Super Sharp Lenses - Need To Worry? | Is There More To Image Creation? | Opinion Piece + Discussion

#sharplens #abstractphotography #focusontheoutoffocus
Do you need to the sharpest lenses?
Join the discussion. :)
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[@HEARTISTWORLD]

This is the most important video I’ve seen and most needed. Thank you so much Matt. These images are beautiful man, they remind me that photography is art, expression.. not gear reviews and sharpness. Ive allowed these youtubers rott my brain with reviews and technology. I’m an artist.. and this video inspired me to grab a few old school lenses and even a old dslr and a film camera, and express myself.. thank you man your the greatest

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

So glad KB. I love this community and your passion drives my passion and others. So thank you. Love to see how the images come out. Happy New Year, Matt.

[@richardfink7666]

.....exactly.....

[@choiwong3086]

When your photo tells a story and keeps the viewer's attention long enough to admire the moment in time, you have achieved greatness. I love your photos, sharp is great, but the moment in time is greater. Photography is not just techy. Thank you for sharing your stories.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

My pleasure Choi. I really love what I do. I feel very lucky to be able to create in this space :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@roybixby6135]

Good Advice - Most of my favourite images were taken with older "soft" lenses. Too many VLoggers have photogasms because the latest lens is 0.01% sharper than its' predecessor. I still remember portrait photogs smearing vaseline on their lens to soften focus...

[@jrarsenault1937]

Glad you are well on the mend from a cold (and especially not Covid!). The art, the impact, the results. Everything. Learning what the art and science of photography can do - I'm still doing that after decades. Yes, the camera stores love me. But it's absolutely not about much of anything beyond learning the mechanics of composition, how my black boxes with the hole work (and their limits). The quality and quantity of light. Taking out a checkbook is so much easier than mastering a technique. Thank you Miami Matt for being a sherpa with what matters in creating stunning pics. Even if it's merely 8mp, it is immense if understood in context. Cheers, and continued recovery to you!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

JR such lovely words. Will be keeping my head down for another week. Back into full swing soon. What I love about photography is the technical and creative can collide to create spine tingling, stunning outcomes. Creation for me often feels like riding a rocket, and wrangling those seemingly opposing forces and navigating them to a joyous outcome. When those outcomes arrive, personally I feel a glow of knowing where I fit in the universe, and this is profound for me. To be able to create this sense of ease, through this art form, gives me a deep sense of place. Knowing where I fit in the puzzle of life, , regardless how fleeting, really is all I can ask for. : ) 🚀

[@stuartbell3666]

Nothing beats sitting down to Matt Irwin with my early morning coffee and listening to an interesting opinion piece. An important reality check and reminder to not get caught up in the "gear wars" and this one does that and that one does the other. Amongst all my failures my goal is to always tell a story of something that resonates with me first and the viewer second. My wife being the perfect judge of my work will quickly tell me if it sucks, or not, she doesn't give a "rats" about the gear or sharpness, it's about subject matter, light, composition. I loved your image taken with the Nikon D3s. I have a D4s which I absolutely love and I swear to god that thing can see in the dark! Thanks for an interesting chat and I wish you all the very best for 2021.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Ah Stuart, you are very kind. Thank you. : ) Yes emotion, story, light, frame, mood and more are far more powerful that 'sharpness'. The D3, D4, D5, D6, are just amazing low light machines :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@sidvicious3129]

Hey Matt I’m glad that you are doing better and I hope your mother is fine. You are so right about sharpness not being the only thing that matters and the lens and camera as you demonstrated are secondary to the story that you are trying to tell. I remember taking some amazing images with my cellphone, while on vacation in 2018 and my wife said to me, “wow, I didn’t see it that way, but you sure captured what me and my sisters were doing, it looked like something out of a book”. Your point and shoot example was priceless and knowing why you are upgrading or upgrading with a purpose and always remember the story that you are trying to tell is the key to why we all do this thing we call,”Photography”.

[@JohnMayfield-NS]

Heard it said about bokeh and I think it applies to sharpness: "If people are worried about your out of focus area than you subject isn't interesting enough."

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

For sure John, story, subject, composition, light - these are some of the tools at our disposal for making our creations :)

[@bhupinderkumar9106]

I completely agree ; the moment photographers start talking about bokeh and bokeh balls , they are gone off my list . Incredibility is lost instantly. People spend days and night discussing that shit .

[@IndrajeetSingh-xu8yb]

Always enjoy your videos Matt. Your perspectives on things real, makes such a difference. If there is an MI video out, its the first thing I will watch in the morning. Makes my day! Thank you!

[@divinerdetective44]

Well said, always enjoy hearing your perspective. I love how you take the seemingly mundane and create something of beauty in your photography. I see some things in a different way now and often think of you when I'm out after dark and see something that says "Matt Irwin" to me. I find your style very fascinating. And your mind is also very, dare I say, Sharp, lol!

