Not as sharp as I would like
Jan 7, 2023 18:20:05 #
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
If you are not satisfied with the sharpness, consi... (show quote)
These are so beautiful. I will in my flowers as you suggest select my depth of field first ie aperture and then let shutter speed and iso be determined by lighting, my steady or unsteady hands and my tolerance for noise. I am finding with my 61 mega pixel sony I have to use lower iso than with my 45 mega pixel Nikon. I had not thought about impact of greater number of pixels on noise. Now I know.
Jan 7, 2023 18:53:16 #
linda lagace wrote:
These are so beautiful. I will in my flowers as you suggest select my depth of field first ie aperture and then let shutter speed and iso be determined by lighting, my steady or unsteady hands and my tolerance for noise. I am finding with my 61 mega pixel sony I have to use lower iso than with my 45 mega pixel Nikon. I had not thought about impact of greater number of pixels on noise. Now I know.
All a learning process
Oct 4, 2023 05:07:03 #
many comments about shallow (narrow?) dof.
cool.
stopping down is good.
how about the old-timers 1/3, 2/3 rule for dof focus pointing?
cool.
stopping down is good.
how about the old-timers 1/3, 2/3 rule for dof focus pointing?
Oct 4, 2023 05:23:49 #
WILLARD98407 wrote:
many comments about shallow (narrow?) dof.
cool.
stopping down is good.
how about the old-timers 1/3, 2/3 rule for dof focus - pointing?
cool.
stopping down is good.
how about the old-timers 1/3, 2/3 rule for dof focus - pointing?
dof control is paramount.
shoot raw
Oct 4, 2023 06:37:55 #
WILLARD98407 wrote:
dof control is paramount.
shoot raw
shoot raw
Third one is my favorite
Oct 20, 2023 16:46:59 #
Back to the O.P.
If you use the tripod (which you were hoping not to use) you could take 3 or 4 images with slightly different focuses and stack them. That would make everything tack-sharp and also remove a slight motion blur.
But the question is, does a flower have to be completely sharp? Is there one part of the flower you absolutely want sharp? Are there other parts that could be less focused — even bordering on purposely not focused? If hand-held, a nice technique is to open the aperture a bit to soften things, then focus on one specific area, similiar to a portrait.
If you use the tripod (which you were hoping not to use) you could take 3 or 4 images with slightly different focuses and stack them. That would make everything tack-sharp and also remove a slight motion blur.
But the question is, does a flower have to be completely sharp? Is there one part of the flower you absolutely want sharp? Are there other parts that could be less focused — even bordering on purposely not focused? If hand-held, a nice technique is to open the aperture a bit to soften things, then focus on one specific area, similiar to a portrait.
Nov 14, 2023 20:35:10 #
Hello,
While I would not call myself a professional photographer I may have something to add here.
The middle of the picture looks in focus at the size that shows in the screen, but when you download and enlarge the picture you can really tell that it is out of focus.
I take a little different approach than some have on the ISO because both Lightroom and Photoshop now have very pertinent noise reductions programs in them. Therefore, I would recommend a high ISO so that you can photograph at a very high speed. I would recommend perhaps as much as 2000th of a second. If that is too dark, the image can be very much enhanced in modern photo software. Or you can try at 750 or so per second, and lower ISO or 1000, etc.
When it comes to flowers a lot of people like it when the edges are out of focus as long as the main flower is not. I prefer everything in focus myself, but that varies with the individual. Some modern lenses allow a bocah(sp?) effect. I would also try not only F4, but at a few other levels as well. Take a dozen or two dozen pictures with varying speeds, ISO, and Focal length, and see what you like.
While I would not call myself a professional photographer I may have something to add here.
The middle of the picture looks in focus at the size that shows in the screen, but when you download and enlarge the picture you can really tell that it is out of focus.
I take a little different approach than some have on the ISO because both Lightroom and Photoshop now have very pertinent noise reductions programs in them. Therefore, I would recommend a high ISO so that you can photograph at a very high speed. I would recommend perhaps as much as 2000th of a second. If that is too dark, the image can be very much enhanced in modern photo software. Or you can try at 750 or so per second, and lower ISO or 1000, etc.
When it comes to flowers a lot of people like it when the edges are out of focus as long as the main flower is not. I prefer everything in focus myself, but that varies with the individual. Some modern lenses allow a bocah(sp?) effect. I would also try not only F4, but at a few other levels as well. Take a dozen or two dozen pictures with varying speeds, ISO, and Focal length, and see what you like.
Nov 14, 2023 21:11:01 #
One thing I might add here is that Photoshop now has a work in process called a lens blur. I wouldn't necessarily recommend using it yet, as it takes a while to load and when I tried to use it a few days ago it crashed my system. However, I have seen demonstration where one can change the focus on different parts of the image, and do a number of nice little adjustments that make the photo something unusual or different.
Nov 25, 2023 03:35:27 #
karalinda
Loc: usa
Just for argument's sake, let's posit that when one's mind is “not quite as quick and sharp as it once was,” it can lead to sadness (not ..Brain fog is characterized by confusion, forgetfulness, and a lack of focus and mental clarity. This can be caused by overworking, lack of sleep, stress, and spending too much time on the computer.
