How to Get a Sharp Image

Setting the camera

• 1

  Purchase an up-to-date, high-quality film made by a major film company (i.e. Kodak, Fuji, Agfa and Ilford). Choose a film with a speed in the 100 to 400 range. Slower films can produce a very sharp image, but may need a tripod to prevent shaking.

• 2

  Load the film and set the ASA speed. Your camera may have a manual setting or sometimes the film speed is automatically adjusted, when the film is placed in the camera.

• 3

  Set the lens opening to f/8. This stop is usually midway between the smallest and largest opening of the lens. F/8 is a good all-around setting because it allows adequate light, while still casting a sharply defined image on the film.

• 4

  Read the depth of field scale to see what the minimum distance is. Make sure you do not exceed the minimum distance when you take the picture.

• 5

  Focus the lens on the subject matter. You can shoot the picture now or continue for a moderate increase in sharpness.

• 6

  Reset your your film speed to 1/125 of a second (1/60 if you have a steady hand or the subject is far away).

• 7

  Readjust your lens opening to match the shutter speed. This is done by reading the built-in light meter in your camera and adjusting the settings. As the lens opening gets smaller the sharpness will increase. With most modern cameras, the lens will open to f/16 or f/22, the smaller of the two openings. You can shoot the picture at this point or decide to mount the camera on a tripod for an even smaller lens opening and resulting sharper image.

• 8

  Mount the camera on a tripod and set the lens opening as small as it will go. Adjust the film speed, focus and shoot the picture.