will not work and speed of lens is max’ed out.

Tripods

I like light and small for hiking & travel, but basically the bigger and heavier the more stable, so a trade off. Also do not over-estimate the power of a tripod. Wind is a factor, so if possible keep low (avoid center column extension, legs of tripod wide, can add weight to many tripods to hold down (use camera bag or plastic bag full of dirt/rocks/sand), one leg in moving water can transmit vibration).

Nice body/lens/tripod/technique….but cheap filter….I rarely use UV filter or a protective clear filter.If use polarizer, neutral density or any other

filters, use good quality.

Lens Quality Personal preference

I admit have had some problems with after market manufacturers.

Can get very very costlyLength and weight (f-4 vs. 2.8) of lens can make

harder to hand hold and even on tripod less stable (weak tripod head/light tripod)

Prime (fixed) versus zooms….I own a few fixed lens, one is very heavy, one mostly for night photography…..I find the zooms great, and enjoy the flexibility & most of my images are with the zooms.

Lens optics

Diffraction- loss of image quality due to light waves through a small opening

Aberration-loss of image quality due to light waves passing through a lens

Many changes in manufacturing to address changes in light as pass from front of lens to sensor in back of camera (multi lens coatings etc.)

Sharpness vs. Focus With a smaller aperture there is greater

depth of field. In the 1930’s there was the f-64 club, (7 photographers who concentrated on sharp well composed images, Adams, Weston etc.). . So just set camera at smallest aperture, but notice that while more of the image in focus, it may not be really sharp. This is due to diffraction. As shoot wider angle shots can see loss of sharpness at edges, this is primarily aberration. So find your lens sweet spot.

Your Lens Sweet SpotWhere you get the sharpest image

Most say for most lenses is at 2-3 f-stops from wide open. So if 4.0 lens then sweet spot is f-8 or 11, if 2.8 lens then at f-5.6 or 8. (1.4,2,2.8,4,5.6,8,11,16,22)

Find it yourselfSet at aperture priority and shoot same

image under same light at different aperture, look at images (download) under magnification to see where looks sharpest.

Fear not high ISO’s Now with noise reduction and better quality

cameras can push ISO levels quite high “better to have sharp image with a little noise

than a soft image with no noise” Rod Sheppard (outdoor photography, Feb. 2014)

See specs on your body….I know when I get up to about 3200 I do not like the noise.

Also many computer programs can help with noise reduction.

I do not use noise reduction feature in camera.

Pistol marksmanship

Squeeze the trigger slowly Deep inhalation, slow exhalation,

squeeze slow, when off target, stop squeeze (do not release), back on target continue to squeeze

Find dominate eye, and use “should be a surprise when the gun

fires” Col. Wayne Hill ret.( green beret spec. forces ranger).

Flow over to image capture Push shutter slowly, if too jerky can

easily get movement (burst mode) If not fast moving subject, let is be a

surprise when shutter goes off. I use dominate eye (L) Breathing important, try to say calm and

relaxed when capturing that once in a lifetime image.

Focus on Camera Can use auto focus….can adjust focus

point Can use manual focus IF really critical….I will put in live view (this

will lock up mirror also), 10x magnification, move focus point to where must be perfect and manually set focus.

For night photography will use green laser pointer and focus and gaffers tape to tape focus ring down

Quick tips

shutter release or 2 sec self timer

Live view or mirror lock up, eliminate vibration from mirror lifting out of way of image on sensor

Take bursts (use the sharpest image in the group)

If lens comes with collar use it to mount on tripod, if not stress on tripod head and everything wants to tilt forward