Would a picture be sharper with a better lens?

Question

I got Nikon D5200 (24 mega-pixels), but my pics aren't as sharp as I want them...I need a really sharp pics, really detailed...do I need to change a body or lens? And yes I set my camera properly!!! if you're gonna say lens tell me which exactly, same if you're gonna say body....I make urban photos mostly and nature landscapes.

P.S. my lens is DX AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G

Answer 1

In your case no . . because . . .



That camera with that lens is perfectly capable of sharp images in the right hands. There is nothing wrong with that lens, despite what others may have told you.



Which means your problems are operator error related, There are only a few things that cause blurry or out of focus images.



1. failure to focus accurately, trying to focus in low light using autofocus can be particularly difficult, or just failing to focus on the subject: example: http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00W/00Wg9v-252163584.jpg

2. using too wide an aperture, causing shallow depth of field, possible focus problems if subjects are not all in the focal plane. see example: http://library.creativecow.net/articles/terry_todd/depth_of_field_converters/gnome-dof.JPG

3. using a very narrow aperture (f22 or greater), causing diffraction problems - noticeable in landscapes and focussing to infinity - see example: http://i.imgur.com/KPR7K8B.png

4. Lack of light, requiring slower shutter speeds, causing motion blurring (example: http://www.aguntherphotography.com/files/tutorial/sharpness/motion-blur.jpg ) or camera shake (example http://ahsphoto.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/0/2/13020357/9226598_orig.jpg )

5. Having your camera set to a low resolution setting, or too much compression (read the user manual!!!!). See example of compression artifacts: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0c/Compression-artifacts.jpg



The first stage in sorting all of those problems is to read your camera user manual, then to get your camera off automatic mode, and start choosing your aperture settings/shutter speed depending on the subject you are photographing. For example f/4 or wider for portraits, f/8 for group shots, f/8-f/16 for landscapes, or fast shutter speeds to prevent motion blurring or camera shake. The slow shutter speed problems can be fixed by either getting more light, increasing the ISO, opening up the aperture, or using a tripod, and making sure your subject isn't moving, or a combination of all of these. The low resolution/compression problem can be fixed by changing your camera settings to maximum quality.



So, because your problem is operator error, then buying a new more expensive higher quality lens is not going to make a blind bit of difference.

Answer 2

The more expensive Nikkor lens tend to be very sharp... but sharp depends on your expectations. If you're staring at a 24MP image on your monitor that's zoomed in to 100% and expect it to be sharp, as in no soft lines, then you expectations are too high.



In general, here are some things that affect sharpness.



1. Lens - Your image will only be as sharp as the lens can capture it. This is why you do read reviews, do tests, and get the best lens you can afford. Your goal is to upgrade your camera body, not your lens.



2. Sensor - If the sensor can't record at the same level of detail or higher than the lens, then your sensor (camera) is holding back the lens. This is the case for me since I have a 40D and several L lens.



Other things:

1. Focusing Accuracy - Is your lens focusing correctly and quickly? You can do some tethered shooting and manual focus to be more precise.



2. Aperture - F/8 is usually the sharpest aperture for most lens. Wide open and the lens becomes softer on the edges. Too closed and diffraction kicks in.



3. Movement - You or your subject may have moved just enough to make the image slightly out of focus. That's why there are VR lens tripods, etc. to help with this.



4. Lighting - The higher the contrast, the sharper the image will look. Sharpness depends on there being defined edges. Some of these edges are due to different parts of a subject, eyes for example, and sometimes it depends on the light.



5. Noise Reduction - If the camera is applying noise reduction (NR), then sharpness is usually affected. I disable NR and prefer to add it in post processing as needed.



Even More:

1. Don't waste pixels. Try to get as many pixels of your image to cover your subject. If the image is too large you can reduce the size of the image and it will appear sharper.



2. Use a low ISO. The higher the ISO, the worse the image quality in terms of noise and sharpness. The lower the ISO, the more aggressive you can sharpen an image in post processing before noise becomes a problem. My 40D tops out at ISO1600, and even at ISO400 I start seeing noise, so I try to use a strobe whenever I can.

Answer 3

Don't blame the camera. Your D5200 is quite capable with a good lens (lens quality is everything so please DO NOT consider Sigma or Tamron).



