How sharp a photo appears depends on several factors. One is focus control, whether the lens is properly focused on the image and if there is enough depth of field to render the subject acceptably sharp.

Another is subject movement. If the subject is moving, it is easier to get a sharp photo when the subject is moving towards you, or away from you. If it moving from one side of the picture towards the other, a faster shutter speed is needed to prevent motion blur.

Camera movement has a big influence on sharpness. Since telephoto lenses magnify camera movement along with subject size, a faster shutter speed is needed than with a wide-angle lens to achieve the same level of sharpness. A common “rule of thumb” states most photographers can expect sharp pictures when hand-holding a camera, provided the shutter speed is no slower than the reciprocal of the lens focal length. This means 1/60^th sec. for a 60mm lens, 1/30^th for a 28mm lens, 1/250^th for a 250mmlens, etc. If you are in a situation where you can’t use a support and you have to shoot hand-held, use a wide lens and move in close. The short focal length of a wide lens minimizes camera movement, so you’re more likely to have sharp photos.

IMPROVING SHARPNESS
So now that we know what affects sharpness, how do we improve it?

With any camera, film or digital, holding the camera as steady as possible will help. Hold it in both hands, with elbows close to the body and press the shutter release with a smooth stroke instead of a quick jab. If you’re using an SLR camera, cradle the lens with your left hand, keeping your left elbow close to your body. When photographing a moving object, follow the action with the camera ready instead of holding the camera still. This technique, called “panning” may take some practice, but it will result in sharper pictures with better composition. Use a monopod or tripod if slow shutter speeds will be used.

 One of the latest features to be promoted heavily by camera manufacturers is image stabilization, a feature called by many other names such anti-blur, digital image stabilization, vibration reduction, steady shot, and more. In some cases, this feature is a relatively minor one. In others, it will significantly increase the sharpness of your images taken at slower shutter speeds.

ISO-SHIFT IMAGE STABILIZATION
This is the simplest image stabilization system in digital cameras and just increases the ISO sensitivity control on a camera so a faster shutter speed is used. This is similar to film photographers selecting a faster film. Doing so, with either film ISO or digital ISO sensitivity, may compromise image clarity and detail to some degree. But in many cases, a little loss of color and detail is an acceptable tradeoff for a shutter speed that is fast enough to avoid blur due to subject and/or camera movement.

Many point & shoot compact digital cameras now offer this “electronic image stabilization” that increases ISO sensitivity in subdued lighting conditions. Cameras that have this feature normally have advanced noise technology that helps minimize the image quality that is lost when a high ISO setting is used. Since most compact digital cameras have only an LCD screen for a viewfinder and have to be held a distance away from the eye to compose the shot, this stance is not very stable. Image stabilization helps correct for this, plus it freezes an active subject better since a faster shutter speed is used.

OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION
Some SLR and compact digital cameras have sensors that move lens elements to compensate for the camera movement. This motorized group of elements shifts in two directions—up/down or left/right to cancel out the movement. Optical image stabilization, also called lens-shift stabilization, first appeared in a Canon “IS” image stabilization lens about 10 years ago and is now used by Nikon in their “VR” vibration reduction lenses, too. The advantages of this type of stabilizing is the 3 to 4 stops of additional stability as compared to a hand-held camera and the fact that the stabilizing effect is visible in the viewfinder. The main drawback for SLR photographers is the stabilization is only present when the lens that has it is used.

SENSOR IMAGE STABILIZATION
Other cameras stabilize the image by using sensors in the camera to adjust the position of the CCD or CMOS imaging chip to neutralize the direction of motion. The first SLR cameras to use sensor stabilization were the Minolta Maxxum 7D and 5D digital SLRs. Now it’s used by Sony and Pentax in SLRs, and by many other manufacturers of compact digital cameras. The biggest advantage of sensor stabilization over optical stabilization in SLR cameras is the feature is built into the camera body, so it can be used with any lens on the camera. But since the sensor is stabilized only at the moment of exposure, the effect cannot be previewed in the viewfinder.

 Each stabilization system has merits and some drawbacks, but they all help us create better pictures. While ISO-shift stabilization will sharpen subject movement since a faster shutter speed is used than non-stabilized shots, the other stabilization methods won’t have any affect on subject movement. When you purchase a camera that has image stabilization, be sure to read the instruction manual for tips on how to get the best results with this amazing technology.

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