how can i improve my image sharpness?

[deedspender]

hi !!
i have been using my canon 300d in RAW with the standard efs 18-55mm lens, i'm mostly shooting landscapes so the 18mm lens does me fine but i have just started to include people within the foreground and middleground areas, but noticed that the focal clarity /detail just isn't there, so i need a heck of a lot more sharpness within these areas, as i'm sure we've all tried to add a little sharpness with photoshop but too much process wrecks the quality of the printed image !!


so i would like to know if there is anything i can add to the lens to give extra focal clarity? or do i have to go down the line of spending hundreds of pounds on a newer much better quality lens, if so please can you tell me the name of a good quality lens i can purchace which will help me acheive my goals !!

do i need a lens with macro to acheive this? i have never used macro so i'm not really sure wether its appropriate in this instant !!

please let me know if you have any ideas to help me with my issues !!

many thanx

Declan.:rolleyes:

[nitsch]

Hi Declan, the kit lens isn't too bad but you need to stop it down to f8 - f11 to get the best out of it. This will give you a greater depth of field also so that your subjects and the landscape behind them are all in acceptable focus. Of course the kit lens has its limitations and if you are already stopping it down but not getting the sharpness you desire then more expensive glass is probably needed. I'm sure someone with a more extensive equipment list than me will be along soon to advise on some appropriate lenses.

You don't need macro for this type of work, macro is close up work - have a browse in the macro forum, you'll soon get the idea! :)

[nitsch]

I should also add that seeing as you are shooting in RAW your images will need some post processing to get the best out of them. How have you been sharpening your images?

[csnudelman]

Try this, take every shot over the next 4-6 weeks using a tripod. AND I MEAN EVERY SHOT. None of this one this way and one another way but ALL shots on a tripod. Then judge your lens. If I were a betting man (I'm not, I'm a compulsive gambler in recovery) I'd bet you could tell a big difference. Oh, and if you got some kind of UV or Skylight filter on the lens take that off too.

[etaf]

have a look at the exif info and see what sort of aperture you are using.
to get sharpness front to back you will need to use a high F8, F11 aperture to get good Depth of Field.
Now to get some idea on DoF have a lok at this website it will give you the range of sharpness you can expect for a given focal length, aperture and where you focused.
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

theres a lot of line calculators and programs to print out cards you can put in your camera bag
I have listed quite a few here
http://www.dpforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1404

The next thig to consider is the hyperfocal distance
here is a description
http://www.vividlight.com/articles/3513.htm
basically it allows for the maximum DoF - if you focus at infinity then you are wasting potential DoF - so you focus nearer
again those links will also give you that info

a tutorial on DoF
http://www.dpchallenge.com/tutorial.php?TUTORIAL_ID=1

and as said above - use a tripod - camera shake will have an impact - also you will need to use a cable release/remote release or self timer - do not press the shutter with your hand that will cause shake too.

[ron chappel]

hi !!
i have been using my canon 300d in RAW with the standard efs 18-55mm lens, i'm mostly shooting landscapes so the 18mm lens does me fine but i have just started to include people within the foreground and middleground areas, but noticed that the focal clarity /detail just isn't there, so i need a heck of a lot more sharpness within these areas, as i'm sure we've all tried to add a little sharpness with photoshop but too much process wrecks the quality of the printed image !!


It sounds like the main issue you have to deal with is depth of field. Use smaller apertures (larger aperture numbers) so that everything is in focus.
Coincidentally this will greatly help the overal softness of that lens which only starts to get reasonably sharp when up around f8-11
Also learn about hyperfocal distances because they very much apply to this situation

Well i hope that is the problem anyway:)
It sounds very much like you are allready doing post proccessing about as good as can be done.The next step is spending ;)

[Mohawk]

I agree with the others, it sounds like a depth of field issue.

As far as your post processing needs, this is what I found works the best for myself:

You will need all three software programs listed below, as they all work together. And I wish someone would have told me about the below months ago! It has really put the fun back into photography for me. All of this post processing was getting to be a real pain in the a-s up until now. All software has versions for both Mac and PC.

PhaseOne C1 LE or Pro
PhotoShop 8 or newer, up to PSCS2
FLEXSharp v2.0

1. Open RAW image from camera in C1, save as 8 bit TIFF.
2. Open 8 bit TIFF in PhotoShop, make any needed image adjustments. Do not sharpen!
3. In PhotoShop, open Action Pallet and run FLEXSharp.
4. You are done.

