No doubt the most common frustration among photographers, beginners and advanced, is lack of sharpness in images. Whether caused by a lack of focus, camera shake, or moving subjects, the disappointment of finding out the results of that great shoot are unsharp is immensely frustrating — many of us have been there before! Here’s a comprehensive guide to getting it right every single time.
The Basics
1. Physical stability
Camera shake is an obvious cause of unsharp shots, and is often caused by a lack of physical stability. If you don’t have a tripod handy:
- Hold your camera steady with both hands
- Widen your stance to control balance better
- Bring the camera closer to your body, keeping your elbows tucked in
- Find support from a wall or other stationary subject
- Gently squeeze the shutter button, rather than pressing it
- Use a DIY tripod: a simple string with a loop around your foot and a screw attached to your camera’s base — pulling on the string with your foot provides decent stability
2. Using a tripod — tips
- In windy conditions, avoid extending the tripod’s neck and remove the neck strap from your DSLR (it can catch the wind)
- Set a 2-second timer for long exposures, or use a remote trigger
- Switch off Image Stabilization (IS/VR) when tripod-mounted — while stationary, these systems can produce slight vibration of their own
3. Check your shutter speed
A rough guideline: the slowest shutter speed should equal or exceed your focal length. Shooting at 50mm? Set shutter speed to at least 1/50. At 200mm, at least 1/200. If you can’t get a well-exposed image at the aperture you’ve chosen, consider bumping up the ISO — most DSLRs won’t introduce much noise up to ISO 400–800.
4. Watch your aperture
Most lenses perform best between f/8 and f/11 — the “sweet spot” where sharpness is highest across the whole image. At the widest aperture, image quality is slightly but noticeably reduced, especially towards the edges. Take a few test shots at five different apertures to find your lens’s sweet spot and only shoot wide open when you need to.
5. Know your DSLR’s autofocus system
Focus modes: Canon DSLRs offer ONE SHOT for stationary subjects, AI SERVO for moving subjects, and AI FOCUS to auto-detect (though not always reliable). Use the appropriate mode for your subject.
Single Point AF gives you full control over what part of your shot is in focus. Position your subject in the centre, lock autofocus (shutter halfway), then recompose while keeping AF locked. Ensure the distance stays exactly the same when recomposing, especially with a wide aperture.
Zone AF is useful for moving subjects. Auto AF activates all focus points and usually results in the nearest subject achieving focus — it gives the least control.
Struggling to focus? Find a strong light or colour contrast at the same distance and focus on the contrast line. In low light, make sure the AF assist beam is switched on.
Manual focus: Use Live View to zoom in on a detail and focus with greater accuracy than through the viewfinder. Best used with a tripod.
6. Keep your gear clean
Smudges, dust, specks — all types of dirt affect image quality, whether on the front element of your lens, your filters, or (worst of all) your sensor. Keep everything clean.
7. Lens filters
Be aware of lens filters and use them when needed only — stacking multiple filters reduces image quality.
The More Advanced Stuff
8. Shoot RAW — avoid JPEG artifacts
Shooting RAW is one of the best ways to improve both image quality and sharpness. JPEG files are compressed when saved, reducing quality. RAW files take the raw data from the sensor with no post-production or compression, maintaining the highest quality.
9. Use a low ISO
The very best image quality comes from the camera’s lowest or optimum ISO. As you increase ISO, noise degrades the image. Note: it’s a common myth that the lowest ISO setting produces the least noise — on some models it’s actually ISO 160 or 200. Google your specific DSLR to find out.
10. The glass makes all the difference
Not all lenses are created equal — some are sharper than others by nature. If you’re upgrading gear, prioritise lenses. New camera bodies come and go, but sharp lenses will be important pieces in your gear bag for years to come.
11. Switch off Image Stabilization when on a tripod
When handheld, IS/VR kicks in to stabilise lens elements when detecting movement. When completely still on a tripod, not detecting any movement, IS systems can generate a kind of electrical “feedback loop” — a tiny vibration that affects sharpness. Switch it off when using a tripod.
12. Use Mirror Lock-Up
When using a tripod in low light, enable Mirror Lock-Up. The mirror retracting inside your DSLR causes a tiny bit of camera shake when you take a shot. Mirror Lock-Up eliminates even that potential contributor to blur: press the shutter once to retract the mirror and a second time to trigger the shutter.
Have any more tips for nailing focus? Share them in a comment below!