There are lots of great ways to get sharper images besides simply going for higher megapixel cameras. Believe it or not, that’s a myth. You can still put a soft lens on a higher-megapixel camera and it won’t look as sharp. You might also have other issues to deal with like the higher resolution emphasizing camera shake. So with that in mind, we’re sharing a few key tips on how to get sharper images with your LUMIX S5II. And in lots of ways, this is the only fullf-frame camera on the market at the moment that can do this.
This article is presented in partnership with LUMIX.
Using the Image Stabilization Effectively
The LUMIX S5II is capable of doing some really insane image stability. We’ve handheld this camera to longer than. second without camera shake issues and with lenses longer than we’d normally do tests like this with. So with that in mind, here’s how you make sure that you’re using image stabilization effectively:
- Shoot at the reciprocal of your focal length or faster. That means that if you’re using a 50mm lens, then shoot at 1/50th. If you’re shooting with a 100mm lens, then shoot at a minumum 1/100th of a second. Combined with the image stabilization, the LUMIX S5II will ensure that you get sharper photos pretty easily.
- Tuck your elbows in and stand in a perfectly relaxed but stable position
- Control your breathing. At the beginning of my career, I needed to shoot at the top of my breath. These days, I fill my diaphragm up, let all the air out, and then partially fill it back up again. Only then can I get a stable and fully blur-free shot in compromising situations. Try this one for yourself, because it’s different for everyone. It can really be different for people with heart issues.
- Don’t be afraid to raise your ISO setting. ISO 6400 and beyond are fairly clean on the LUMIX S5II
- When shooting vertically, try to keep your elbows still tucked into your body instead of having one flail out.
And of course, there are more tips on how to get sharper images.
Before we go on though: let’s clearly define this. Sharper images refers to images that are devoid of camera shake and that look as crisp as possible.
Pro tip: shoot in such a way that the black levels look deeper. While this won’t specifically make the images sharper, they’ll appear that way. It’s a trick that photographs can play on the human eye.
Off-Camera Flash
Off-Camera flash can do something that LEDs and constant lighting can’t for the same amount of money. But off-camera flash lets you capture these things called specular highlights. These are little details in a scene that can’t be clearly observed with the human eye. It’s how you can see a subject’s pore easily without needing post-production. It works in conjunction with things like flash duration, soft lighting, hard lighting, etc. Honestly, it’s one of our favorite things to do as well.
LUMIX works with a lot of studio grade flashes to get sharper images in this way. Trust us, you’ll never believe that a sensor around 24MP could be this sharp.
The AF-Scope Feature
Part of getting sharper images with the LUMIX S5II requires a finely adjusted focus feature. With some of the latest firmware, users get the AF-scope feature that lets them fine-tune the autofocus as needed onto a very specific place. Combo this with off-camera lighting and effective image stabilization, and you’ll be making incredibly sharp images.
But what’s more, try it with Real Time LUT. Some LUTs can provide even more sharpness.