Interesting test

garyboy

New member
I'm confused. How are you comparing images then?
Well in a way. Comparing live viewer to digitally collected raw shot yes. Why don't some of you more experienced guys just try it yourself and see what you find. In digital audio you are supposed to hear perfect playback to what you heard live. Why should digital data be any different?
 

Dave_W

The Dude
Despite what the f64 club believes, an aperture greater than ~f11 will deliver a softer image due to diffraction. The smaller the aperture the softer will be the image. In order to obtain the sharpest images any particular lens can deliver shoot at ~1.5 - 2 stops smaller than maximum.
 

Dave_W

The Dude
Well in a way. Comparing live viewer to digitally collected raw shot yes. Why don't some of you more experienced guys just try it yourself and see what you find. In digital audio you are supposed to hear perfect playback to what you heard live. Why should digital data be any different?

The digital readout on the LCD has been manipulated by the camera's software and will produce an image that may or may not be like the image you would produce when rendering the photo on a computer. Items like sharpness and contrast can change the overall impression of an image a great deal.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Well in a way. Comparing live viewer to digitally collected raw shot yes. Why don't some of you more experienced guys just try it yourself and see what you find. In digital audio you are supposed to hear perfect playback to what you heard live. Why should digital data be any different?
Mainly because I'm not understanding what it is, exactly, you're doing.

First off, forget about the fact that you're shooting in RAW. That has nothing to do with what you're talking about because 1. RAW files are *not* image files; RAW files are "digital container files" that hold data that gets processed *into* a digital image and, 2. You are reviewing your files in-camera which introduces a whole slew of issues surrounding overall sharpness of what you're seeing.

Digital images files are totally different from digital audio files because, simply put, they're two totally different things. I'm not even sure where to begin explaining that.
 
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OK I will retest tomorrow vr off as I'm out of light for today. Would it be best to post the images on my server with a link as they will be raw 30meg files?

The NEF files forthe D5100 are generally only 17 to 16MB. But there is no need to upload a RAW (NEF) file. Here is the preferred method for upload here

This will let us see the EXIF data if you follow the directions. ESPECIALLY the part about the 1000px on the long side

Guidelines to adding a photo to your post.

1. Resize photo to 1000px on the long side.
2. Resolution set to 72dpi

These guidelines will be good for viewing on a computer but will not be good for printing. This will help safeguard your copyright.







 

Dave_W

The Dude
Do I need a fast lens to do that Dave?

To do what, exactly? Take a sharp photo? No, any lens can do that. Once you have exhausted all your ideas on how to obtain a sharp image and the results continue to be softer than you would expect, it may require sending the lens and camera body to Nikon for lens-camera synchronization. It's not all that uncommon for a body and lens to be off ever so slightly. But I would do this only after you've tried all available options and have convinced yourself it is not operator error.
 

garyboy

New member
OK got the image drill. The thing is a pic will not show you anything because the live viewer LCD screen image is only collectable by taking the shot thus worthless. You would have to try it yourselves.
 

garyboy

New member
To do what, exactly? Take a sharp photo? No, any lens can do that. Once you have exhausted all your ideas on how to obtain a sharp image and the results continue to be softer than you would expect, it may require sending the lens and camera body to Nikon for lens-camera synchronization. It's not all that uncommon for a body and lens to be off ever so slightly. But I would do this only after you've tried all available options and have convinced yourself it is not operator error.
I think the lens and camera are in sync. I'm wondering if I'm being misunderstood here with this. Please try it and tell me what you find.
 
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Carolina Photo Guy

Senior Member
I think the lens and camera are in sync. I'm wondering if I'm being misunderstood here with this. Please try it and tell me what you find.

I have read all of these posts and have noticed a common thread.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that you are comparing a three inch picture on the back of your camera to a vastly larger image on your monitor and finding the monitor image to be a little out of focus?

BOTH of the images are out of focus. You just can't see it on such a small monitor!

Try setting up a shot with live view hooked to your tv and THEN see what the shot looks like.

BWTHDIK?

​Pete
 

fotojack

Senior Member
OK I will retest tomorrow vr off as I'm out of light for today. Would it be best to post the images on my server with a link as they will be raw 30meg files?

uh no. Just convert it to a jpg file, 1000x768 or thereabouts and upload it via the post box.

Personally, I think you should be shooting in jpg mode, not raw (for now). Much easier to play and experiment with jpgs.
Take that same shot at 1/250th, f/8, ISO 100, VR off when on a tripod, White Balance Auto. I think you'll see a major difference.
The screen on your camera is way different than your computer screen, resolution-wise. Try not to use Live View as you're taking a shot. Look through the view finder....that's what it's for. :)
 

LensWork

Senior Member
This question has already been answered correctly here:

Despite what the f64 club believes, an aperture greater than ~f11 will deliver a softer image due to diffraction. The smaller the aperture the softer will be the image. In order to obtain the sharpest images any particular lens can deliver shoot at ~1.5 - 2 stops smaller than maximum.

The members of the f64 club were shooting with 8x10 cameras; as the format gets smaller, and in the case of digital cameras, as pixel density increases, diffraction begins to occur at progressively larger apertures. Stay away from shooting at f/20 with the D5100.
 
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