Sharp for a P&S?

Jon wrote in post #11550351
Wanna explain why not? The optics are still the same. All flash ensures is that there's no camera motion being captured.

It also picks up a lot more detail than non-flash photos. Appears sharper.

Swift wrote in post #11552146
It also picks up a lot more detail than non-flash photos. Appears sharper.

. . . because there's no camera motion being captured. Tests have repeatedly shown that you'll get sharper hand-held pictures at 2-3 stops faster shutter speed than the old rule of thumb suggests is "adequate". Try hand-holding with a "normal" lens at 1/60 and then at 1/250. Or hand-holding and then with a tripod at 1/60.

It's not about camera motion or shutter speed right now. It's about the appearance of an image being sharper than what the camera can normally do if it didn't have 'cheat mode' on (flash).

Any camera can make an object seem sharp in an image if they used direct flash. It'll bring out every finite details. Try doing that without flash though, I bet you can't. But with a DSLR and a nice lens, you'd have no problem doing so.

Swift wrote in post #11552331
It's not about camera motion or shutter speed right now. It's about the appearance of an image being sharper than what the camera can normally do if it didn't have 'cheat mode' on (flash).

Any camera can make an object seem sharp in an image if they used direct flash. It'll bring out every finite details. Try doing that without flash though, I bet you can't. But with a DSLR and a nice lens, you'd have no problem doing so.

So what you're saying is that with a flash, the optics in a P&S camera perform better, but the optics of a DSLR don't? I contend that the nature of the light source will have zero effect on the ability of the lens' optics to resolve detail. If the lens can capture that detail with flash, it has, obviously, to be capable of capturing that detail. If the camera can't capture the same detail without the flash, then look for some other explanation for the lack of IQ. There's a reason the first thing that anyone complaining about image sharpness or inability to focus is told to do is to take sample shots with the camera mounted on a tripod. And it has nothing to do with the optics.

If the object is, as the thread title suggests, to show a sharp P&S image, then whether a flash is used or not is irrelevant.

i agree, i dont care if a flash is used or not, its light, not an unsharp mask gun

Jon wrote in post #11552904
If the lens can capture that detail with flash, it has, obviously, to be capable of capturing that detail..

Sums it up perfectly!


Peace,
D.

Lighting itself doesn't affect sharpness. Sharpness is optics quality. Using a flash has no bearing on sharpness.

leroy_sunset wrote in post #11556168
Lighting itself doesn't affect sharpness. Sharpness is optics quality. Using a flash has no bearing on sharpness.

+1

Use flash as appropriate Sharp is sharp. Pixel peeping is where it's at, and flash won't make it or break it.