[@leonfourie5717]

Excelent video. This is what i really liked. This thing of more pixels,more sharpness, more bokeh,more colour definition etc that a lot of people want,while they already have excellent cameras and pro lenses is absurd. Where will it end. Looking back at older images from yesteryear and its obvious today gear are so good and yet people adore some of tge older images. Great video again Matt.

[@corrbox2]

Hi, I’m sorry you got food poisoning and some sort if “virus”. I hope you feel better soon. You look and sound great. Very interesting information about the lenses. You are 100% correct. A great image is not about how perfectly clear it is. I do have Australia on my “bucket” list. Hopefully; we’ll get to visit in the next few years. Your reviews have so much detailed information. You speak very directly and clearly. I am really impressed with you vast knowledge of every aspect of photography. Please keep your blogs coming Your images are great and inspirational. Thank you 🙏🏿 📷🤩⭐️

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you so much Joel. :) We would love to see you here in OZ :) Stay safe :)

[@EveningReport]

Happy New Year Matt. Get well, and stay safely away from that, well, you know, virus thingy. Enjoyed this episode. I'm always fascinated by selective focus (and love the Z mount 20mm f1.8 S for this even when up really close), and, that part of this episode, where you use your grand cover shots to illustrate your point, well it was pure gold. Thank you for exuding inspiration and guidance.

[@valeman1958]

Glad your health is improving Matt, hopefully you get back to full strength soon. Always enjoy your insight and info on all things photography. Take care, stay safe!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you so much Stephen. Getting there :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@HmS1856]

Matt, Best wishes for 2021 and am glad to hear that you are on the mend from bad food and a cold. Your videos stand out so well from the litany of internet rants and raves that are so prevalent theses days. As a hobbyist, I can definitely relate to sharpness not being the be-all and end-all in image quality. As I look back across my own catalog of images, I recently noticed that some of my "best" images were shot on a D40x and D5100 and the all purpose 18-200 mm lens of yesteryear. Keep up the great work ; am happy to report that I've just ordered your mini coffee table book. Am dying to make my way down to Australia and Melbourne one day. Cheers from Canada.

[@JohnMHazlewood]

Happy New Year Matt. Omg food poisoning sucks so much. I got glutened and ended up in ED last year. I really appreciate the way you tell the story of our Art. I'm sure I am not the only one who appreciates your videos for this reason. It is so much about showing the emotion of the scene rather than just having sharpness. Keep up the great work and heres to a great 2021 for eveyone.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thanks John, yes painting with light is so much fun and wrestling the tech and the art is actually a very joyful experience for me :) I love the challenge. Happy New Year, Matt.

[@MarkHummerNikonZ9]

Thank you for sharing, If ever I need to hire a photog to take a blurry, out of focus, grainy image. Well You da man. He he he. Love your work Matt.

[@hikingtheoutdoors]

Great video, like many of yours, Matt. Cheers and be safe over there.

[@christhomas5846]

Oh such fantastic use of the word "ACE" made me feel like a kid again!!! :)

[@JOHNDIIORIO]

Another great video! Ordered your book. Can’t wait to receive it

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Awesome! Thank you John, I have lots of signing and packing to do :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@seanl3121]

Matt, congratulations on your new book. I'd like to request something on what you do to prepare an image for a quality inkjet print and other print related stuff you'd like to share.

[@NVIK5]

I was missing your videos Matt. Glad you are feeling better! Looking forward to a game-changing year for Nikon!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

You and me both Viktor. Yes I was rather under the weather for a few days. Starting to feel more normal now :) Cheers Matt

[@andrewchisholm3665]

I was told by one of my eye surgeons that if you hold your thumb up at arms length then it is the only part of what your eye can focus on and your brain makes up the rest

[@billieborron3168]

Happy New Year Matt! Thank you for your videos. I do hope you feel 100% soon.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Happy new year Bille, yes me too. Stay safe :)

[@johnhjic2]

Great to see you Matt, I am hopping you had a nice new year and are looking forward to a better 2021. Here in the UK I have not got out of lockdown two, only to hear that lockdown three is here for 7 more weeks. One day I will get out with my new and unused Nikon Z7ii, But it will happen at some point I hope. Now I will watch one of your great videos. Your telling stories with your images, this is where art of photography comes in over the technical bit ie exposure and point of focus. At this point you ask is photography at. Well is a simple answer Yes it can be....

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you John. Very best of luck with the lockdowns, after 8-9 months of various stages of lock down here I know how you feel, hang in there. :) I love painting with light, and sometimes the soft light is more powerful than the ultra sharp light .... sublime.

[@DanRaines]

Thank you and great video. Hope you fill better soon.

