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a77 and sharpness

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Johnontheroad View Drop Down
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Posts: 82 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Johnontheroad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: a77 and sharpness
    Posted: 06 February 2012 at 14:51
I don't know why, but I just can't seem to get a sharp image from my a77. I've tried all the lenses listed in my sig, plus I recently added the 16-50 f2.8. I've tested and set all the back focus, tried various lighting, different f-stop from wide open to wide closed, shutter speeds from 1/60 to 1/2000 and when I compare the sharpness of my images to those I see posted by others I'm disappointed.

I've shot RAW and JPEG, same results. I've compared the same scene shot at the same time with my Oly XZ-1 with my a77, and the a77 is no better. I recently shot the moon under ideal conditions on a tripod with my Tamron 70-300 and compared it with one I downloaded from someone taken with the X-S1 bridge cam; my shot was noticeably less detailed.

Maybe it's me, so if someone has some suggestions on how to get maximum sharpness from this camera I'm all ears (eyes).

== John
Sony user since 1998 - D700, D770, H1, R1, a900, a55 now a77, SAL 35f18, SAL 18250, Tamron 90mm f 2.8 Macro, Tamron SP 70-300mm
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Rusty View Drop Down
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Posts: 2250 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rusty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 15:01
I find that surprising, especially from the primes. Are you testing in sunny conditions ? The moon may not be the best target to practise with.

Can you post some samples of 'unsharp pics' ? maybe not everything you have tested, but some 100% center crops from the 35 and 90 at f/5.6 would be a good start, where sharpness should be at it's best.
stuff for sale: Maxxum 5, x-700, 17-50/2.8, 100-200/4.5, Jupiter 21M, many Helios 44-2, and more. PM me
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Posts: 138 		Post Options Post Options   Quote stevo71 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 15:19
I shot the moon last night for the 1st time with my a65 and actually thought it lacked the sharpness of similar shots using my a200. At 1st I thought it was my eyes playing tricks and I am still not quite sure so here are 2 comparison shots - the 1st with the a200 & the 2nd with the a65, any feedback would be welcome. Also of note I found it harder to manually focus with the EVF on the a65 due to the noise.


Waxing Gibbous 060112 by benevolent_son71, on Flickr


Waxing Gibbous 040212 by benevolent_son71, on Flickr

Both photo's are cropped and had some post work done in lightroom.
Sony a65 | Sony AF DT 30 F2.8 Macro SAM | Sigma 10-20 F4-5.6 EX DC | Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG APO HSM OS
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro HSM |Tamron 90mm F2.8 SP Di Macro
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Posts: 1534 		Post Options Post Options   Quote 6tyNine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 15:47
wow, look at that artifacting.
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russellsbags View Drop Down
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Posts: 1930 		Post Options Post Options   Quote russellsbags Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 16:59
I had a NEX 5 for Christmas 2010 and I could not get a sharp photo out of it with either of the lenses in the twin kit. I tried everything but still no good so I took it into the shop (Jacobs in the UK) who told me it was fine and I was expecting too much from a non DSLR. Idiots, but that's another story. I told them I wanted it sent to Sony for repair And away it went. They sent it back saying I had the camera set up wrong. I checked the settings and someone, the idiot in the shop I guess had been playing.

I contacted Sony directly and returned it to them with some samples and they agreed something was wrong. 2 weeks later they said they were waiting for a new 18-55 lens as they thought that was faulty. I didn't think it was worth telling them AGAIN that the 16mm (they also had this) was no better. Another couple of weeks later I received an email to say that Sony had authorised a replacement body. I asked what was the problem and they said it had multiple issues. I guess they either didn't know or they didn't want to say. I'm guessing there was something wrong with the sensor. The new one is amazing. I was tempted to take it back to the shop to show them but didn't think the idiot had enough intelligence to understand.

I was going to say to cut a long story short but that ship has sailed. I'm wondering if you have a faulty sensor or something similar. I think it's worth returning to your store to ask for a replacement.

Sorry for the essay
John.

