Images not as sharp as wanted

Here's to my first thread....

About a month ago I bought a T3i (first DSLR) with a 18-135 kit lens and a Tiffen UV filter. I love the camera but more times than not I'm dissatisfied with the overall results of the photo. They don't seem to POP like a lot of the pictures I've seen taken with my set-up. .

I've only looked at your first image closely but it seems fine. As good as an image straight from camera is ever going to get I'd say. One might suffer due to subject movement and a faster shutter speed would help with that.

What software do you use to post-process? Or rather, what sharpening routines do you follow?

Lowner wrote in post #13830119
I've only looked at your first image closely but it seems fine. As good as an image straight from camera is ever going to get I'd say. One might suffer due to subject movement and a faster shutter speed would help with that.

What software do you use to post-process? Or rather, what sharpening routines do you follow?

I have LR 4 beta. I'm very new to LR. As of now the only thing I mainly use it for is to adjust the exposure. I haven't really played around with the program too much. The 2nd photo is obviously overexposed.

Here are a few things I learned when I started:

1. Kit lenses aren't going to give you the results you see on here.
2. UV filters degrade the final image.
3. Most of the pictures you see posted in here have been manipulated in post processing.
4. Shoot RAW and then adjust, rather than letting the camera make your decisions for you. If you try to play around with images shot in JPEG, the file size diminishes quickly as it keeps getting recompressed.
5. Focusing and recomposing takes a little practice, depending on the DOF you are using. I usually select the focus point in the camera that is on the subject, especially when using a wide aperture.

#1 looks good. You are close to the dog and your aperture setting was good as well. Go back and look at the data on that shot. It's a tad underexposed, but the dog looks acceptably in focus and relatively sharp.

#2 looks like the camera missed focus. The stone work on the street low and left in frame appear to be the most in focus part of the image. Also, a really high f/n was selected so focus went nearly to infinity. Wider aperture, like f/4 would have made it easier to see where focus landed.

Focus on #3 looks ok. Lack of sharpness probably a result of slower shutter speed than you can steady enough for hand-holding. What was shutter speed?

You'll always have difficulty with a shot like #4 due to harsh sunlight and your camera looking for better contrast than your subject provided to achieve accurate focus.

What can you do? Do some testing on static (non-moving) targets to be sure that the AF on your camera and lens are in synch and achieving accurate focus is possible. Make sure you have good light and a high-contrast target.

Also, make sure that you shoot at a comfortable shutter speed. When I started it was 1/200 minimum to get good sharp results. This means you need to use the TV program on your camera or Manual Exposure option so you're assured of keeping shutter speed fast enough to produce sharp shots.

That should keep you busy until the Superbowl begins!

dave

As Dave said, selecting a fast enough shutter speed to stop subject movement is vital. I always pick a shutter speed at least twice the focal length I'm using, so at 135mm I'd be using 1/320 as my minimum.

Always check that the AF point you are using has a highish contrast target. Without a reasonable contrast it can fail to focus, or pick something else entirely, not what you might have assumed at all!

The focus in photo 3 is slightly beyond the subject. f/5.6 has given you a rather tight depth of field. A larger DoF would have possibly solved the issue, but really its just a matter of contrast again, or rather a lack of it.

deeselcyde wrote in post #13830253
Good to know. I don't think I've taken one JPEG photo, they've all been RAW. Thank you, I'll keep all of these in mind.

Okay - good but if you shoot RAW, you really need to sharpen in post.

I've sharpened it a touch to try and demonstrate the importance of proper post processing. Does it have more zip?

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You need to be careful when focusing and recomposing...there's a chance that part of the subject can fall out of the plane of focus when you reposition the camera. Also, proper exposure will help in making the pictures have a bit more pop...some of those posted seem to be a bit underexposed. With proper technique, exposure, composition, and lighting, and the right amount of processing, the kit lens should more than meet your needs.

Furthermore, the pictures that you see posted in the forums have all had some degree of post processing applied, and all by posters with with varying degrees of skill (not to mention many years of photographic experience). So don't lose too much sleep when comparing your shots to theirs.

Your kit lens should be able to give you crisp, clean shots.

Your first image looks fine focus wise. Focus and recompose can cause problems so if you can select a focus point close to the subject to minimize recompose.

DOF can be a big help. Get to know a bit about it for your lens - at least make sure you know how it works. Check DOF master here - http://www.dofmaster.c​om/dofjs.html

If you are new to LR check out the free presets available at http://www.ononesoftwa​re.com …erfect-presets-lightroom/

There are several I find quite useful and there is a group of sharpening and noise reduction presets that work great and are simple push buttons.

deeselcyde wrote in post #13831073
How would you have achieved spot on focus for this shot? Is there something that I should have done different? What if the subject is in shade? Flash?.

Fill-in flash can help by providing help to the AF system, but I think I'd naturally choose an aperture in the f/11 or f/16 area, which would increase the depth of field and then any slight focusing errors would be hidden.

Another way would be to AF on a contrasty point the same distance away and recompose. Both these come with their own problems and its a matter of judgement on the spot as the the preferred solution for any particular scenario.

But just remembering that the AF system needs a reasonable contrast will help you in future.

The first picture i would say is the best, the other are not to bad but they have nothing that pops like you said in your first post. With the Light Room program i would look into some "presets" i would google it and you can purchase some and then mess with the image from there or there are a few sits that have some good "presets" for free you can download.

Here is a quick edit with a high pass filter to sharpen the image, as well as a clone out of the person behind the dog....

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lets learn wrote in post #13837512
The first picture i would say is the best, the other are not to bad but they have nothing that pops like you said in your first post. With the Light Room program i would look into some "presets" i would google it and you can purchase some and then mess with the image from there or there are a few sits that have some good "presets" for free you can download.

My advice for the OP would be to get the exposure and composition correct first (read, study, practice)...then worry about actions, presets, and other software last. Don't simply press the shutter button and rely on software gimmicks to "get it right"...very bad habit to get into for a beginner.

argyle wrote in post #13843533
My advice for the OP would be to get the exposure and composition correct first (read, study, practice)...then worry about actions, presets, and other software last. Don't simply press the shutter button and rely on software gimmicks to "get it right"...very bad habit to get into for a beginner.

I could not agree more....

But I think all raw images benefit from some post processing work. I use LR3 presets to figure out HOW to adjust things. Hit the Light Sharpen preset and look at what it does to the sharpen settings, hit the Warmer preset and look at what it does to the split tone settings. And hit the Medium Noise Reduction preset and look at what it does to the detail settings.

Great learning tool.