Consider this: the quality of a lens is found in it's ability to capture detail. Photography is 'light writing' by definition so, is a 3.5 lens better suited than a much faster 2.8 as far as quality is concerned?



You are using a low quality production lens (3.5-5.6). If the range of 18-55 isn't covered by a single aperture, the lens quality/elements aren't prime.



You will spend a lot more for this but it'll satisfy your requirements:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/1755.htm



Find it, buy it and realize the problem is with your lens, not your camera.

.

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Answer 4

Firstly, all other things being equal (the skill of the operator for example) then yes, a better lens will give better images in terms of sharpness. Good quality primes or zooms will be optically better than the kit lens.



Are you shooting in raw? If not, the softness (or lack of sharpness rather) may be down to the jpg compression setting you have on your camera - you may want to investigate this first before splashing the cash on more lenses.



Do you shoot in Auto modes? Again, if you are not setting the exposure yourself, lack of contrast can been seen as lack of sharpness.



Despite what you say - that camera & lens combination is capable of giving great, sharp images - so operator error IS the likely cause.

Answer 5

The D5200 is fine. Unless you're willing to upgrade to a D600 or D800 which, in my opinion really isn't necessary. With a full-frame body the lens becomes even more important. You can do what you want to do just fine with your D5200. Lenses are an investment.



The real difference will be found in a better lens such as a 50mm f1.4 prime or the AF-S 17-55mm f2.8G IF ED for your urban photos and the Nikon 10-24mm for your landscape photography. However, there are several things that will also affect image quality.



All lenses have a "sweet spot" where the lens designer's compromises are minimized. Usually this will be found at between f5.6 and f11. Using any lens wide-open, regardless of its manufacturer and cost, will result in less center to edge sharpness and increased center to edge light falloff.



Although professional grade zoom lenses (look for "ED" in the description of Nikon lenses and usually a constant aperture) have made the difference between them and prime (fixed focal length) lenses very small, a difference still exists.



The steadier the camera the better the image quality with any lens (unless used wide-open). For landscapes I consider a tripod mandatory. For your urban photography use a shutter speed of 1/focal length (1/250 sec. with a 70-200mm zoom, 1/60 sec. with a 50mm prime) or higher and practice good camera holding techniques. You might consider adding a good monopod to your gear.



When practical use the lowest ISO possible. Landscapes at ISO 100, urban scenes at 200 or 400 if needed.



Always shoot at your camera's highest resolution. You have 24 mega pixels so use all of them.



Shoot in RAW. This preserves 100% of the data recorded on the sensor.



http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-raw-files.shtml



http://digital-photography-school.com/raw-vs-jpeg



http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/RAW-file-format.htm



For your urban photography consider the AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 17-55mm f2.8G IF ED which will cost about $1,540.00 but represents a substantial upgrade over your slow inexpensive 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 kit zoom. The DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f3.5-4.5G ED for landscapes is about $900.00. The AF-S 50mm f1.4G prime for portraits or urban photography is about $485.00.

Answer 6

The common "noob" mistake is to use too large and aperture. If you want things to be sharp and to have a large depth of field then a smaller aperture, say around f/11 is a good idea. Obviously with smaller apertures you either have to bump up the ISO and deal with noise, or put the camera on a tripod to hold it steady while you make a shot with the shutter open for longer.

Answer 7

Yes, given your camera technique is 100% right and lighting is adequate.

Don't rule out the f2.8 Tamron or Sigma lenses. Consider using a 50mm f1.8 standard lens for critical work. Consider post-processing with intelligent use of USM.

This review may help you to make a choice amongst the shorter zooms:



http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/best-standard-zoom-lens-upgrade-for-nikon-dslrs-8-tested-1074259/2#articleContent

Answer 8

Didn't like the answers to your previous question, eh? Well, I've got some news: the facts remain the facts, and changing the question minimally won't make any difference.

1. No-one is going to be able to make a judgement on your pics and what the problem is (if any) without seeing some examples.

2. Without this, all you'll get are generalities and speculation.

3. My guess remains the same: user error. Go on, prove me wrong.

Answer 9

It is possible that the camera focuses on the wrong thing. For example if you are taking a portrait, instead of focusing on the eyes which will make the photo look very sharp, it focuses on the tip of the nose instead.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pooky/6908645524/sizes/k/in/photostream/



Focused on the eyes. Lens opened wide.

Answer 10

1

Answer 11

You need a tripod.