Altering sharpness in a Canon 7D

[darrenm]

have been wondering if altering sharpness in the Canon 7D will make for sharper pics if using the landscape or any other setting? I have tried it today but with some mixed results and even more so on the highest setting. If so what level of sharpness would you use for bird photography, both fairly static subjects and flight shots.

[nutmeg]

Assuming you're shooting JPEGs, I'd leave the setting at neutral/faithful and do sharpening during post-processing - then you can adjust as you like rather than how the camera 'decides'.

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by nutmeg

Assuming you're shooting JPEGs, I'd leave the setting at neutral/faithful and do sharpening during post-processing - then you can adjust as you like rather than how the camera 'decides'.

I'd agree with that, as it leaves much more scope for choice. Once an image is sharpened in camera, there is no going back.

Regards,
Mike

[glsammy]

Agreed. I've never liked the sharpening the camera does. Much better to do it all in post processing. I have all my settings set to 0.

[johnf3f]

I shoot in RAW with the camera doing no special effects. Play with the image afterwards where you change your mind if you don't like your sharpening etc.
P.S. you have a cracking camera in the 7d and it appears you are using JPEGs. Try some shots in RAW, they are more work + fill memory card quickly, but they have much more information and can be processed into better images.
Make the most of your camera!

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by johnf3f

I shoot in RAW with the camera doing no special effects. Play with the image afterwards where you change your mind if you don't like your sharpening etc.
P.S. you have a cracking camera in the 7d and it appears you are using JPEGs. Try some shots in RAW, they are more work + fill memory card quickly, but they have much more information and can be processed into better images.
Make the most of your camera!

I agree the 7D is a great camera, I have the 7D. I also agree that raw files fill the memory card and require more work in processing. Granted they hold more information but I don't agree that raw files can be turned into better images than JPEG's

With the right camera settings and the correct editing technique, JPEG's from the 7D are capable of producing just as good an image as a raw file.

Nothing personal just my experience and opinion

[darrenm]

Tried it yesterday in the field and was happy with the results but the light was superb.
The 7D can be a very cruel bit of kit at times and quite unforgiving but when it does perform it blows my other cameras away and now getting much better results with more experience and overall now enjoying it

Off out later for Barn Owls and hopefully the light will remain consistant and the Owls show...they didnt yesterday but fingers crossed.

Also decided to keep it in JPEG setting for the time because i can see the results i am getting in the field. Will switch to RAW when the natural light improves hopefully in the next few months

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by darrenm

Tried it yesterday in the field and was happy with the results but the light was superb.
The 7D can be a very cruel bit of kit at times and quite unforgiving but when it does perform it blows my other cameras away and now getting much better results with more experience and overall now enjoying it

Off out later for Barn Owls and hopefully the light will remain consistant and the Owls show...they didnt yesterday but fingers crossed.

Also decided to keep it in JPEG setting for the time because i can see the results i am getting in the field. Will switch to RAW when the natural light improves hopefully in the next few months

I agree the 7D can be very cruel at times. I have had mine for well over a year and it still catches me out at times. It's a camera that is capable of excellent results either in jpeg or raw depending on your preference but it does need to be set up correctly to get the best out of it.

What I was getting at was that shooting raw will not necessarily improve on image sharpness. If an image is soft it is soft be it in raw or jpeg and there is only a certain amount of sharpening possible before it looks a mess. I prefer to do most of my sharpening in software rather than relying on the camera.

In my opinion all digital files from any camera require a certain amount of sharpening be they from a Canon Nikon or whatever, it's just the nature of a digital image that they require a certain amount of processing in software to be seen at there best and this includes sharpening.

[The_Moaner]

If you like useing JPGs, just remember that when opening in Photoshop you do a COPY and use that. OR you do a Save As TIFF and work on that. Never touch your original JPG.
Once you do the change you can use Bridge to "Open in RAW" and you can then use that Jpg or Tiff as if it was a RAW file. Works in PS4 & 5 not tried it in 3.
I use RAW as I find that to be far superior to JPGs. I Print A3 for club Comps and enter International comps so Raw is better for me.
If I was just taking pics for internet and odd A4 I would probably use Jpg.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Ollie

In my opinion all digital files from any camera require a certain amount of sharpening be they from a Canon Nikon or whatever, it's just the nature of a digital image that they require a certain amount of processing in software to be seen at there best and this includes sharpening.

It's not just an 'opinion', it's a fact and an unavoidable consequence of the physics of digital image capture.

Jim