A question abuot image quality ..!

[MSD K.]

Hello every one,

I have a question about image quality and I hope you can help me.
I use Canon 500D ( Digital Rebel T1i ) and the kit lens (18-55 IS), but I'm not happy with the results I'm getting when shooting landscapes. My Landscapes are not very sharp and the quality is not so good although I'm using all the techniques I know in order to get a very sharp images, I use a tripod, I turn IS off, I use timer so I don't touch the camera, I even use mirror lock some times, but I'm still not happy with the results.

I thought the lens I'm using is not good enough. So, I decided to buy a very good lens ( L series ). My question here is; am I right ? If I bought an L series lens would I be able to get images like this one for example:

on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Or is it my camera that can't do any better ?

Thank you all in advance.

[tonyniev]

show sample photos please

[CaptainNH]

Before you run out and splash cash on gLass, you might like to post a link to one of your troubled landscapes so that we can see the problems you're having and take a look at your settings to try to diagnose the problem.

EDIT: what Tony said. He beat me to it.

[MSD K.]

Thank you for replying

Here is a sample:
ما بعد الغروب �ي العوشزية - The Dusk on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Note that I uploaded it on flickr. This means that it's the best I could get, I can post worse samples if you want but I don't have them right now.

[tonyniev]

the lens used matters specially for sharpness etc, I have an L lens with my 5DMkii but I occasionally use a $100 nifty fifty 50mm F 1.8 and seem to work well...your camera is good- check this out from the $100 lens:


maybe that one is not good example here is another one:

[MSD K.]

Thank you Tony.
So do you suggest that I buy a better lens ? your samples are fine but your camera is better than mine, does it make a huge difference ? or just a good lens would make me satisfied ?

[OsmosisStudios]

Looking at the exmaples show, I see nothing wrong with the image quality.

The 18-55 kit lens is still very good when stopped down (to about f/8-f/11). For landscape use, it's almost ideal.

[sk66]

I agree, there really isn't anything "wrong".

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by MSD K.

Hello every one,

I have a question about image quality and I hope you can help me.
I use Canon 500D ( Digital Rebel T1i ) and the kit lens (18-55 IS), but I'm not happy with the results I'm getting when shooting landscapes. My Landscapes are not very sharp and the quality is not so good although I'm using all the techniques I know in order to get a very sharp images, I use a tripod, I turn IS off, I use timer so I don't touch the camera, I even use mirror lock some times, but I'm still not happy with the results.

I thought the lens I'm using is not good enough. So, I decided to buy a very good lens ( L series ). My question here is; am I right ? If I bought an L series lens would I be able to get images like this one for example:

on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Or is it my camera that can't do any better ?

Thank you all in advance.

Kit lenses are better than you think-you just need to learn how to use them.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by MSD K.

... My Landscapes are not very sharp and the quality is not so good although I'm using all the techniques I know in order to get a very sharp images, I use a tripod, I turn IS off, I use timer so I don't touch the camera, I even use mirror lock some times, but I'm still not happy with the results.

Are you shooting RAW and post-processing? Or relying on in-camera JPEG processsing? Saturation and curve adjustments, C/A and noise correction, and additional sharpening can really help "polish" a photo.

Secondly, how sturdy/heavy is your tripod? With a shutter speed of 6s, the slightest breeze can cause you some fuzziness, too. Particularly if you're using a small light tripod. I almost never use my Velbon below 1s. At that point, I'm usually going to haul out the Manfrotto.

A better lens might help you out and reduce the post-processing burden, but the kit lens is still perfectly capable of getting sharp, clear images.


Canon 50D. EF-S 18-55 (non-IS) kit lens.
iso 200, f/8, 1/160s. Handheld. Shot RAW, and processed in Lightroom.

Don't get too obsessed with pixel-peeping. Even my L lenses look not-sharp at 100% crop.