I can't get sharp pictures

[moth43]

I have a Canon EOS Rebel T5, with 18mm-55mm lens and I can't get any sharp photo. I have some difficult to stand still, but I've tried:

• Changing the ISO
• Changing the aperture
• Changing the focal length
• Changing the focus to manual
• Setting a timer to reduce the impact while pressing the shutter button
• Changing to continuous shooting
• Putting the camera in a fixed surface

But none of these steps helped to improve the sharpness of my photos. I have an example:

The middle of the flower is unsharp. I'm a beginner and this is my first DSLR camera. I explored a lot and I'm enjoying it, but this problem is a bit frustrating. What can I do? Even when the lens is set to 55mm I have this issue.

Thanks!

[TTMartin]

It looks like you may be under the minimum focus distance of the lens.

The minimum focus distance for that lens is 10".

You can buy a macro lens, use a screw on close up filter, or use an extension tube with that lens to reduce its minimum focus distance.

Or just move back past 10" and crop the photo.

[diverhank]

There are only a few factors that would affect sharpness...There might be a few more factors but below are the main factors:

1. the camera shakes too much

2. object is out of focus

3. object moves too much

1. In everything you've described, I didn't see the magic word...put it on tripod.  If you mount it on a solid tripod and still get blurry pictures then you can eliminate # 1.  Camera shaking is the number 1 reason why images are not sharp imho.  This happens when you put the camera on Auto or P mode and it will set a camera speed for you (Tv)...when light is too low, it will set speeds below what most people can handhold...the shakiness will blur the pictures.  Some cameras will let you set a slowest speed the camera will be able to set.  YOu need to set this to some value.  The rule of thumb is for non moving object, set the speed (Tv) to the inverse of the focal length.  For example at 55mm you need to set the speed to 1/55 (1/60). In practice, I'd double or triple this for good measure.  When object is moving, the speed has to be much faster to prevent motion blur.  High shutter speed = sharper pictures in my book.

2. The object might be out of focus...every lens has a minimum focus distance...where if you get less than this distance, you can't focus (auto or manual).  Make sure you are far enough from the object to get focus confirmation (green dot).

3.  If your object is moving (even flowers in the wind) you need to up the Tv to freeze the motion.  When I take pictures of flowers, I like to use as high a speed as possible.

[cicopo]

One more thought. Do you have a filter mounted to "protect" the lens? If so remove it.

[ScottyP]

No sharp ones?  Ever?  This flower photo could be too close to the lens so it cannot focus. Or the shutter might be too slow and the flower is moving in the wind.  Or if you set a super fast shutter or a really narrow aperture the camera might have applied a super high ISO to compensate.

Can we first rule out smudged or defective equipment?  What if you went outside on a sunny day and took a picture of something not too close, not too far away, on green box auto setting?  Can you get a sharp photo?

[ebiggs1]

Good advice especially from 'diverhank'.

If the T5 let you shoot the flower than it was in acceptable focus range.  If you are too close it won't fire. So we can rule that out.

Now if you did change to MF, it will fire whenever you press the button,  Focused or not!

What you are trying to shoot isn't the easiest.  So let's try something better.  What about a general landscape?  Does it make sharp photos then?  Go to a beautiful place, like a park, and try some shots.  Use the lens in AF and the T5 in P mode.

Then come back and show us what you did.  Sound good?  OK, ...... we'll wait.  

[Waddizzle]

Good advice, overall. State what mode your camera was in for the posted shot, as well as the exposure settings.

One technique for ensuring sharp pictures that I use is to grab as much light as possible [wide aperture = low f/stop number], as quickly as possible [fast shutter speed, 1/320 or faster], using the biggest bucket in the camera [as an low ISO as practical, ISO 100 is best].

Taking shots in low light is not a strength of the Rebel T5.  Ii can do pretty good in bright light, though, especially with high quality lenses.  Lenses are where the rubber meets the road.  The lenses included in Canon's T5 kits, are not the best ones to be had. But, you can still take some good shots with them.  They are good to learn how to use a camera.  Try buying a fast lens, like the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, the one with a metal connection to the camera, not black plastic.

[TTMartin]

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@moth43 wrote:

I have some difficult to stand still,

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The way to correct for camera shake is to have a faster shutter speed.

First be sure your lens IS (image stabilization) is on. Set the camera to Tv mode and 1/250 or even 1/500. Set your camera to Auto ISO, and try taking some pictures. See if that helps.