Just how sharp can we go w/o pp

[framed]

Yes I know, pp is a wonderful thing. I however would like to get images as close to perfect without (yeah, who doesn't?!!!) editing for hours. So here's my question. I'm very new at photography, but I want my images SHARP, SHARP, SHARP. I always believe they look pretty good until I go to PS and use smart sharpen, then the originals look "hazy" to me. What can I do to improve sharpness? Or am I expecting the impossible? This photo was sharpened only at 19%.



Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: -1/3 EV
Flash: On, Red-eye reduction

[jdepould]

What lens are you using? For something like this I'd probably start around f/8, maybe f/11 if I backed up with a longer lens.

Make sure you're focusing in the right spot, for portraits that's typically on the closer of the two eyes. I think part of the problem might be your lighting, it looks like you're using the pop-up flash, which is going to give you really flat results and unnatural shadows.

[kencaleno]

Here is a very simple way to sharpen without haloes:

Ctrl+J
Filter>Other>High pass Radius 4 pixels
Blending mode-soft light
Flatten and save

[wulf]

In most cases you can improve a shot dramatically with a little post processing on things like sharpness, colours and contrast. Even if you have a top of the range camera and pro-quality glass, time spent in the digital darkroom can still give your images an extra edge.

Wulf

[framed]

Originally Posted by jdepould

What lens are you using? For something like this I'd probably start around f/8, maybe f/11 if I backed up with a longer lens.

Make sure you're focusing in the right spot, for portraits that's typically on the closer of the two eyes. I think part of the problem might be your lighting, it looks like you're using the pop-up flash, which is going to give you really flat results and unnatural shadows.

Yes, you're right. I was using pop up flash. We were outside and I was trying to fill in the shadows. The lens was a 50 prime, which from what I understand is supposed to be a sharp lens, but I guess better lighting and aperture would have made it sharper.

I guess the bottom line is, no matter what, there's always room for improvement in pp. I just want the sharpest images possible to begin with!

[MrJulius]

Originally Posted by wulf

in the digital darkroom can still give your images an extra edge.

Wulf

And by Digital Darkroom he means shoot in RAW and use Lightroom :-).

Also, that 50prime is supposed to be sharp, it IS sharp. You don't get sharper than primes.

[wulf]

Originally Posted by MrJulius

And by Digital Darkroom he means shoot in RAW and use Lightroom :-).

Not quote. Shooting in JPEG mode (albeit top quality) and adjusting with The Gimp works for me

Wulf