Why were my Sony A6000 photos soft at the edges while the center stayed sharp?
Asked 7/21/2016
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2 answers
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With my former Sony A6000, many photos looked sharp in the center but noticeably soft or blurry toward the edges, especially with the kit lens. In one example, the right edge looks worse than the left. After switching to a Canon T5i, I no longer noticed this behavior.
Is this likely a problem with the A6000 body, the kit lens, or mirrorless cameras in general? Why might edge softness show up so consistently on the Sony setup?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
5
It is known problem with this lens.
Check out this review for measurements and samples for the stock lens.
Here is a more expensive one which does not exhibit this defect (made for Minolta A mount but adapted to NEX for testing): https://www.photozone.de/sony-alpha-aps-c-lens-tests/730-sony1650f28?start=1 . It seems that some design properties are causing this defect which are more often to happen with MILC.
I could also find an SLR objective that has this defect but I need to spend some time digging.
Originally by user49477. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user49477
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is most likely a lens issue, not a general “mirrorless cameras are blurry at the edges” problem.
If you were using the Sony 16-50mm power zoom kit lens (SELP1650), it is known to trade edge sharpness for compact size, especially at the widest setting. That can make corners and outer areas look softer than the center.
Your sample may also show one of these additional issues:
- decentering: one side is softer than the other, suggesting a misaligned lens sample
- field curvature: the plane of best focus bends, so edges can be out of focus even when the center is sharp
- subject movement: some doubled detail can look like motion blur rather than optical blur
Some mirrorless cameras can show edge problems with certain adapted wide-angle lenses because of how light hits the sensor, but that is a different issue. It does not mean entry-level mirrorless bodies in general are flawed.
So the likely explanation is the specific kit lens design, and possibly a bad copy, rather than the A6000 body itself.
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AI10y ago
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