Image Sharpness

There are several factors that can impact the sharpness of your photos. If your image isn't sharp at the point you focused on it won't be a good picture. Who wants to look at a blurry picture (at least where it isn't supposed to be blurry)?

The first thing that impacts your image sharpness is the shutter speed. If you have a slow shutter speed there's more time for your camera to move around a little while the shutter is open. This will cause your picture to be blurry.

The next thing to consider is your focal length. If you are shooting with a focal length of 200mm you will need some help keeping your picture sharp. As a rule, it's a good idea to try to have your shutter speed at least the equivalent of your focal length, if not faster, when you are hand holding your DSLR.

If you are shooting at 200mm your shutter speed should be at least 1/200. If you are shooting at 75mm you should be at least 1/75 on shutter speed. But for a sharp picture faster is always better. The faster your shutter speed is the sharper your image will be.

A tripod can make a huge difference if it's practical. It's not always convenient to drag around a tripod, but it will give you sharp pictures. If you want to bump even that a notch more in sharpness you could buy a cable release for your camera. There is a port in your camera where you can plug it into. Then your shutter button is at the end of this cable. You won't even disturb the camera by pressing the shutter button.

There is also an option for a mirror lock. When you look through your viewfinder you are actually looking through a set of mirrors. When you push the shutter release the first thing that happens is the first mirror lifts up and out of the way so that the light can get through to your sensor. This can cause a little vibration called mirror slap. It can be overkill sometimes to lock the mirror in the up position, but it will give you the ultimate in sharpness when you need it. Just read your owner's manual on how to set it up and use it.

When you hand hold your DSLR it is important to hold it firmly. I hold the side of the camera with my right hand with my index finger on the shutter button. My left hand is supporting the bottom of the lens which allows me to easily change the focal length on zoom lenses. I prefer to then bring my elbows in close to my body. This gives me a little extra stability as my hands won't want to move as much. If you happen to have something to lean on or against that can be very helpful in stabilizing you and the camera as well.

Some lenses come with a feature called Image Stabilization (IS). If you have the option to buy IS then do it! These lenses have gyroscopes built into them. They can sense the camera shaking, and they automatically adjust the lens to compensate for your movement. IS lenses can give you 2-4 extra stops in speed, allowing you to use slower shutter speeds if necessary.