[@robdlain9145]

Happy New Year to you too. All the best and most of all, GREAT HEALTH.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thanks Rob, still have a bad cough, now I have had my C19 test, I can go to the doctor to get a diagnosis. : )

[@seamusoreilly804]

Thank you for a thoughtful piece, Matt. I always enjoy your videos! I hear a shot of tequila cures just about everything, including food poisoning. Mind you, I’ve only read this. And a nice walk in your warm summer, sunglasses, a tee-shirt and shorts (along with a camera, of course) will knock that cold senseless.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Sterling ideas Jim. Thank you and Happy New Year ! Cheers Matt

[@detectivejonesw]

Wow I really love that image of the rain

[@detectivejonesw]

Actually let me amend that to say I really loved all the images 😂

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you. :)

[@mikehyde8225]

Some of the you-tubers just used this sharpness of lens as a negative when it really is a massive positive,giving the user greater flexibility.

[@RobertTeague]

I agree with many of your points, but I would have to say that the desire for sharpness also depends upon the type of photography you do. Street photography is obviously it's not as critical with regards to sharpness as landscape or architectural photography would be. There's nothing I love better than walking up to a 40"x60" print of a landscape and sticking my nose into it to see the up close detail; it gives me a sense of actually being there. It's the primary reason I shot 5x4 for so many years. Still, I love the though process behind photography that you present on your channel (instead of the usual xx best tips for portraits, etc., which are obviously aimed at new photographers).

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

For sure Robert, as I said in the vid, there are examples where absolute sharpness is welcome (eg. science, forensic ), but also as I said, any pro lens from the last 10-20 years will be very sharp, so we don't need to worry too much about sharpness when thinking about a new lens, there are many other properties to consider also, size, weight, aberrations, glare, ghosting, focus breathing ... these are all areas where modern lenses continue to be refined. And as you say your old 5 x 4 is sharp, but some of that is resolution, and I am sure the lens is not new. Yet still creates great outcomes. This video is about 10 or 20 year old lenses and beyond can be as sharp as we need, and it is also about embracing the out of focus areas as they can be equally powerful, and are sometimes an important 'ying' to the 'yang' of composition, in my opinion. :) Happy New Year, Matt :)

[@veredaleware145]

Getting more and more interested in photography and further developing my amateur skills just wanted to say i love your videos and get so much out of them one day I'll have a decent camera other than my phone and be able to incorporate everything I've learned here keep up the awesome informative filled content you help in more ways than you know and congrats on the negative test🤙🤙✌

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you so much Veredale for your wonderful words. With photography always follow your senses, your instinct. :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@obedbrinkman]

thanks for this inspiring video ::: truth be told

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Glad you liked it Obed. :)

[@jonbarnett3154]

Hi Matt, great to see you in 2021. Thanks for sharing, agree there is a difference between imaging (sharpness/resolution/precision) and photography (painting with light).

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Yes, for sure it is important to understand the different opportunities in photography :)

[@NikCan66]

Happy New year and excellent video

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you Nikcan. Cheers matt

[@waawaaweewaa2045]

I don't understand why people bother splitting hairs about lens sharpness anymore. Most new lenses are very sharp, and reviewers that examine corner sharpness of a lens with an electron microscope make me laugh. I can promise you the first instinct of anyone looking at your photos or prints isn't going to be to criticize the corner sharpness.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Yep. :)

[@waawaaweewaa2045]

@@MattIrwinPhotography The best is using my nikon 50mm 1.8d lens that I got on ebay for 60 bucks, and having people marvel at how sharp and vibrant my photos are haha.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Yes there is so much more to an image, and even contrast can give a sense of sharpness which is not there. :)

[@SouravBanik90]

This is so thought-provoking!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers, Matt

[@washingtonradio]

From a purely technical perspective new lenses have better specs than the older ones. However, the are 2 points to consider. One is whether the improved technical specs will be noticeable in the majority of one's photos. Second is many great compositions rely more on the photographer's eye than the specs of the gear.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Well said Jay :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@gabefernandez1]

Hope you feel better soon.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you :) Getting there. Happy New Year, Matt :)

[@michaelluder3193]

I practice the methods you preach ace. Always have done. I just apply those methods to today's technology. Love that monochrome image. I once took a picture of a pond in south London with Tooting Bec mental hospital in the background. The ice in the pond had been broken and then it refroze with a large shard pointing to the heavens . There was an old bicycle frame half submerged . The bleakness and tragedy of the hospital was paramount . The pond a sideshow .

[@daviddowling9830]

Happy New Year Matt,finally,my work can be appreciated,out of focus,or in my case oof,got tons of images ready for print.🤪

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

For sure David :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@daviddowling9830]

@@MattIrwinPhotography tongue in cheek mate. This was one of your best,and you’ve had many.Really well thought out and presented,we don’t see your type of logic anywhere else.

