Sharpness isn't Everything (Open Thread)

[rayvonn]

I like sharp images just as much but probably not more than the next person but don’t think it’s the be all and end all of photography so thought I’d start an open thread (and basically this forum’s version of the “Sharpness is a Bourgeois Concept" thread on RFF) for those so inclined. That may be only me ( ) and if it is that’s fine, but feel free to contribute if you’re of the same mind or have an image you like which fits this criteria. What I like is that this covers all photographic devices whether film, digital or phone as well as pretty much every photographic genre and whatever time of day the photo’s been snapped. Only this last week I’ve seen many nice images on the forum that would easily fit into this thread, but I’ll start off with this random one to get it going.

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Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 50mm F1.5, Contax RF Mount

 

[doobs]

Not just you.

I was spelunking around in the Fuji section over at dpreview yesterday and there was a guy moaning about the horrendous quality of the Fuji XF16-80.

"If you zoom to 400% and look in the corners it's just unacceptably soft..."

I looked at the images he provided and I thought they were very nice. If I had taken them I would have been very happy with the shots.

I'm quite fond of my XF16-80. It's a great walking around lens. Wide enough in the city and long enough to capture detail. Since I bought it, the XF18-55 that I had been using has not been put on the camera (a X-T2 in this case).

Nice shot, BTW!

 

[rayvonn]

"If you zoom to 400% and look in the corners it's just unacceptably soft..."

That certainly tickled my ribs.

 

[TNcasual]

Sharpness is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy overrated.

Give me an image with 'atmosphere' any day over a tack sharp shot.

 

[TNcasual]

Here's an example. There is nothing sharp in this image. But it is one of my favorites from a trip a few years back.

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[doobs]

Whenever I read stories about people "culling" their images and they are say they only keep those that are exactly in focus and pin focus, with the rest being deleted, I cringe.

Most of my "best shots" fall into the not in focus and pin sharp category.

If I had kept only those in that realm, I'd have thrown away most of the images I hold most dear.

Saying all that, most of those folks are on dpreview, where equipment worship is obviously much more important than making memorable imagery.

That's why I'm here!

Cheers

 

[Brian]

Nokton 50mm F1 wide-open on the M9.
ISO 2500.

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[Brian]

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Konica 50mm F1.7 AR-Mount, converted to RF-Coupled M-Mount. At F5.6.

I've read Bill Pierce for over 50 years.
"Never ever confuse sharp with good, or you will end up shaving with an ice cream cone and licking a razor blade."

 

[Brian]

I like sharp images just as much but probably not more than the next person but don’t think it’s the be all and end all of photography so thought I’d start an open thread (and basically this forum’s version of the “Sharpness is a Bourgeois Concept" thread on RFF) for those so inclined. That may be only me ( ) and if it is that’s fine, but feel free to contribute if you’re of the same mind or have an image you like which fits this criteria.
Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 50mm F1.5, Contax RF Mount

You are not alone.

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7Art 75mm F1.25, wide-open on the M9.

 

[Brian]

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Canon 100mm F2, wide-open on the M Monochrom.

 

[snydremark]

I always keep this one around to help remind myself of this; it is way too easy to fall into the trap of hyper-focusing on "sharpness through the frame", etc and lose out on capturing a mood, memory or experience. Sometimes, the "story" your image tells or the feelings it engenders in the viewer is amplified or improved through not being 100% sharp or in focus.

Reflection of a Red-winged Blackbird, on a post, in a marsh. As I was processing the image, I was contemplating tossing since the actual subject wound up not being too compelling, but realized that if I flipped over the reflection, the painterly effect was quite fun and gives me some very Edgar Allen Poe vibes

RWB_abstract-7591 by Eric, on Flickr

 

[MiguelATF]

Couldn't agree more with the title and theme of this thread, thanks for starting it.

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[rayvonn]

Here's an example. There is nothing sharp in this image. But it is one of my favorites from a trip a few years back.

View attachment 420522

I can relate to that - the image below is not sharp either but I like it because, just I suspect is the case with your image, it reflects exactly how the scene was. A sharp image can do that under different circumstances, of course it can, but this wasn't one of those occasions.

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Pentax Super Takumar 50mm F1.4

 

[Irene McC]

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[scottR]

One of my favourites of my daughter..couldn't bin it...even though it missed focus by a mile.

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[Charzes44]

I can relate to that - the image below is not sharp either but I like it because, just I suspect is the case with your image, it reflects exactly how the scene was. A sharp image can do that under different circumstances, of course it can, but this wasn't one of those occasions.
View attachment 420631
Pentax Super Takumar 50mm F1.4

That's well sharp enough for me Tim!

 

[rayvonn]

That's well sharp enough for me Tim!

I know what you mean, it seems to be but if you zoom in you'll see it actually isn't. I do love lenses that do this, but that's another matter.

 

[Charzes44]

I know what you mean, it seems to be but if you zoom in you'll see it actually isn't. I do love lenses that do this, but that's another matter.

I have never seen the benefit of pixel peeping! If it looks okay on my iPad normal size, it's okay!

 

[rayvonn]

I have never seen the benefit of pixel peeping! If it looks okay on my iPad normal size, it's okay!

👏 (can't apply more than one of these to your post, so here's two more).

 

[Charzes44]

👏 (can't apply more than one of these to your post, so here's two more).

Thank you Tim.