It really is that simple. And the final image will simply blow your mind! The key to getting the incredible images is FLEXSharp. I cannot say enough good things about it. It must run your image through 50+ sharpening steps, all automatically, with PS Actions. I know that I could never do this manually. And if I could, it would take an hour or more, and I would never get it right.

Here is where you can get the software:

PhaseOne C1 LE or Pro
www.phaseone.com
Mac or PC internet downloadable
C1 LE and PRO have a full version free trial period.
Purchase price LE $99/PRO $499

PhotoShop 8 or newer
www.adobe.com

FLEXSharp v2.0
Send an email to Ferenc, he is the creater of FLEXSharp.
feharmat@hotmail.com
He will get back to you with ordering instructions
It is also Mac and PC compatible.
But you must own a copy of PhotoShop 8 or newer to use FLEXSharp!
Cost: $29.95 payable via PayPal

As I said, I wish someone would have told me about this combination of software months ago. The time saved and the incredible images are well worth the money.

In regards to FLEXSharp, I would post some images, but I don't have any on this computer. You can find some images here: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/search.asp?query=ferenc&forum=all Just wade through the posts.

Mike

My disclaimer: The above is what I like to use as of now. It is fast and very easy to use. If you use other methods that's great, this is what I have found that suits my needs and may not be for everyone.

[etaf]

Mohawk,
Have you tried RSE http://www.pixmantec.com/products/rawshooter_essentials.html (http://[url=) i believe this has been written by the developers of capture one and is as good if not better plus its free

[Mohawk]

ETAF,

No, I have not tried it... Checking it out right now... Only available on the PC, nuts! I have a PC, but but perfer my Macs for the images. I'll check it out though, I'll download a copy for my Personal Confuser and see how it works. Thanks!

Mike

[Keiffer]

I second Rawshooter. Excellent program and it's free! I swap between CS2 and Rawshooter for processing.

[Hellashot]

Try this, take every shot over the next 4-6 weeks using a tripod. AND I MEAN EVERY SHOT. None of this one this way and one another way but ALL shots on a tripod.

That's a bit extreme of a testing period. One day of tripod shooting should be fine. And if he's shooting landscape he should already be using small appetures F16+

And with RAW, on ISO 100 I leave sharpening at 0 during the conversion, then apply 400% with radius 1 threshold 0 when I want to print at 4x6, backing off slightly as the ISOs get higher and my print size gets larger.

[DavidEB]

I agree that it's mainly a DOF issue and increasing the f-number will help, but if that results in slower shutter speeds then you'll get another source of fuzziness. Hence the tripod advice. A way around that is to bump you ISO so that your shutter speed is way above 1/(focal length * 1.6). For kit lens at 55mm, this means faster than 1/100, preferably 1/200.

also, try all that before spending more money on software.

If you think it's a software issue, explore the full abilities of the software you have before spending more money. Your 300 came with PS elements 2 and canon's raw converter, with those you should be able to get good results.

Everybody gets to pick their own favorite USM settings. I recommend you start with minimal settings and work up until you find what you like. amount=50, radius=0.2, threshhold=0.5 is really minimal, work up on amount first, keep radius below 2. Don't let halos or jagged edges take over (too much USM).


good luck.

[ttmatsu]

Well, I'm going to bring up something that the others haven't - lighting. When you are not using "high" quality glass, shadow details is one of the areas that really suffer. If the people in the foreground are close enough, try using fill flash if their faces are not well lit. Or ask them to turn slightly so their faces have more light, less shadow. I'm assuming you are satisfied with the landscape portion of the your picture, it's the people portion that doesn't meet your expectations. Assuming you have adequate DOF and you are focusing on the people then recomposing your shot or just keeping your focus on the people, the quality of light is a big determining factor in the level of detail in the faces. I have several pictures where someone's clothing is crisp and full of detail in the light but their face in shadow looks like it is OOF but it is simply losing detail.

Also, try using just the center focus if you aren't already doing that.

[csnudelman]

That's a bit extreme of a testing period.

No, it is not. If one is serious about photography as a lifetime hobby shortcuts are time wasted.

