Sharpness and blur from technique and optics. Causes and solutions, shooting technique, getting full sharpness from high-resolution DSLRs.
Introduction and overview of making sharp images.
Images can be unsharp for many different reasons.
How a lens blurs when out of focus is a Big Deal.
Focusing is more complicated than it first appears.
Focusing accuracy and errors.
Using your camera’s mirror lockup, self timer, and Live View features.
Digital capture technology is discrete, and not the same as film.
Making image captures look sharp.
How to verify a good sample and assess all aspects of lens performance.
Controlling the zone of sharp detail.
Getting peak performance from your lens
Zone of focus, not plane of focus
Actual example of field curvature.
Focus shift with a variety of lenses.
Understanding resolution and contrast graphs.
Understanding the various optical aberrations and behaviors.
Illuminating examples of lens behavior.
How to choose a camera, lenses, and the other stuff that’s worthwhile.
Research into sharpness of handheld images with and without image stabilization
Stability of tripods and ballheads, controlling camera vibration, selecting equipment.
Glossary and further reading.