Posted by Phil Shaw on October 30, 2007 at 9:57 AM
Stonechat(Saxicola torquata)- Essex, UK
Canon EOS 1Ds2 + 600/f4IS + EF2x, Gitzo 1548 + Wimberley Head WH2.
Manual exposure mode - f11, 1/320s, ISO 400, one-shot AF focusing mode.
RAW image processed in Lightroom and sharpened in Photoshop CS3; full frame.
I guess this image probably looks OK to most people at this resolution. I was very happy with it when I first viewed it as a browser thumbnail. I was particularly pleased with the pose and I considered it the best of some 50 or so images of this bird that I made during a morning session a couple of weeks ago. On checking the file at full resolution, however, it just isn't critically sharp probably due to a combination of subject movement and a relatively slow shutter speed. The frame before and the frame after are both sharp, but the head position isn't quite so engaging.
Posted by Paul Gibbs on October 30, 2007 at 10:47 AM
Looks fine here, when you process are you using any NR? Also what are you using to sharpen, just USM?
If i'm worried about an images sharpness, i dont tend to run any NR, then make a second layer, sharpen the first with focalblade then use NR on the top layer, then "paint in the sharp areas. It works well i find... i'm a nikon user so i has to
Posted by Andy Astbury on October 30, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Hi Phil - nice pose and comp
To me there is a slightly soft area around the head beak and throat, but tthe legs and perch show as slighly oversharpened.
Are you using the USM or Smartsharpen in CS3 - I never use the USM anymore, always the Advanced tabs on SmartSharpen and quite often I'll sharpen areas with the High Pass filter aswell.
Posted by Graeme Lee on October 30, 2007 at 5:26 PM
Looks superb on my CRT Phil. A little tight on the right for me personally. Why do you opt for one shot? Would AI Servo not have suited better? Be interested to know Phil.
A nice image. A bit central but not really a problem. I see what you mean regarding sharpness, as the eye and beak look very slightly soft. The back of the head looks sharp, although it is difficult to see at this size. Could a slight movement by the bird have moved part of the head out of the plane of focus?
Yeah, sod`s law that a shot this good would be slightly unsharp. Probably happens a lot more for me than it does for you.
BTW, there is a slight sharpening halo visible on my screen.
Discussion
5 repliesStonechat (Saxicola torquata) - Essex, UK
Canon EOS 1Ds2 + 600/f4IS + EF2x, Gitzo 1548 + Wimberley Head WH2.
Manual exposure mode - f11, 1/320s, ISO 400, one-shot AF focusing mode.
RAW image processed in Lightroom and sharpened in Photoshop CS3; full frame.
I guess this image probably looks OK to most people at this resolution. I was very happy with it when I first viewed it as a browser thumbnail. I was particularly pleased with the pose and I considered it the best of some 50 or so images of this bird that I made during a morning session a couple of weeks ago. On checking the file at full resolution, however, it just isn't critically sharp probably due to a combination of subject movement and a relatively slow shutter speed. The frame before and the frame after are both sharp, but the head position isn't quite so engaging.
If i'm worried about an images sharpness, i dont tend to run any NR, then make a second layer, sharpen the first with focalblade then use NR on the top layer, then "paint in the sharp areas. It works well i find... i'm a nikon user so i has to
To me there is a slightly soft area around the head beak and throat, but tthe legs and perch show as slighly oversharpened.
Are you using the USM or Smartsharpen in CS3 - I never use the USM anymore, always the Advanced tabs on SmartSharpen and quite often I'll sharpen areas with the High Pass filter aswell.
Nicely done
A nice image. A bit central but not really a problem. I see what you mean regarding sharpness, as the eye and beak look very slightly soft. The back of the head looks sharp, although it is difficult to see at this size. Could a slight movement by the bird have moved part of the head out of the plane of focus?
John Lee
BTW, there is a slight sharpening halo visible on my screen.