The reason why our mind doesn't remain stable is the dwelling upon past or future worries. Stability is lost only when we have more than one thing to focus. We loose the focus by thinking about past or thinking about future. This doesn't allow our mind to concentrate on one thing.
https://slope-unblocked.org/
The reason why our mind doesn't remain stable is the dwelling upon past or future worries. Stability is lost only when we have more than one thing to focus. We loose the focus by thinking about past or thinking about future. This doesn't allow our mind to concentrate on one thing.
https://slope-unblocked.org/
Dec 24, 2023 10:41:06 #
Jan 22, 2024 15:04:15 #
junglejim1949 wrote:
I am learning my R7 and was in search of something to shoot. Very cold and foggy this morning but I did find some color. The photo was softer than I wanted and would appreciate any suggestions. I hope I wasn't shaking due to the cold. I will increase shutter speed next go around and see if that helps.
Thank you,
Jim
Thank you,
Jim
Jim, I use an R7 and it is more forgiving at higher ISOs than my old Canon 7d. As an experiment, try 1200-1500 Iso with F11. Also, Topaz does a fine job on reasonable blur. I also use a full frame R5 which might be a better choice than a Cropped Frame...but pricey. Having said that, my emphasis is on birds, animals and insects.
Jan 22, 2024 21:54:52 #
AHK wrote:
Jim, I use an R7 and it is more forgiving at higher ISOs than my old Canon 7d. As an experiment, try 1200-1500 Iso with F11. Also, Topaz does a fine job on reasonable blur. I also use a full frame R5 which might be a better choice than a Cropped Frame...but pricey. Having said that, my emphasis is on birds, animals and insects.
Thanks for the feedback
Jan 25, 2024 18:56:13 #
junglejim1949 wrote:
I am learning my R7 and was in search of something to shoot. Very cold and foggy this morning but I did find some color. The photo was softer than I wanted and would appreciate any suggestions. I hope I wasn't shaking due to the cold. I will increase shutter speed next go around and see if that helps.
Thank you,
Jim
Thank you,
Jim
Nice. The fog must have been heavy and the light level low. Your exposure with your Canon EOS R7 and lens at 70mm was ISO 800, ƒ/4, 1/250 s. In that dim light you probably should have shot at ISO 3200, ƒ/8, 1/250 s, or better yet ISO 6400, ƒ/8, 1/500 s.
Reference Note, "Sunny Sixteen Rule": ISO 800, ƒ/16, 1/800 s.
Jan 26, 2024 20:56:30 #
Nice capture with lots of potential. As a rule; if I can't shoot an object similar to yours at a faster shutter speed and a lower ISO then I use a tripod and try mixing things up by running the f-stop # up and down, playing around with different priority modes, full manual etc.
Jan 27, 2024 02:12:04 #
Looking at where the sharp areas are, and the soft areas, in the main subject, I guessed the lens was quite likely fairly wide open. Looking at comments that followed, I see I was right, f/4. So wide f-stops of around f/5.6, or larger, will easily give you soft areas due to shallow depth of field when you're too close to the subject. And when you're shooting wide, you really need to get your focus perfect, or else it will show up soft.
Lately I have been doing some tests: wide open aperture versus closed down to around f/10 and f/11, and even right down to f/22 or so, and using my Canon speedlite flash with the small apertures. My tests have been photos of small apples on a tree in my backyard. (Yes, we have apples on the trees in the summertime in New Zealand too - it's summertime here right now). So you can push the ISO down to ISO-100 to dramatically reduce digital noise for a much cleaner photo, and use a shutter speed of 1/200sec by using flash and small aperture. If the subject is too bright due to the flash, you can simply reduce the flash power. Or you can close the aperture down another stop or two (or do a bit of both until you find the sweet spot). My test shots have been with flash on the hotshoe, which can force you to find the right POV so as to not cause horrid shadows from surrounding foliage, but you can use your garden cutters to remove any foliage that is in the way, or you can do some off-camera flash - use a hotshoe-flash cable, or wireless remote (I have both), and get someone to hand-hold your flash for you, or prop your flash onto a tripod if your wife is anything like my grumpy wife.
By using flash and small apertures, you make the background dark, and that makes your subject really pop in the photo a lot more, SOOC.
Anyway, so that's what I have been doing and my apple photos are as sharp as a tack SOOC.
And of course, you can also sharpen more in post if you wish, using the High Pass filter in Photoshop.
If you don't know about using the High Pass filter in Photoshop for perfect sharpening, then sing out and I can give more info about that. Once you know you'll be hooked on this simple little trick.
Lately I have been doing some tests: wide open aperture versus closed down to around f/10 and f/11, and even right down to f/22 or so, and using my Canon speedlite flash with the small apertures. My tests have been photos of small apples on a tree in my backyard. (Yes, we have apples on the trees in the summertime in New Zealand too - it's summertime here right now). So you can push the ISO down to ISO-100 to dramatically reduce digital noise for a much cleaner photo, and use a shutter speed of 1/200sec by using flash and small aperture. If the subject is too bright due to the flash, you can simply reduce the flash power. Or you can close the aperture down another stop or two (or do a bit of both until you find the sweet spot). My test shots have been with flash on the hotshoe, which can force you to find the right POV so as to not cause horrid shadows from surrounding foliage, but you can use your garden cutters to remove any foliage that is in the way, or you can do some off-camera flash - use a hotshoe-flash cable, or wireless remote (I have both), and get someone to hand-hold your flash for you, or prop your flash onto a tripod if your wife is anything like my grumpy wife.
By using flash and small apertures, you make the background dark, and that makes your subject really pop in the photo a lot more, SOOC.
Anyway, so that's what I have been doing and my apple photos are as sharp as a tack SOOC.
And of course, you can also sharpen more in post if you wish, using the High Pass filter in Photoshop.
If you don't know about using the High Pass filter in Photoshop for perfect sharpening, then sing out and I can give more info about that. Once you know you'll be hooked on this simple little trick.
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