Shoot and edit your best-ever digital files by understanding how to make your cameras and lenses perform at their very best
The concept of image quality is an abstract one that we have all become accustomed to hearing, without necessarily stopping to consider in detail. We often associate the idea with camera and lens specifications to such an extent that it can feel as if the integrity of our photos is beyond our control, being purely dependent on pixel count, processor type and fancy optical coatings. Of course, the technical quality of an image file is controlled to some extent by the resolution of the camera’s sensor – on some cameras, this is even accessed by a button named ‘Image Qual’.
However, it’s wrong to assume that upgrading your camera kit will automatically produce higher-quality images – it’is better to understand your gear, and know how and when it performs at its best. This has never been more true than with today’s digital cameras. As new features are added to ever-expanding menu options, it’s vital to recognise what each item is designed for, and how you can use it to your advantage.
Image quality is in the eye of the beholder to an extent, but, by exploring all the tools your kit is equipped with and reassessing how you use them, you can discover a plethora of ways to get the maximum colour, resolution and sharpness from your bodies and lenses. Read on to discover 10 features and techniques you can start using today to create better raw files or JPEGs.
1 CHEAT THE IMAGE CIRCLE
Sometimes using the ‘wrong lens’ is the best way to achieve better-quality shots
When deciding which system to settle on, the variety of lens mount types and formats can be overwhelming. However, while having cameras with different-sized sensors can be problematic, it can also be advantageous. Buying a fullframe lens for your APS-C or Micro 4/3 camera will mean the image circle is considerably larger than the sensor area. This effectively eliminates the frame edges – where any lens, even a pro model, performs at its weakest, and as a result vignetting is reduced, centre-edge sharpness is more consistent, and distortion is minimised. You have the additional weight to contend with and, potentially, adaptors to consider, but ‘buying bigger’ than you need also future-proofs subsequent upgrades to a largersensor camera. The grey areas in the image show zones of weak sharpness.
