What am I doing wrong (G6 question)?

I initially bought a 20D w/18-55 kit lens but returned it because I wanted something a bit more compact (and cheaper) to learn on. I've had the G6 for 4 weeks now and I haven't been thrilled with the shots. I'm sure its something I'm doing wrong, but I compared some of the shots I took with the 20D and the shots are ALOT sharper on the 20D. For some reason even at 75-80% magnification, the G6 shots start to pixellate on my screen at 25% magnification (and when printed) they are a bit soft.

I have attached two examples and listed the EXIF info below. Could it be my focus-point? I used the center focus option on the G6 and evaluative metering. These two were done at 28.8mm but my shots seem to be soft at all focal lengths. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Both pics were shot in RAW (and tweaked a bit with RAW shooter). The horse picture was shot at ISO50, AV mode, Fstop = 5.6, shutter speed = 1/160, FL = 28.8mm white balance set to cloudy but edited in Raw Shooter, digital zoom definitely off for this pic.

The stream picture was shot as follows - ISO 100, AV Mode, FStop = 7.1, Shutter speed = 1/80, Auto White Balance (may have had digital zoom on for this but not sure), FL=28.8mm.

Any tips on getting sharper pics would be greatly appreciated.

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Here's another shot at the short end of the zoom range (7.2mm) for reference.

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Are you using Auto Focus or Manual Focus?

I'm guessing open the aperture to make the shutter speed faster to eliminate camera shake. The 1st shot is sharper than the 2nd shot and the shutter speed is faster. Is exposure set to 0? Pixelating should not be a problem. 7.2 mp vs 8.0 mp isn't that much.

If I do what I'm supposed to do, My G6 takes crystal clear pictures. I think yours will, too.

I'm using autofocus - which I believe is set to center point (the green focus box is always in the center).

Hi Johnny,

some thoughts:

- 20D IS a lot sharper out of the camera than G6. Sorry about that.
- If you want compact+sharp, why not take a look at the 350D (if you can still return your G6)?
- f/7.1 is too much for a small sensor digicam. It should be sharpest around f/5.6, and very usable from f/4.0 on.
- Most likely you have to apply USM in PS to get the sharpest pictures possible.

Best regards,
Andy

Andy, I would respectfully disagree. The 20D is obviously a better camera than the G6 - as it should be for more than double the money. But the G6 is more than capable of taking sharp pictures. There is more to it than that.

I agree with the 7.1 being too small for the apparently cloudy conditions but it hasn't anything to do with sensor size. And I've found pretty much all aperture settings useful from 2.0 ot 8.0 depending on conditions.

I don't think it was a focus problem. The 7.1 aperture would give the shot a HUGE depth of field and make focusing almost fool proof.

Just my opinion. I still think the second pic is a victim of camera shake.

Even though the 20D is a much better camera - I should be able to get better shots than what I'm getting. I've seen other photo's (even some on this forum) taken with the G6 that look sharp. Any additional tips would be great.

Almost certainly your problem is due to camera shake.

I found that even at 1/250 and holding the camera as steadily as I could by hand, if I then took the same picture using a monopod and examined the enlarged images closely, they were always sharper using the monopod. A tripod would be even better, of course.

Try this yourself.

I have found after a couple of years of using the G2 and a little of the G6 these cameras are far more susceptable to camera shake then most. I use the Nikon D1X at work for the Missouri Legislature and I can do jumping jacks and get great shots. With the G2 and G6 it seems if I breathe while shooting I get pics just like ones posted here.

Deep inside I suspected it! I'll have to do more testing, but after using G6 for about three months, I slowly come to the same conclusion: the tripod shots are much sharper... that's so wierd. I did a couple of 8x10 prints and they looked as sharp as ever, but I did use tripod...

You live and learn don't you?
I thought the original photos looked OK,but, on reading all the correspondence since the original post I looked at them harder and can see the "softness" or slight blurring. This has made me look at my own photos, all of which are unprinted and some of the ones with which I was satisfied now have a soft look too. As others are still quite good, I can't blame my computer screen so I will now analyse the speed and conditions I took the photos in the first place and see if I learn anything. Thanks folks.

Apart from what has rightly been said regarding best apertures, I think it is agreed on too that the ends of the zoom range are unlikely to produce best sharpness. ISO I always keep at Auto, because the G's select 50 whenever possible, go to 100 only if really needed and never higher on its own - one thing less to keep in mind.

I had the G3 and now the G6. With both I think the required release pressure is too big and the operation not that smooth not to promote camera shake. In spite of the 2 step operation, I still think Canon could do a lot better. Some time ago I inquired what the specified release pressure was, even got a "case number", but of course never an answer…

So I had to help myself: first measure is to set the finger tip beyond the button socket and to press the button (slowly) with the second finger member (wording??). Then, with static subjects, I use the auto release at 2 secs. whenever possible - you even feel the faint operation while firmly and steadily holding the camera (watch that heart beat). Some support is always a good thing, and a great one is the monopod - I'm never out without it, hooked to the belt with a leash clip. (Tripod as standby for panos, bracketing and the like.)

With this measures, I rarely if ever encounter camera shake (at appropriate speeds that is) - actually, I think the G's here live fully up to expectation and reputation. If images are not sharp, the usual reason is faulty focussing - either AF picking a leaf of grass I haven't seen or otherwise trying to be too clever. Anyhow, manual focus is often the better option.

Another aspect of final sharpness is in-camera sharpening (talking of JPEG). In-camera sharpening is absolutely detrimental to the resolution after any resampling. So I keep function/effects/custo​m/sharpness permanently at "minus" and do any required sharpening in editing. Softness is ok, but camera shake on top of it is very bad. I think this even applies if ordering the prints from the shop.

For me, the final result as a rule shows excellent sharpness. I love the G6 - as it is!

HTH
flowe

One other thing not mentioned is the G6's shutter lag, or the time it takes to take the picture after you fully depress the shutter. There is a lag of up to half a second. The slight movement of the photographer during this time - thinking that the camera has taken its shot when it is actually still taking it - may be responsible for a lot of slightly blurred photographs. It is good form to remain really steady for a second more when taking pictures with a G-series camera than when using film or dSLR cameras.

I think you've hit on a very important point about the "G" series cameras. Whenever I shoot my G-5, I make a point of holding still that second longer.
-Bruce