When you press the shutter button, this mirror flicks up out of the way, and this can cause the camera to move slightly. This is particularly true of older image stabilisation systems, so it's best to disable them completely to improve image sharpness when shooting using a tripod.Īnother source of vibration in cameras is the mirror in front of the sensor. Unfortunately, when your camera is mounted on a tripod, this system can be confused by the lack of movement, and actually cause slight tremors as it moves around trying to find some. Many cameras and lenses come with a built in vibration reduction system, which works to stabilise the image when hand-holding your camera. You'd think this would be too small to make a difference, but it can be noticeable in the final photo. A cable release or remote control is an inexpensive way of avoiding this problem.Īlternatively, use your camera's self-timer - 2 seconds is plenty of time for any vibrations caused by touching the shutter button to die down. Pressing the shutter button on your camera can cause minute shaking. Many professionals carry an empty "rock bag" that they can fill with stones to give a good, heavy weight which will hold the tripod still even in strong winds. If your tripod has a hook underneath, hang something off it to provide extra stability. The taller you make your tripod, the more it will wobble, and the harder it'll be to get pin sharp images. The purpose of a tripod is to hold your camera as still as possible, so you need to make sure yours is nice and sturdy.Īvoid extending the center column and legs of your tripod more than is necessary. As with lenses, good tripods are not cheap, but they'll transform your photos.Ī tripod is the best way to achieve sharp photos. If you see any blurring, you can reshoot it there and then.įor the ultimate in sharpness (which is, after all, what we're aiming for) you need to use a tripod, even if you're shooting in daylight. After taking a shot, use your camera's playback feature and zoom in to 100% to check how sharp it is.
One of the great advantages of digital over film is that you can examine your photos immediately. When they're not needed, take them off to improve clarity. Obviously, changing a lens can be very costly, but think of it as an investment in better photos.įilters reduce the sharpness of your lens, affecting the final image quality. Good quality lenses make a big difference to the sharpness of your photos, and more expensive lenses are generally sharper than cheap ones.
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Wherever possible, use your camera's lowest ISO setting (typically around ISO 100 or 200), as long as it doesn't negatively affect other settings such as your shutter speed. This causes sharp details to appear fuzzy, affecting the overall sharpness of the image. The higher your ISO speed, the more digital noise you'll get in your photo. This will keep the subject as sharp as possible. Before composing your shot, focus by aiming this point at your subject and half pressing the shutter. This tells your camera to focus sharply on just one point (typically in the centre of the frame). Switch your camera into single point focus mode. This is fine when you want to see detail everywhere, but it does mean that no one object will be super sharp. When focusing, most cameras will try to keep as much of the scene acceptably sharp as possible. Your choice of aperture should be based on other considerations first (such achieving an acceptable shutter speed and depth of field), but try to stay close to this optimum aperture wherever possible. This is typically 2 to 3 stops down from the widest aperture, putting it around f/8 on most lenses. Image by Schristia.Ĭamera lenses can only achieve their sharpest photos at one particular aperture.
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Pin sharp photos are full of detail and texture. These tips can be applied in all situations, and you should bear them in mind at all times, as they can make a big difference to any photograph. The more methods you can use, the sharper your shots will be. Some apply to all situations, while others can only be used in certain circumstances, but each one helps reduce the amount of camera shake by a small fraction. There are many different ways you can do this. Taking tack sharp photos is all about reducing camera shake to an absolute minimum. Achieving this level of sharpness is one of the keys to a truly eye-catching picture. In photography, the term "tack sharp" describes an image which shows the main subject in sharp focus, with clean lines, crisp details, and no blurring.