[stevelink]

Greetings!
As a new K-5 owner, I want to achieve the most sharpness possible (using proper technique, of course), with my K-5. Is there a "Best" method to assure optimum sharpness from my K-5 and several DA lenses? (I'm talking overall image sharpness, not necessarily front/back focus...I know how to test for that.) Thank you! Stevelink

[deadwolfbones]

What do you mean by method?

Each lens "peaks" at a certain aperture with regard to sharpness, so you might want to look at MTF charts for each, but sharpness isn't everything in every situation.

[Kryosphinx]

Practice!

[DogLover]

Only tip I would give you is that K5 files can stand up to, and really require a healthy dose of sharpness added in post. I find that Lightroom does a great job at this as well as noise reduction on the rare occasion when I need some of that.

So, as others have said, hone your technique, learn your lenses (optimal apertures for given situations, etc.), refine your PP methods for the K5 and you'll find plenty of sharpness in your photos.

[SpecialK]

Focus on the subject, do not move the camera, use f5.6 (about 2 stops down).

[Adam]

This isn't a troubleshooting question. Moved to general photo.

[stevelink]

Excellent advice, all! Yes, I realize that I must "practice" with a new system, and fully intend to. My problem is that I waited too long to make the purchase before an upcoming shoot...not much time to "hone" my skills with this particular camera and lens selection. Sorry to post in the wrong forum, Adam! Will head over to "General Photo"...

[Clicker]

meter and support

[JohnBee]

Greetings!
As a new K-5 owner, I want to achieve the most sharpness possible (using proper technique, of course), with my K-5. Is there a "Best" method to assure optimum sharpness from my K-5 and several DA lenses? (I'm talking overall image sharpness, not necessarily front/back focus...I know how to test for that.) Thank you! Stevelink

What's the setting: tripod no tripod, inside, outside etc etc?
Also, do you know the glass?

Other than that, shoot in RAW, know your sweet spot(with the glass), check your files as you go along. And much much more, but... again... with no details its going to be hard to offer any meaningful advice.

[Digitalis]

I'm surprised no one has really mentioned this, but the first thing you should do is get out there with a decent tripod - use the lenses from f/2.8~f/11 - bear in mind anything beyond f/11 starts to get a bit soft because of diffraction.

[stevelink]

Thanks for some excellent advice!

[jsherman999]

Greetings!
As a new K-5 owner, I want to achieve the most sharpness possible (using proper technique, of course), with my K-5. Is there a "Best" method to assure optimum sharpness from my K-5 and several DA lenses? (I'm talking overall image sharpness, not necessarily front/back focus...I know how to test for that.) Thank you! Stevelink

The ultimate sharpness always comes from a good tripod. Don't bother with a crappy tripod - the crappiest actually introduce more tremor than a good handheld technique.

That said, I personally never use a tripod , just because I'm never shooting in situations where they can really be used. (If I were a serious landscape or portrait photographer, I'd fork over the bucks for a very good tripod and head...)

Anyway, a little handshake turns your MTF-champ Limited prime into something less sharp than the kit lens, so good handheld technique is a necessity. My handheld method is simple:

1) firm grip on the body with both hands, elbows down at sides, arms in contact with the body as much as possible

2) frame, find focal point

3) breath steady and slow - don't hold breath - get calm 'zen' feeling - snap.

4) repeat 1-3 throughout the session - just stay in that #3 'state' and you get a lot of keepers, assuming your AF is on the mark.


.

[Adam]

My tip is to avoid shooting at shutter speeds below 1/250th handheld, and crank the iso up to 200 or 400 if needed to allow for a stoppoed-down aperture setting.

[Northern Soul]

The ultimate sharpness always comes from a good tripod. Don't bother with a crappy tripod - the crappiest actually introduce more tremor than a good handheld technique.

Nonsense. My tripod is very cheap, and can produce sharp (if not critically sharp) shots with a 30 second exposure. I don't know of anyone who can do that by hand.

I find the question a bit baffling really - it's the same as any other camera and lens, isn't it?

Keep it clean
Keep it stable
Make sure it's focussed properly

The tricky/fun bit is pointing it at something interesting.

Lenses are sharper at some apertures than other - you cannae change the laws of physics. Just stick in in one of the program modes where the camera controls aperture (P, Green, Tv) and make sure you have the program preference or whatever it is called set to MTF. The camera will then prefer to use the aperture giving the sharpest image for the given Pentax lens you have mounted.

In the real world (as opposed to taking pictures of test charts) I find that using aperture to control depth of field is much preferable to using it to get the 'best' image - the effects of the former are very obvious to me; the effects of the latter are not.

[Ash]

My most important aspects to getting sharp results - calibrate your lenses' AF accuracy, and get your lighting/exposure right.