Please help! I can't figure this out.

[photomama3]

Sharp | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

f 2.o
ISO 500
S 160

Edited to add: camera was resting on shelf, so there was no camera shake.

I took several shots of this toy, set in A priority mode, in a well lit room, but I can't seem to get the toy to be more sharp than this. I have no idea what I am doing wrong. Please help me. Thank you

 

[o hey tyler]

What have you learned about aperture and how it controls Depth of Field? Do you notices that the focal plane is razor thin when you're so close to your subject? What would you do to INCREASE the depth of field surrounding the toy?

Once you answer these 3 questions, the answer should come to you. :thumbup:

 

[photomama3]

Same toy

f 3.5
ISO 500
S 1/80

Sharp 3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[o hey tyler]

That looks better to me.

Do you see what you did there?

 

[photomama3]

Same Toy - deeper DOF

f 6.3
ISO 500
s 1/125

Sharp 6 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[analog.universe]

if the camera isn't moving, and the subject isn't moving... the the shutter speed can be anything you need it to be. the "sweet spot" of most lenses is in the f/7.1-11 area somewhere. essentially the largest depth of field before diffraction starts to the fuzz things up. also a factor, but MUCH more subtle, is the noise at ISO 500 relative to 100 will add apparent softness. basically i'd shoot this at ISO 100, f/8, and let the shutter be what it needs to be... use the 2 second timer so that you're not touching the camera (and possibly jiggling it) when it takes the shot.

 

[photomama3]

That looks better to me.

Do you see what you did there?

I don't think it looks that much better - I increased the aperture to give it deeper DOF, thus making more of the image in focus....but, even when I shot the toy at the deepest DOF, the toy still wasn't as sharp as I would have liked.

 

[photomama3]

if the camera isn't moving, and the subject isn't moving... the the shutter speed can be anything you need it to be. the "sweet spot" of most lenses is in the f/7.1-11 area somewhere. essentially the largest depth of field before diffraction starts to the fuzz things up. also a factor, but MUCH more subtle, is the noise at ISO 500 relative to 100 will add apparent softness. basically i'd shoot this at ISO 100, f/8, and let the shutter be what it needs to be... use the 2 second timer so that you're not touching the camera (and possibly jiggling it) when it takes the shot.

I will try setting the timer. That might help. The room is lit fairly well, but still not well enough to have a low shutter speed without camera shake.

 

[ababysean]

in the last one your toy is much more in focus, however now the exposure is causing the "not as sharp" as you like factor.....

Are you sharpening for web at all?

Run an unsharp mask on that thing! I bet you will really see a difference!

 

[o hey tyler]

That looks better to me.

Do you see what you did there?

I don't think it looks that much better - I increased the aperture to give it deeper DOF, thus making more of the image in focus....but, even when I shot the toy at the deepest DOF, the toy still wasn't as sharp as I would have liked.

That's because DIFFRACTION happens at the small apertures. Diffraction decreases quality and sharpness of images.

Despite what Analog.Universe said (which is mostly right). The lens you have is probably sharper at f/4-5.6. That's what you should try taking these shots with. On ISO 100. Adjust shutter speed accordingly.

 

[photomama3]

in the last one your toy is much more in focus, however now the exposure is causing the "not as sharp" as you like factor.....

Are you sharpening for web at all?

Run an unsharp mask on that thing! I bet you will really see a difference!

I am not. I have found since going more manual in my settings and the addition of my 35mm lens, my images, although exposed much better and over all seem to have a better quality, aren't as sharp as they were with my zoom. So, I am now trying to get the sharpness I desire, in the camera. However, I will try to run an unsharp mask just to see if there is a difference. With that being said....I did a second shoot and I am happier with these images. I will post results.

 

[480sparky]

Your camera may be resting on a shelf, but it's still moving. Each image is slightly different, and not just on the left-to-right 'axis', so that means the camera is not secure.

You might be getting a slight movement simply by pressing the shutter release. Also, the mirror moving can cause the camera to move. Another source of camera shake is people walking.... no dwelling is 100% movement-free.

Try using a remote release or self-timer, and mirror-up function if your camera has it.

 

[photomama3]

Different Toy - my baby is sleeping in the room with the other toy.

Dog Sharp 7 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

f 7.1
ISO 250
S 0.4

 

[o hey tyler]

I'm just going to requote what I said earlier until you actually listen to me instead of skipping over your OPTIMAL APERTURE range like we've been trying to teach you.... So here it goes.

 

[o hey tyler]

That's because DIFFRACTION happens at the small apertures. Diffraction decreases quality and sharpness of images.

Despite what Analog.Universe said (which is mostly right). The lens you have is probably sharper at f/4-5.6. That's what you should try taking these shots with. On ISO 100. Adjust shutter speed accordingly.

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