Sharpness issues

[Paleo]

Sharpness question: I have been working on getting my shots as sharp as I can possibly get them. I use a tripod, either use the timer on the camera or a (and don't laugh it works) a cell phone head phone for a switch, bounce around between manual and auto focus and keep my ISO low. I shoot mainly in AV mode, but do try out different settings on the camera as I experiment. My shots are generally not as sharp as I would like them. Which leads me to believe:

a) I am doing something wrong
b) my camera (Canon 300D) or lenses (the kit lens at 18-55 mm and the 50 mm prime I just bought) are doing the best they can, but the best is not that great.
c) my eyes need checking

This is a sample of what I am talking about. Shot with the 18-55 mm lens. It isn't a bad shot, but it gets soft when you look at it closely. Is it the lens or am I just full of suck?

The EXIF data:
ISO: 100
f: 6.3
Shutter speed: 1/15
Focal length 18mm

[milosh]

Generally, sharpness is a relative thing, besides resolution, it depends on the size of the print (or the size of web displayed photo in this case) and on viewing distance.

Since you say your photos are soft when viewed at full size, and by looking at the "large" res. on flickr, my first guess is that you might be expecting too much from your lens/camera combination.

Can you show us a few 100% crops (they don't have to be big, 500 pixels is ok)?
You could show us a crop from the middle (the trees at the horizon), and one of the tall grass on left 1/4 of the image for example.

Every camera and lens has it's maximum resolution, and besides doing what you already do, there's not much more you can do except for sharpening.. I would also like to have more resolution from my camera, but I don't think I'll get it.

Four questions: do you use the mirror lock up function, do you turn off all image stabilizations while shooting, do you sharpen your photos and did you try stopping down your lens?

[Krusty79]

Here is an informative article on sharpening that may help - Guide to Image Sharpening

I remember LeeR had a post explaining why digital photos are soft and need to be sharpened. I didn't bookmark it, though.

[Paleo]

Four questions: do you use the mirror lock up function,

No, I did not. I have read about that trick, but have not tried it.

do you turn off all image stabilizations while shooting,

My lenses don't have IS, so that is not a current factor.

do you sharpen your photos and

You know, sometimes I do hit the unsharp mask and then fade-luminosity. I did not do so this time. I did an overlay-desaturate-invert-gaussian blur, though.

did you try stopping down your lens?

Yes. I did! I usually try to shoot a couple, then stop down the lens, then shoot a couple. I am experimenting.

I attached the crops from my flickr photo and a couple taken yesterday that have had no post processing done to them. They are in the same area, in the afternoon/sunset. The last one was taken with my 50 mm prime lens. If I am just expecting too much, that is fine. If it is the camera, I am okay with that, if it is me, I am not.

Thank you so much!

[SwissJon]

You look like you have a bit of Cromatic Aberration, and some movement blur. I also think maybe your camera is front or back focusing slightly..

If your camera is old, then take it to a local camera shop and get it serviced. If it's still under warranty, take it in under warranty.

[milosh]

The first three are soft and it looks like there is a slight motion blur, to me at least. The last one is a bit sharper. You could do a little experiment if you know someone who has the same camera or lens like you, you could try swapping them to see if there's any difference.

[Paleo]

Originally Posted by milosh

The first three are soft and it looks like there is a slight motion blur, to me at least. The last one is a bit sharper. You could do a little experiment if you know someone who has the same camera or lens like you, you could try swapping them to see if there's any difference.

Well I am not sure how there could be any motion blur. I took the shots using the timer or a switch. I went back yesterday afternoon and used my 50mm prime and took similar shots. They turned out about the same. I am focusing on the line between the ground and the water. I am beginning to think that I am expecting too much from my equipment at long distances. My close up shots are fine. I guess I need to save up for an upgrade in lens or camera body?