Why are most of my shots lacking some clarity/Sharpness?

Bayer-Z28

I see a LOT of pictures on here that are amazingly sharp and clear. Mine seem to be lacking that... Why is that?

Here's some of the EXIF Data on the second pic..

# Camera Make = NIKON CORPORATION
# Camera Model = NIKON D80
# Picture Orientation = normal (1)
# X-Resolution = 300/1 ===> 300
# Y-Resolution = 300/1 ===> 300
# X/Y-Resolution Unit = inch (2)
# Software / Firmware Version = Ver.1.10
# Last Modified Date/Time = 2009:08:25 12:29:08
# Y/Cb/Cr Positioning (Subsampling) = co-sited / datum point (2)

# Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 10/4000 second ===> 1/400 second ===> 0.0025 second
# Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 71/10 ===> ƒ/7.1
# Exposure Program = aperture priority (3)
# ISO Speed Ratings = 1000
# Exif Version = 0221
# Original Date/Time = 2009:08:25 12:29:08
# Digitization Date/Time = 2009:08:25 12:29:08
# Components Configuration = 0x01,0x02,0x03,0x00 / YCbCr
# Compressed Bits per Pixel = 4/1 ===> 4
# Exposure Bias (EV) = -2/6 ===> -0.33
# Max Aperture Value (APEX) = 36/10 ===> 3.6
Max Aperture = ƒ/3.48
# Metering Mode = pattern / multi-segment (5)
# Light Source / White Balance = fine weather (9)
# Flash = Flash did not fire
# Focal Length = 180/10 mm ===> 18 mm

gvf

The second photo at least doesn't seem lacking in sharpness. Easier to tell if you view it at 100%. First looks a little soft it you wanted it very sharp. If not, some would like a soft focus for that scene.

It depends on what you are comparing your sharpness to. Some folks may extensively post-process with sharpening tools. That's a look, not necessarily how the eye sees, especially if it's sharp all over like razors. Look at famous photos of the century. Sharpness is in degrees - like with your eye. Eye or lens, it's a sphere, light hits in the central area of the sphere first, that's how depth of field works. If you squeeze your finger an thumb tips of both hands into a tiny little peep-hole and look through it with one eye, it will increase the sharpness of what you're looking at. If you squeeze the finger-tips closer and close the peek-hole more, it will be even sharper. That's because the light is being isolated on the sharpest area of the sphere. So too depth of field on a camera lens with aperture settings.

So, you can try more depth of field if you want more over-all sharpness. Set the camera to aperture-priority, and go to a setting that'll close down (narrow) the aperture - like 16 or 22. If it's a sunny day, you'll get more depth of field, and a natural focus/sharpness all over the scene, but still with enough light for proper exposure. You have the lens half-closed down or less on your info-posted. So, close the lens down more and use a tripod below 125, maybe even below 250 - it really helps.

Last, you have the ISO at 1000. You're doing approximately what a film photographer (like me) would do if they used 800 speed color or higher than that in B&W film on a sunny day. It won't give you the fine resolution you get on slow film. So, set the ISO to 100 if it has that, or 200. Higher is for lower-light scenes. (not to say you can't get great effects in film with high speed film - especially b&w - but for what you want use slower speed.)

Lastly, make sure the camera is focusing correctly if things are really off - take it to camera/photography store.

(On a film camera with a non-telescopic lens, it's easy to do away with focusing period, especially on a sunny day. You set the rings on the lens column so you have a standard near-focus that you know by using depth of field; then the lens is focused at a certain point that is easy to determine using those numbered rings (one ring is aperture, another shutter speed, a third focus). Everything beyond that near-focus (say, beyond 13') is in focus all the way to infinity anyway by virtue of depth of field. Just point and shoot. The camera's focus doesn't change. On digital cameras, think this would be too complicated, and forget it if it's a variable lens.)

Others more digitally-minded can tell you more about this last point for digital cameras - and about post-sharpening techniques, but for me - in terms of PP - I'd rather get it from the camera and the scene and the light, except perhaps a tiny tweak after. Duplicates vision more. But, that's your choice of course.

(And last, last: I know nothing about the lens. Is it a quality lens?)

ziggy53

Dwelling on the second image,

You should have used an ISO 200 and tripod. ISO 1000 is way too high for these conditions and for the D80.

A better lens would yield sharper results. This was at 22mm, so a better "standard/normal" zoom is indicated.

The scene is overly complicated for the subject.

The image shows no signs of sharpening specific to the image size (for the Web sharpening).

The image processing is clipping both shadow and highlight detail.

In short, I suggest that you could stand to purchase a higher quality lens but you also need to improve your skills in both exposure and image processing.

If you want to stay with your existing lens, try to choose subjects with less overall clutter and select simpler lines and detail. For this subject you might have concentrated on some part or facet of the machine rather than take in the whole machine.

Shoot in RAW and develop RAW processing skills to retain shadow and highlight detail where it's important. Also learn how to apply sharpening and the different times to apply sharpening.

There is a wealth of information within our existing tips and topics at the DGrin, so do some digging and exploring. Experiment and make incremental constant improvement and you will see solid results before you know it.

divamum

Were these taken at high noon? The quality of light WILL affect the clarity in many ways; the harsh, overhead bright sun often seems to me to reduce contrast and clarity in the areas we want it (even though it introduces harsh shadows in places we don't).

If nothing else in the last year, I've really learned that it's not only the *quantity* of available light, but the *quality* of it which makes the standout pictures.

Just a thought.