Smile and develop a sense of humour. Life will be so much easier and make a lot more sense.
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GarryA View Drop Down
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Posts: 10 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GarryA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 17:03
If it is any help to you, my story as follows,
I have been a Minolta user then Sony A700 A580 then A77, I was really impressed with the picture quality of the A580 but not quite so much with the rest of the camera. So got myself the A77 really impressed with the camera love it, picture quality is a different story. A while ago I took shots of the moon on a perfect night hoping to see better pictures than the A 580 could produce I used the same lens for both cameras but sadly the A580 was a clear winner and so far when comparing, the A 580 always wins. It to me definitely seem sharper and is a cleaner image. so far I have not produced pictures of birds that match the A580. If the A77 could produce pictures like the A580 I would be a very happy person I kick myself for parting with my A580. It is strange because the A77 can capture stunning amounts of detail but you I have found you need to work at it, but even though it can capture more detail it is not as sharp as the A580. Probably if you down sized the image to the same size as the A 580 it would be the same. I have found by always shooting in raw and not going above 400 ISO and under exposing a little, then increasing the exposure in light-room it does seem to produce better images. to shoot the moon i use manual setting ISO 200 f7.3 and some where around 500 hundreds of a second but always tending to under expose I do get better shots of the moon, one thing the EVF is really good for you can see the effects of the exposure setting and I am very lucky to have a Minolta 100-300 Apo and compared it to the Tamron and Sigma and it is sharper, so I can say it is not the lens.    
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Posts: 444 		Post Options Post Options   Quote igogosh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 17:07
My a77 shots show fantastic detail, on par with a850. I have 35mm f1.8 and tamron 90mm too plus other great glass (CZ 85mm, 24-70, sony 50mm F1.4 and G 70-200mm). A77 performs with all of them from wide open and gets even better when stopped down. I am particularly impressed by 35mm F1.8, considering its price this lens is a fantastic performer in AF accuracy, sharpness and color.
Overall a77 is the only Sony aps-c camera I can rely on to focus fast primes wide open. I could never shoot CZ85mm at f1.4 and get focus where I wanted it, a77 DOES it.
I assume you shoot raw and know how to take a sharp picture, no offense, please.
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Sigurd View Drop Down
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Posts: 404 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sigurd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 17:07
Originally posted by stevo71 stevo71 wrote:

Both photo's are cropped and had some post work done in lightroom.


We can't really compare them then, don't ya think?
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stiuskr View Drop Down
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Posts: 7492 		Post Options Post Options   Quote stiuskr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 17:36
@John. Set the a77 on a tripod and mount the Tamron 90 to it and take some test shots. Enable peak focusing or focus magnify and shoot by manual focus. If you can't get a sharp image there, then there's a problem. If it's OK go to AF and then adjust your AF Micro adjust one step at a time starting from either + or - 20 and work your way to the other end. Review those images on a PC monitor and if you can't find a sharp one there then you have an AF problem.
Regarding moon shots I'm getting my best ever with the a77. Before with the a700 and having to manual focus the 70400G and Sony 1.4x I couldn't get a really sharp image. The same combo on the a77 with focus magnify nails it first time, every time.



That's like a 50% crop IIRC, I could have taken it further to fill the frame and still have good details there.

Edited by stiuskr - 06 February 2012 at 23:00
Rob Suits Jr.
KM7D | a700 | a77
Tam17/50 Tam90 SAL70200 or SAL70400 & a77 w/me every day :-)
Please post images at 1024px horiz. or 960px vert. (personal preference;)
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Johnontheroad View Drop Down
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Posts: 82 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Johnontheroad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 18:02
OK, I'll just use the moon shots since others have posted as well. These were taken using my Tamron 70-300USD lens, tripod mounted, remote to minimize vibration. Obviously, these were cropped but no other PP has been done. Converted to JPG via Aperture 3. This one one is taken at ISO 100, f6.3, 1/200:


DSC01390 by Johnontheroad, on Flickr

And here at ISO 400 at f6.3 and 1/1250:


DSC01390 by Johnontheroad, on Flickr

So am I asking too much, or should I be trying something different?

Thanks, John
Sony user since 1998 - D700, D770, H1, R1, a900, a55 now a77, SAL 35f18, SAL 18250, Tamron 90mm f 2.8 Macro, Tamron SP 70-300mm
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Posts: 181 		Post Options Post Options   Quote tomhongkong Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 18:25
I am not sure that taking photos of the moon really shows very much. There is often too much atmospheric distortion or haze to make comparisons. I would suggest taking some shots of a suitable object at around 100 metres and seeing what you get. (I take many shots of yachts, and find that there is little point in trying to get decent distant shots because of the distortion or heat haze present over water. If I can't get the composition I want with a 70-300G I know I am not going to get a decent picture by using a longer lens, or cropping)

tom
a700, KM 5D, M7000, M5xi, Sig10-20, CZ16-80, T17-50/2.8, T18-250, T28-75/2.8, T35-105/2.8, M70-210/4.0, S70-300G, M80-200/2.8G, S50/1.4, M85/1.4 RS, M100/2.8Macro, M135/2.8, M200/2.8G HS, 1.4x, 2.0x
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Posts: 10 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GarryA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 21:27
please inform me how you would take a sharp picture
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stiuskr View Drop Down
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Posts: 7492 		Post Options Post Options   Quote stiuskr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 23:09
Originally posted by GarryA GarryA wrote:

please inform me how you would take a sharp picture


Can you be more specific?
Rob Suits Jr.
KM7D | a700 | a77
Tam17/50 Tam90 SAL70200 or SAL70400 & a77 w/me every day :-)
Please post images at 1024px horiz. or 960px vert. (personal preference;)
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htarash View Drop Down
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Posts: 265 		Post Options Post Options   Quote htarash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2012 at 23:59
I cannot complain with the Sharpness, below was on night where there was some light cloud in the sky, but I think it looks in general OK. A77+70-300G

Moon 10/11/2011 Melbourne, VIC, Aus by htarash, on Flickr
A77 | SAL70300GSSM | SAL1650SSM | SAL50F18SAM | Σ 105F2.8M | HVL-F42AM | E-PM1+14-42mm
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