On other occasions, we have talked about how to achieve the desired sharpness, but this time we are going to turn the tortilla around to explain the reasons why a photo does not have the expected detail. And it is that, especially if you are starting, it is very possible that you have encountered this problem and do not know why.
Because achieving a sharp photo is not as easy as it might seem; In fact, it is something that can be affected by various causes, some more generic (and easy to solve) and others more specific depending on the situation we want to capture. We intend to talk about all of them below to help you understand why your photos are not as sharp as you would like.
Too slow speed
Incorrect shutter speed is usually to blame for the lack of sharpness in a vast majority of cases. And it is that, as we have counted on many occasions, a speed that is too slow for the shot that we are taking usually causes, almost inevitably, that the image becomes blurred.
To decide what is the appropriate speed at each moment, the first thing to know is that, as a general rule, you should never shoot the camera in hand below the inverse of the focal length that we are using. That is, if we take a shot with an 80mm lens, we should shoot at least 1/80 seconds so that the photo is sharp.
If for reasons of light, we need to use slower shutter speed, we will have to resort to the use of a tripod or, failing that, to rest the camera somewhere safe, but always making sure that it does not move in the least during exposure (especially important in the case of long exposures).
Vibrations in the camera… or outside it
But for what reasons can there be vibrations that affect the sharpness of our photos? Well basically because there is some movement that affects it. This can be due to two main reasons: The camera moves or what is in front of it.
The first case is that the vibration occurs in the camera itself, either when holding it or when shooting. This can happen both if we take it by hand, and we ourselves are the ones who move it (by a bad pulse or by pressing the shutter), as if we have mounted it on a tripod. In that case, it may happen that the support is not stable enough (and is moved by the wind, for example), or that we cause a vibration when shooting (for which the use of some type of trigger is recommended ).
The second scenario is that there is some movement in the scene that we want to capture and that causes the image to appear blurred. And it is that one thing is to make sure to comply with the rule of fire mentioned above and another that in what we are portraying there is movement. In that case, if we want to freeze the image and obtain the best sharpness (which is not always ideal ) we will have to use higher speeds, although the value will depend a lot on the situation and the movement there is.
Poor optics
Unfortunately, the lack of sharpness is not always caused by our mistake. We can also find that the equipment we have is to blame for the lack of sharpness, especially in the case of using poor quality lenses.
We are talking above all, as you can imagine, about the so-called “paperweights”, those lenses that usually come in camera kits and (usually) have very basic characteristics that do not allow for great detail in the photos. Therefore, it is best to replace them with other sharper lenses, although it is true that there are some tips to improve their performance. Especially using them in their sweet spot (where they perform best), because doing it with the most extreme diagrams also usually decreases the sharpness of the result.
Of course, a better camera does not make you a better photographer, but a higher quality lens does allow you to achieve a difference in sharpness and detail in the images. By the way, we assume that we are talking about perfectly clean lenses because if they are not (of course) it can also influence the final sharpness of the photos. How can you use a filter (of any type) of low quality.
If the weather doesn’t keep up
Another reason outside the photographer that can make our shots not as sharp as we expected is that we take them in an unfavorable weather environment. This does not mean that you cannot take good photos when the weather is not “ideal”, but it can affect a lot when it comes to achieving sharp images.
For example, if we are in a situation of fog and mist, or if there is dust and particles in the environment or very high temperatures. This is often difficult to counter, although in certain scenarios the use of a UV filter that absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun’s rays may be useful.
Incorrect focus and/or depth of field
Another reason that explains the lack of sharpness in our photos is, of course, poor focus or inadequate depth of field. The first is easy to understand: If we do not focus correctly it is very difficult for the image to be as we expect. And doing it wrong is more common than we can think, especially with modern AF systems that are very capable but sometimes very difficult to understand and/or master.
The second is a very beginner error, but error after all. If we do not know the fundamentals of depth of field, and how to use it to our advantage, we may find that we are unintentionally forcing areas out of focus, and therefore with an unexpected result. The solution is simple: Study and practice.
Reflections and stray lights
Finally, there is another situation that causes lack of sharpness in the photos and, in many cases, the result appears washed and without contrast. We are talking about the flare, or parasitic reflections (usually from the sun), which if they enter our optics directly cause these problems (although sometimes they can also be used in our favor ).
To avoid its harmful effects, we can use a parasol or prevent light rays from entering the target with any element, be it our own hand or an object such as cardboard. But sometimes there is no other choice but to change the frame, and surely with a minimum displacement, it will be enough to avoid the problem.
And with this, we have ended up hoping, as always, that our tips will be useful to you and allow you to get sharper shots when you go out to enjoy photography. Of course, if you have any other tips or tricks we are delighted that you share them with us.