Image quality help

[hotchilidamo]

Below are two images which represent a high number of images I have in my collection. Recently I upgraded from a Canon 400D to a Canon 60D. I am very happy with the upgrade, but I have found my images to be lacking in quality. How can this be?

Image 1

Taken with off camera flash, lighting was metered as correctly as I could get it.

ISO 100, 17mm, f8.0, 1/125 sec, lens was the canon 17-55mm 2.8 IS

Yet the quality of the image just isn't that great



Link to a larger version: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/...d85f80f9_b.jpg

Image 2

Taken with natural light and tripod

ISO 100, 60mm, f11, 0.6 sec, lens was the canon 60mm 2.8 macro

Again, the image is not that sharp



Link to a larger version: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5114/...3525e9e5_b.jpg

I am still learning but I've had some great results before, but with these images I'm disappointed that they are just not that sharp. The equipment I have is not pro quality, so am I expecting too much? Am I doing something wrong? Help!

[RichardTaylor]

Are you shooting RAW?
If so are you sharpening when post processing?

[hotchilidamo]

Originally Posted by RichardTaylor

Are you shooting RAW?
If so are you sharpening when post processing?

Yep shooting in RAW. I'm using lightroom to tweak a little but not doing a lot of sharpening. Post processing is not my forte but do you think this could be the issue? Previously I've not really had to play with sharpening too much

[kcoppock]

You should definitely do sharpening if you're shooting in RAW. Lightroom adds a small bit of sharpening by default, but not enough in my opinion. I tried your images in Photoshop with Smart Sharpen, (Amount 190%, Radius 0.8px, More Accurate) and they looked great. You'll need to scale up obviously for the high resolution images, but basically, yes, shooting in RAW, you should always sharpen.

[RichardTaylor]

I always sharpen (I do it is CS4 as the last step before publishing)
Try it and see how you go.

[Canon Bob]

I've just uploaded the large JPG of the flower and given it a little sharpen and touch more saturation and it looks fine to me...it'd be better to do it to the RAW though.

Bob

[cyber3d]

I would add not changing your picture style. Leave it at standard. The other picture styles soften up the image a bit.

I too add sharpening - to almost every pic I take with the 60D