Am I just being picky??

[navynhumphotography]

<p>I don't know if I'm just being picky with my photos but it seems like my photos aren't that sharp. They either look like there was some camera shake or it's just not sharp. What do you think? Also, I've seen some photos where people are shooting at speeds below 1/30 handheld and yet I don't seem to be able to get the same quality at even 1/30. Am I actually causing camera shake or again, am I just being way too picky? These were all shot with D300, 24-70mm lens ISO 200 and no post processing. Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>1/50 f/16 58mm <br /> <img src="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/8995/dsc1262crop.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>100% crop<br /> <img src="http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/8077/dsc12622.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>1/400 f/2.8 29mm<br>

<img src="http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4121/dsc13353.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<br /> 100% crop<br /><img src="http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/4761/dsc1335crop.jpg" alt="" width="617" height="640" /></p>

[howard_m]

<p>you want to sharpen in post-processing.</p>

<p>http://www.creativepro.com/article/out-of-gamut-thoughts-on-a-sharpening-workflow</p>

<p>also, f2.8 isn't going to help your cause WRT DOF and @ f/16, diffraction is starting to set in.</p>

<p>all subtle things but they all add up.</p>

[navynhumphotography]

<p>No I didn't have a tripod, it was all done handheld. I was afraid it was me causing the blur :(</p>

[phototransformations]

<p>Given the slow shutter speed and small aperture of the first shot, and the narrow depth of field of the second, it seems to me these shots look great. At 58mm, your shutter should be about 1/100 (1/87 would be the reciprocal of the effective focal length) to eliminate camera shake for reasonable size prints. You seem to have done quite well at half that speed. Now try shooting something at more reasonable apertures and shutter speeds that show this lens and camera at its best.</p>

[marc_rochkind]

<p>There's no such thing as no post-processing if you are going to view the image. At the least, there is conversion to JPEG in the camera.<br>

As Howard says, sharpening (among other things) is required.<br>

To properly evaluate a lens/camera combination, you want to shoot raw and then post-process skillfully. What matters is whether that lens and camera can produce an image of sufficient quality, not whether something less than full processing can produce such an image.<br>

It would be as though you treated a quick contact print from film as the best that the camera/film combination could do, without considering the role of the darkroom in the overall photographic process.<br>

Similarly, shooting JPEG and then not post-processing (even the limited amount that one can do given a JPEG rather than a raw), is doing only part of the job. Too soon to judge the final results.<br>

--Marc</p>

[Mary Doo]

<p>It looks pretty sharp considering you handheld it at 1/50s. If sharpness is critical to you, please use a steady tripod and a cable release to click the shutter. If you don't have a tripod on hand, please at least use a higher ISO or a lower F-stop, so that the shutter speed would be higher.</p>

<p>Good luck,<br>

Mary</p>

[Two23]

<p>For what you are wanting, I think you do need a tripod. A decent tripod/head will cost as much as your camera.<br>

Kent in SD</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>Did you go from a NEF file, or use the JPEG? JPEGs out of the camera are not that sharp.</p>

[navynhumphotography]

<p>

 

<p>Thanks for everyone's suggestions and input. I guess I should have thought things through a little more but with the temperature and windchill I think all I was concentrating on was getting some shots and getting feeling back to my hands.</p>

 

</p>

[ramon_v__california_]

<p>the more you need a tripod with cold temperature and windchill factor............. jpegs out of the camera can be very sharp. same settings of the above with a decent tripod can have excellent results......i will second howard on the lost cause at f/2.8</p>

<p>considering numbness in your hands, you and the camera did a good job.</p>

[walterh]

<p>There is only one way to know if camera shake is the cause of not so sharp images: exclude it^^.<br>

No forum can tell you just how sharp YOUR lens is. We all can read 100 tests of camera and lens and still not know your copy of the lens.<br>

Use a flash if you cannot get hold of a tripod or use a very strong tripod, shoot in bright light and see if there is a difference. Use life-view to focus manually.<br>

Yes one needs to sharpen a bit in post processing for regular viewing; but to evaluate the IQ of a file it is best to look at it without "makeup".</p>

[rarmstrong]

<p>navy, I agree with the comments above. Also keep in mind that you may need to tweak the AF for your lens. This is quite easily done on the D300. Set up a standard situation with a solid tripod and use a cable release or self timer to fire the shutter. Shoot the photo at f8 at somewhere between 35 and 50 mm of something easy to look at like large print and then see if you are getting sharp results. You can make some fine AF adjustments with the D300 that could be part of the issue.<br>

Dick</p>

[rob_malkin]

<p>As far as a tripod goes...</p>

<p>Ignore Kent for one thing.</p>

<p>You do not need to spend THAT much on a tripod. I have a very stable tripod and amazing head (Kirk BH-3) and got them both new for under £300. A third of the price of a D300.</p>

<p> </p>

[photo5]

<p>I agree, Manfrotto makes fine tripods and tripod heads, and cost a fraction of the price of a new D300.</p>

[navynhumphotography]

<p>I actually own a Slik Pro 330DX tripod and Manfrotto 488RC2 ballhead. Both have been great...when I remember to use it :)</p>

[randyhargraves]

<p>Here's what I recommend:<br>

1). Set up a tripod and compare images at f/8, f/11, f/16 and you will see how diffraction affects sharpness with your lens. Most start to go soft smaller than f/11. <br>

2). While on the tripod compare images using manual focus and AF. That will tell you whether your AF needs tweaking. Most likely it doesn't but won't hurt to check. <br>

3). Compare a processed NEF file with an in-camera JPEG and there may be some difference there. Definitely is with my Canon 40D. Canon and Nikon like to smear out noise with their JPEG processing and that costs you some sharpness/detail. </p>

[james_mc]

<p>Out of curiosity is your lens a VR?</p>