[ed rader]

hi !!
i have been using my canon 300d in RAW with the standard efs 18-55mm lens, i'm mostly shooting landscapes so the 18mm lens does me fine but i have just started to include people within the foreground and middleground areas, but noticed that the focal clarity /detail just isn't there, so i need a heck of a lot more sharpness within these areas, as i'm sure we've all tried to add a little sharpness with photoshop but too much process wrecks the quality of the printed image !!


so i would like to know if there is anything i can add to the lens to give extra focal clarity? or do i have to go down the line of spending hundreds of pounds on a newer much better quality lens, if so please can you tell me the name of a good quality lens i can purchace which will help me acheive my goals !!

do i need a lens with macro to acheive this? i have never used macro so i'm not really sure wether its appropriate in this instant !!

please let me know if you have any ideas to help me with my issues !!

many thanx

Declan.:rolleyes:

i was never happy with landscapes until i got my two tamron lenses. my suggestions is to get a better lens.

i used my tamron 17-35 a lot this weekend in monterey and big sur and it does a consistently great job. the 28-75 is even a hair better.

previously i had tried the canon 28-135, canon 24-85 and the tokina plastic fantastic and i was very disappointed with the results.

ed rader

http://www.fototime.com/6F96E38C020C4DC/orig.jpg

[deedspender]

hi !!!
many thanx for all your replys so far !!

I'm quite happy with my depth of field at the moment and quite happy to compromise my background clarity for a much sharper foreground and middle ground, i have been using a tripod but must admit i have been pressing the shutter button manually, so i will be as advised using a remote trigger for a few weeks to prevent possible camera shake !!

all my outdoor photos i prefere to take in natural light as i think its important (to me) that the pics remain as natural as possible, i live in a small seaside town on the north east coast of England called Whitby, as some of you may be aware this is where the renowned 19th century photographer Frank Meadow Sutcliffe created many stunning people/portrait images, i still believe these images can be recreated but with perhaps more modern characters and will endeavour to do so.

most of my practice work/play will involve my children being the models as they are always with me and i don't have to pay them !!!

if your not familiar with the work of FRANK MEADOW SUTCLIFFE check out this link !!!

http://www.sutcliffe-gallery.co.uk/

thanx again for all your help !!!
i'll let you know how i get on with my remote shake tests !!
if any one has any more sugestions please let me know !!!
best regards!!
Declan !!

[Gary_E]

i just tried rawshooter and it sounds like flexsharp will do the sharpening a bit easier?

[mdm]

very good.

[Hellashot]

No, it is not. If one is serious about photography as a lifetime hobby shortcuts are time wasted.

One day of testing is not a shortcut. I happily disagree with you. :)

[KevC]

I find USM @ xx0% and 0.5pix and 0pix works well. If it's a detailed shot (lotsa people) I find 100% is fine. If it's a portrait with one or two people, I use 245%.

There are also beta sharpening scripts that are said to be awesome in the Post Processing forum. Give those a shot!

i just tried rawshooter and it sounds like flexsharp will do the sharpening a bit easier?

[bachscuttler]

Has anyone else tried the LAB mode sharpening technique?

Switch to LAB mode, click on the Lightness channel (this turns the image view to B&W), apply USM to that channel then switch back to RGB mode.

I haven't a clue why it works, but I noticed a marked difference in my shots.

[ron chappel]

I remember reading about this but haven't tried it much yet.
This may be because elements may not have lab mode and i despise the complexity of CS...
I'll look into it again :)

[etaf]

i keep forgetting to do it that way - I know somone who only uses this method and the images always look great

[grego]

I know no one mentioned it because they were explaining why your photos are soft, but.......

Since you do landscapes and want a wide angle. Why not put some money into a quality lens, like the 17-40.

[bachscuttler]

I know no one mentioned it because they were explaining why your photos are soft, but.......

Since you do landscapes and want a wide angle. Why not put some money into a quality lens, like the 17-40.

Yep, agree with that...its always better to get the sharpness on the lens in the first place rather than rely on post processing.

Regarding the Lab mode sharpening, I use it in conjunction with an alpha channel and 'find edges' which is particularly good for landscapes as it tends to leave relatively flat areas alone and picks out foreground detail.

Gotta dashoff to work (07:15 in UK)...I'll type out the exact steps when I get home.
You can get some really impressive results with this method.

[Sailare]

When I ask this question of a more experienced friend of mine, He told me to "Go to L "

Lots of good tips to date on this tread, not much else to add.