What is tack sharp?

jjhenders · 04-20-2011, 04:27 PM

I'm fairly new to the photo hobby, but I just recently got a Kx and I've got the kit lens, a Promaster 70-300, and a Ricoh 1.7 50mm. Now I know I don't have any great lenses here, but here is my question. I use Picasa to edit and it has a zoom feature. So I'll see a pic that I think looks sharp and then I'll zoom in 100% and it still looks sharp. By 200% it's looking fuzzy and from 300-400% the pictures will be downright blurry. I've heard the term 'tack sharp', so if something is tack sharp, will it be sharp all the way to 400%? If not, what is a realistic expectation for something to be considered sharp? Somebody please clue me in. If an image just isn't going to look sharp at 400% zoom, I'd really like to know (and if it is, I'd like to know that as well). Thank you, Jim

MPrince · 04-20-2011, 04:31 PM - **1 Like**

If it looks sharp at 100% then it's sharp. There is no point looking at an image greater than 100% except for doing extremely fine editing work.

(imho, of course)

psychdoc · 04-20-2011, 04:55 PM

If you print mostly at 4x6 and it is sharp, then it is sharp enough for your purposes
If you view it in a 20 inch monitor and it looks sharp it is sharp enough.
Viewing at even 100% will make things look less sharp. Do you really need to even view it at 100%. I almost never do...

**boriscleto** · 04-20-2011, 05:05 PM - **1 Like**

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept.” ~Henri Cartier-Bresson

JeffJS · 04-20-2011, 05:25 PM

It won't. Especially at 400%, you are now looking at pixels rather than the photo. Zooming changes nothing other than your perception of what is and isn't sharp. This is a similar reason I hate 'Digital Zoom' on point and shoot cameras.

RioRico · 04-20-2011, 05:42 PM - **3 Likes**

TACK SHARP
RAZOR SHARP
BRUTALLY SHARP

Your eyeballs bleed when you look. Handle the lens and your fingers are cut off. Drop the lens on your Chuhuahua-dog and poor Pepe is sliced in half. Beware of sharp lenses -- they are dangerous. Always file-down your lenses so they have no sharp edges.

enoeske · 04-20-2011, 05:50 PM - **1 Like**

This:

100% crop

JohnBee · 04-20-2011, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by boriscleto

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept.” ~Henri Cartier-Bresson

AHAHAAH!
I love that word... "bourgeoi"
I could say it all day.

**davidreilly3207** · 04-20-2011, 06:06 PM - **1 Like**

Leave the pixel-peeping to the canikon fanboys. If the photo is sharp at normal viewing sizes and distances, its sharp.

mtansley · 04-20-2011, 06:16 PM

Originally posted by enoeske

This:

100% crop

What sort of flash or strobe and lens did you create that photo with? It is stunning in it's simplicity in my opinion!!.
Michael

JHD · 04-20-2011, 06:20 PM

Originally posted by MPrince

If it looks sharp at 100% then it's sharp.

Yes... if isn't sharp at 100%, then it isn't tack sharp.

JHD · 04-20-2011, 06:22 PM

Originally posted by enoeske

This:

100% crop

That is an excellent example of what is truly tack sharp.

tibbitts · 04-20-2011, 07:18 PM

Originally posted by enoeske

This:

100% crop

Wow, technical details, please.

Paul

jjhenders · 04-20-2011, 07:37 PM

Thank you all for your opinions. I must say I feel much better now than I did when I thought images had to be sharp even at 200-400% zoom.

**Ash** · 04-20-2011, 08:05 PM

There are also plenty of practical examples of tack sharpedness in the FA limited and Macro lens clubs.

Bear in mind that lighting has A LOT to do with how a subject renders in sharpness and clarity.

