You spent all that money on your photo equipment. Of course, you want the equipment to produce the highest quality images possible. Part of that quality is determined by the image sharpness. To help ensure that you get the sharpest images possible from your equipment, this article covers seven techniques that improve image sharpness.
Use a Tripod
When it comes to getting sharp images, the first place to start is with a tripod. A tripod provides a stable platform that holds the camera rigid -- dramatically increasing the sharpness of the image.
Weighting the Tripod
To increase the stability of the tripod even more, some additional weight can be added to the tripod. Your tripod may even have a hook at the bottom of the center column for just this purpose. One option is to carry a small cloth or net bag with your equipment. The bag can be filled with rocks or other material. Then, the bag can be attached to the hook to weight the tripod. If your tripod doesn't have a hook, another option is to simply hang your camera bag around the center column of the tripod (this is often my choice).
Using a Shutter Release
Just because a camera is on a tripod doesn't mean that the camera will be steady. The simple act of pressing the shutter can cause vibrations that will cause a loss of sharpness. The solution is simple. A remote switch can be used to release the shutter. A remote switch is a device that attaches to the camera through a cable, or wirelessly, and allows the photographer to release the shutter without touching the camera.
Activating Mirror Lock Up
Even if the camera is set up on a tripod, the tripod is weighted down, and a remote switch is used, image quality can still be degraded due to vibration from the movement of the camera's mirror when the shutter is released. This vibration is primarily a problem with shutter speeds between about 1/30 second and 1 second. This is easily solved by enabling the mirror lockup function on the camera. Once enabled, pressing the shutter button once swings the mirror out of the way. Pressing the shutter button a second time releases the shutter. This way, the mirror vibration dies out before the shutter is released.
Aperture
Some apertures produce sharper images than others. Various aberrations cause a loss of sharpness with larger apertures. Diffraction causes a loss of sharpness with the smaller apertures. As a result, the middle apertures (about f/8 for most lenses) generally produce the sharpest images.
Shutter Speed
You now have a stable tripod and a sharp aperture. On the other hand, the subject that you are photographing could be moving. This can also cause a loss of sharpness. To resolve this problem, you must use a shutter speed that is high enough to freeze the motion of the subject.
ISO
If you are experiencing a problem with image sharpness due to the motion of the subject, increasing your ISO will allow you to use a higher shutter speed to freeze the motion.
In Closing
With these techniques, you have several solutions to improve your image sharpness.
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