Does a longer exposure reduce image sharpness if the camera is perfectly steady?
Asked 1/26/2012
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If the camera is completely steady during a long exposure, does the image itself become more or less sharp just because the shutter is open longer? I'm asking about sharpness specifically, not camera shake. Would sharpness stay the same, or can long exposures soften detail for other reasons?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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In a perfect camera with a perfect sensor, sharpness would remain the same. No such thing exists so you have to consider two possibilities with whichever camera you have. The long exposure causes the sensor to heat and increases image noise:
Your camera does not like that and therefore applies long shutter noise-reduction to clean things up and you get a less sharp image.
Your camera is oblivious to the increase in noise and leaves it there. Speckles caused by noise destroy some fine details but make the image appear sharper sometimes.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In principle, if nothing moves and the camera/sensor were perfect, exposure length alone would not change sharpness.
In real cameras, long exposures can affect perceived detail in a few ways:
- Sensor noise/heat: Longer exposures can increase sensor noise. That noise can hide fine detail, making the image seem less sharp.
- Long-exposure noise reduction: Some cameras apply noise reduction for long exposures, which can smooth noise but also soften very fine detail slightly.
- Overexposure: A long shutter can make bright areas saturate. Clipped highlights lose detail, which can look less sharp, though this is really an exposure issue rather than a sharpness issue.
- Atmospheric distortion: Over long distances, heat shimmer or air turbulence can blur detail during the exposure.
So the short answer is: sharpness should theoretically stay the same, but in practice long exposures can look less sharp because of noise, noise reduction, overexposure, or atmospheric effects.
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