04-20-2011, 04:27 PM	#1
jjhenders Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Broadway, VA Photos: Albums Posts: 99	What is tack sharp? I'm fairly new to the photo hobby, but I just recently got a Kx and I've got the kit lens, a Promaster 70-300, and a Ricoh 1.7 50mm. Now I know I don't have any great lenses here, but here is my question. I use Picasa to edit and it has a zoom feature. So I'll see a pic that I think looks sharp and then I'll zoom in 100% and it still looks sharp. By 200% it's looking fuzzy and from 300-400% the pictures will be downright blurry. I've heard the term 'tack sharp', so if something is tack sharp, will it be sharp all the way to 400%? If not, what is a realistic expectation for something to be considered sharp? Somebody please clue me in. If an image just isn't going to look sharp at 400% zoom, I'd really like to know (and if it is, I'd like to know that as well). Thank you, Jim

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04-20-2011, 04:31 PM - 1 Like	#2
MPrince Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: WV Posts: 1,495	If it looks sharp at 100% then it's sharp. There is no point looking at an image greater than 100% except for doing extremely fine editing work. (imho, of course)

04-20-2011, 04:55 PM	#3
psychdoc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bham Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 949	If you print mostly at 4x6 and it is sharp, then it is sharp enough for your purposes If you view it in a 20 inch monitor and it looks sharp it is sharp enough. Viewing at even 100% will make things look less sharp. Do you really need to even view it at 100%. I almost never do...

04-20-2011, 05:05 PM - 1 Like	#4
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,473	“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept.” ~Henri Cartier-Bresson

04-20-2011, 05:25 PM	#5
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	It won't. Especially at 400%, you are now looking at pixels rather than the photo. Zooming changes nothing other than your perception of what is and isn't sharp. This is a similar reason I hate 'Digital Zoom' on point and shoot cameras.

04-20-2011, 05:42 PM - 3 Likes	#6
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	TACK SHARP RAZOR SHARP BRUTALLY SHARP Your eyeballs bleed when you look. Handle the lens and your fingers are cut off. Drop the lens on your Chuhuahua-dog and poor Pepe is sliced in half. Beware of sharp lenses -- they are dangerous. Always file-down your lenses so they have no sharp edges.

04-20-2011, 05:50 PM - 1 Like	#7
enoeske Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Surprise, Az Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,136	This: 100% crop

04-20-2011, 05:56 PM	#8
JohnBee Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Newrfoundland Photos: Albums Posts: 4,667	Originally posted by boriscleto “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept.” ~Henri Cartier-Bresson AHAHAAH! I love that word... "bourgeoi" I could say it all day.

04-20-2011, 06:06 PM - 1 Like	#9
davidreilly3207 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South Jersey Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 720	Leave the pixel-peeping to the canikon fanboys. If the photo is sharp at normal viewing sizes and distances, its sharp.

04-20-2011, 06:16 PM	#10
mtansley Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,139	Originally posted by enoeske This: 100% crop What sort of flash or strobe and lens did you create that photo with? It is stunning in it's simplicity in my opinion!!. Michael

04-20-2011, 06:20 PM	#11
JHD Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,406	Originally posted by MPrince If it looks sharp at 100% then it's sharp. Yes... if isn't sharp at 100%, then it isn't tack sharp.

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04-20-2011, 06:22 PM	#12
JHD Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,406	Originally posted by enoeske This: 100% crop That is an excellent example of what is truly tack sharp.

04-20-2011, 07:18 PM	#13
tibbitts Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Oklahoma USA Posts: 2,193	Originally posted by enoeske This: 100% crop Wow, technical details, please. Paul

04-20-2011, 07:37 PM	#14
jjhenders Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Broadway, VA Photos: Albums Posts: 99 Original Poster	Thank you all for your opinions. I must say I feel much better now than I did when I thought images had to be sharp even at 200-400% zoom.

04-20-2011, 08:05 PM	#15
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	There are also plenty of practical examples of tack sharpedness in the FA limited and Macro lens clubs. Bear in mind that lighting has A LOT to do with how a subject renders in sharpness and clarity.