In camera or PS sharpening

[PdS]

What can I do to get sharp pictures: in camera sharpening or post processing in PS or any other software? Thanks. PDS

[perdendosi]

Well, it's been said around here before-- which would you rather have improving your images: some small chip with programs written to get a good, default result, or a large CPU with the ability and flexibility to modify results that you want on an image-by-image basis?

Almost always the answer is using a computer to sharpen because (1) on an individual picture basis, it gets better results (if you know how to use the software) (2) it can be modified later-- if you use in-camera sharpening, you're stuck with that sharpening on the image.

With that said, in camera sharpening is better because (1)it eliminates a post-processing step (although images from my Digital Rebel would require post-processing sharpening, I think, even if I were to set it on the highest level of in-camera sharpening...) and (2) it's done in-camera (which, if you're entering say a photography contest, might be an important distinction!)

[JohnG]

perdendosi wrote:

Almost always the answer is using a computer to sharpen because ...

With that said, in camera sharpening is better because...

Not sure what you're saying on this one. One paragraph argues post processing is better then you say in-camera is better - which method are you exactly recommending.

IMHO post processing will 99% of the time yield better results. However, almost all non-DSLR cameras automatically apply some sharpening. And for the 4 years I used a digital P&S I can't say I ever got an image that was oversharpened. In fact, towards the last year when I got photoshop I ended up doing additional sharpening. I didn't even know what a difference using USM in photoshop could make until I tried it - then suddenly my images popped. The other nice thing about doing the heavy sharpening in post-processing is you can do it selectively - i.e. you may only want to sharpen part of the image (for instance a dog in the grass - you may want to sharpen the dog but leave the grass a little more blurred).

Even if you don't want to sharpen in post-processing I still recommend getting some sort of software - PaintShop Pro or Photoshop Elements for the other benefits. You'll be amazed how much better your pictures turn out when you make some minor tweaks!