Looking for Sharpness

[TrueIntuition]

Hi everyone, here is an exposure from downtown Tampa
This is one of about 145 shots taken the other night. Of all those shots I'm not able to get sharp focus on the buildings. This one is a 30sec exposure at F/22 ISO 200. I'm using a Nikon D5200 with the 18-55mm lens. Ive tried manually focusing, and auto focusing on the buildings, I tried shorter exposures when there was more light out, and even at 1/125 shutter speed the building are still not very sharp.
Is it a camera setting ?? Is it the Camera or lens I'm using ??
Any advice would be great !!
Thank you,
Pete

View attachment 60357

 

[pgriz]

At f/22, you're getting diffraction, which blurs the fine detail. Given that your subject is so far away, you already get plenty of depth-of-field with f/8. You didn't say, but are you using all the usual methods to prevent blur? You know, camera on sturdy tripod, manual focusing using live view, VR off, 2-second delay on shutter release or remote shutter release?

Are you shooting in RAW or JPG? If in RAW, are you using any post-processing sharpening?

 

[Mach0]

If you're trying to get smooth water try a nd filter and try f8 or so. As mentioned, diffraction is affecting the image

 

[TrueIntuition]

Great feedback, Thank You!
I will certainly try a slightly larger aperture and I will try and learn a little more about hyperfocal distance.
I was shooting raw, using a remote and shutter delay with manual focus and the VR off.
It was very windy that night, I'm guessing that had a lot to do with it as well.
Pete

 

[ceeboy14]

The 18-55 is only marginally better glass than found on the old Kodak Brownie cameras. If you want tack sharp images you have to use tack sharp lenses.

 

[Virgil]

As others have said, use f8 or f9 and good tripod and u should be fine.. Good luck