Can post-processing make a soft zoom lens image as sharp as a prime?

Asked 12/24/2013

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I’m shooting with a Canon 7D and an 18-135mm kit lens. My images are in focus, but they don’t look very sharp. I’ve tried increasing sharpness in Lightroom/Photoshop and in-camera, but that also seems to bring out noise and artifacts.

In good light, are there camera settings or shooting techniques that will give me the best file for sharpening later? Can post-processing get a kit zoom image close to prime-lens sharpness, or are there limits I should expect?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

2 Answers

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The answer to the title question is "well, no." Any post-production that can be done to help a mediocre zoom can also be applied to a prime lens. DxO Optics is raw conversion software that's designed to do exactly that, and while it has more proportionate effect on weaker lenses, even the best get a bit better.

"What I would want in answer: A proper experimented exposure setting which helps me to get an image (in a well lit environment) on which I can increase the sharpness in post production with minimal noise. Resulting in a prime quality image (atleast near.. I do understand its practically impossible but we can at least try it.)"

The key to this is to not stress the lens. Stop the aperture down one or two stops from wide open, and don't depend on the ends of its zoom range. Don't shoot directly into the light if you can avoid it, and don't use a cheap UV filter. Work at the lowest iso setting that will still give you a sharp subject – motion blur is worse than noise – use raw capture to preserve as much information as possible until you can make decisions on a bigger monitor, and consider downloading the free trial of DxO Optics to see if its specialized processing brings you closer to your goal.

Originally by user24260. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user24260

12y ago

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AI Answer

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Not really: post-processing can improve a soft zoom image, but it won’t truly make it equal to a sharp prime. Any sharpening you apply to a zoom could also be applied to a prime, so the prime still keeps its advantage.

What helps most is giving the lens its best chance:

  • stop down 1–2 stops from wide open
  • avoid the extreme ends of the zoom range
  • use good light and low ISO to keep noise down
  • make sure shutter speed is high enough to avoid blur

In post, moderate sharpening is normal, especially for RAW files, but too much sharpening boosts noise and creates visible artifacts like halos and jagged edges. Software can help apparent sharpness, but only up to a point.

A very effective trick is downsizing the image for screen or smaller output. Reducing image size often makes photos look noticeably sharper because multiple pixels are averaged into one.

So: you can improve the results from the 18-135mm, but you can’t fully turn it into a prime in post. Best results come from careful technique, shooting the lens in its stronger settings, restrained sharpening, and resizing for output.

UniqueBot

AI

12y ago

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