K100d not sharp!

Hi,

I took 20-30 pics last night all at different iso/aperture/shutter speed and i simply cannot get a sharp shot in low light. Is it the kit lens (mk1 18-55) that is the problem?. Also even in normal light it isnt sharp (unless on a tripod) and even then isnt that sharp.

I have seen pics on the gallery taken with the k100d super and they are so sharp compared to mine.

What is the problem do you think?

Matt

My experience was exactly the same when I started to use the K100D. I think what is required is practice, practice, practice.

- Obviously, I believe you have the Shake Reduction switched on.
- Autofocus needs a contrasty area to focus, especially in low light.
- Have you tried manual focus?
- Do a focus test using one of the many focus test charts available
- Do you see the green hexagon confirming in-focus before pressing the shutter?
- Do you wait for the SR symbol to appear before shooting?

The 18-55 mm kit lens is one of the best kit lenses around and should give good results unless faulty.

In the beginning I found that indoor pictures in natural light tended to be out-of-focus. With flash, the pictures were normally tack sharp.

I am no expert in these matters, but this is my humble contribution anyway...

- Obviously, I believe you have the Shake Reduction switched on.
Yeah it was switched on from new
- Have you tried manual focus?
I have but AF should focus sharply surely.
- Do you see the green hexagon confirming in-focus before pressing the shutter?
Yeah it always says it is...
- Do you wait for the SR symbol to appear before shooting?
TBH havent seen this. Where will it say it? in the viewfinder?


Matt

The SR symbol is the green hand to the right in the viewfinder. Sometimes it may take a little moment before appearing.

BTW, when the camera is on the tripod, SR should be switched off, according to some experts on this forum. Also, when using a tripod, you should use a remote release, or use the built-in self timer, to avoid any movements.

Another test trick is to a)let the autofocus set the range, then b)switch off AF and shoot a series with focus bracketing (i.e. make small changes on the focus ring on either side of the AF point).

AF should work OK, but as I said, it needs a contrasty part of the subject to lock, especially in low light conditions.

You could post a couple of samples so the experts could see if we are talking about out-of-focus or camera shake.

It's impossible to be sure without seeing some pictures, but the usual reasons are camera shake and the use of a wide aperture meaning most of the image is outside the area of depth of field.

Using flash removes both these problems and usually shows that the kit is very capable of sharp results.

If outdoor and flash pictures are sharp then technique is the area to think about. Can you post some picyures so we can see what the problem is?

Have the Focusing Area (AF Point) set to Centre or Sel rather than Auto, so that you focus on what YOU want rather than what the camera thinks you want.

Keep an eye on the shutter speed and make sure it doesn't get too low when hand-holding. The old rule of thumb, though conservative now, is still handy (and very memorable): shutter speed in fractions of a second should be less than or equal to the focal length in mm. Eg. 1/50 sec or faster for 50mm.

ps.

Remember that when comparing your images to others, others may have had more sharpening applied or may have been downsized more. All digital images look at least slightly soft when you zoom in on the full size version all the way with a viewer.

The lens or camera's AF may be faulty or badly setup. Try focusing manually to eliminate these causes. The AF settings can be tweaked via the Debug Menu, but this should be a last resort.

If you want sharp buy a good knife not a camera!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

If you posted some 100% crops we may be able to gauge what you are getting at better.

That was rather blunt