[@davidroberts6766]

Your last points are basically along the lines of why I go back and forth about getting the f2.8 Z glass zooms. I have really quite recent F mount 24-70 and 70-200 f2.8 lenses, which are stellar on my D850. I have a bunch of the small, lighter, and frankly great Z f1.8 primes, f4 zooms...even the Z 24-200 travel zoom I am 99% sure, I will just use FTZ and the F mount 70-200 longer zoom. I still do wonder, though, if having the Z mount 24-70 all rounder is choice I can justify. This video brings up doubts, when I had sorta convinced myself...hmmm “maybe” because I would use it alot on my new Z7II. Decisions, decisions. Also, picked up one of your orange covered books. It will be nice to look at, when my surroundings are all about snow for the next several months!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thanks David on the book :) Regarding modern lenses, as I said in the vid there is more than just ever increasing sharpness that comes with modern lenses, and those other factors are also very important. Like suppression of flare, glare, aberrations, focus breathing ... etc. Purple fringing on my old F primes is enough to get me into the new Z lenses :) Happy New Year, Matt :)

[@gionspenzers]

Even though I didn't born in the Film Era, It still funny how back in the Film Era, Sharpness is not that critical because there's no such thing as Pixel Peeping. The only matter is the Mood and the Composition during Film Era. Now because of advance of Digital, We can now Pixel Peep and because of this mentality, We're obsessed of how should Sharp the lens that you're getting, Is it Sharp? Or dead Unsharp? Unsharp Lens Bad, Sharpness Good.

[@niftytwo]

Great to see your bushy Aussie face on here as usual. We have been very fortunate. Mark in W. A. has us locked down again. And it’s been too bloody hot to think about photos for this old Bloke. Stay safe. We look forward to your ideas.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers Neville, Indeed, and we are almost in a winter streak here at the moment in the middle of summer, it is bizarre. Happy New Year, Matt.

[@RobOnRefresh]

Excellent video Matt and such an important one to release in today's corner to corner sharpness obsessed world - lol. I've been saying for years many of the most iconic images in the world are really not that sharp (if they even got the subject in focus at all). The best images, in my humble opinion, are those that invoke a feeling or emotion. Certainly, there are applications (product or macro photography comes to mind) where sharpness is critical but if you are shooting a portrait of someone in the forest (or even in the studio) do you really care if the corners are sharp?? Not so much. Thanks for posting and hope you feel better soon!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers Rob, thanks - getting better :) Yes photography has so many facets. So many areas to excel, refine and curate. Allows for us all to have our own take on any given situation. Truly glorious. Cheers Matt :)

[@stephenroberts7828]

Gr8 stuff thnx Matt

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

My pleasure Stephen Happy New Year, Matt :)

[@darleenrowe6344]

I would love one of your signed orange covered books please

[@cliffordconklin9632]

Enjoyed the video as usual and I hope you feel better soon. Sharpness is the last thing I consider when choosing a lens, except in a few rear cases. I should also point out, I only Nikkor glass dating back to the late 1970s so I'm a tad bit spoiled and sharpness was never a concern. Lenses have character and perspective, which may be the latest and greatest don't provide. Don't get me wrong, if money was no object I probably would have a greater selection of lenses. One lens that comes to mind is the 50mm f/1.2 AI-S from the 1970s. I believe Nikon discontinued that lens last year. I understand the law of supply and demand and was impressed by the number of AI-S lenses still being manufactured until recently. I degrees. Happy New Year and please stay safe.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thanks Clifford, what I love about this subject is there is no right or wrong. Only what creations to we want to create :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@dieseldavey]

Orange book ordered matt really looking forward to it 👍🏻

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers David and Thank you! :)

[@jpdj2715]

Henri Cartier-Bresson: "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." Here, "bourgeois" is pejorative in that it does not relate to "citizen" but to "petit bourgeois" and in online dictionary this is: of, or characteristic of, the lower middle class, especially with reference to a perceived conventionalism and conservatism. More explicitly and bluntly put, "petit bourgeois" refers to narrow minded, uneducated, ill mannered, and less intelligent people with no notion of art and its history.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Well if Henri said it, no more need be said :) Thanks so much for sharing this quote JP :)

[@cheetahkid]

Happy new year to you too. I have now retired due to medical condition, I will have fun searching lens of all ages, I have over 100 of these lens, I won't pick these lens for sharpness at all, it the history for faults and yes they are cheap that I can fix.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Wow I wish I had the skill and patience to repair lenses, I would love to hear more about it :)

[@borocotochacha]

There is nothing more to add on those points that you mention. But in my case I would not pay 2000+ dollars for glasses with enough CA and fringing. For my use case, sharpness is very important. But if your photo does not tell something, there is no sharpness that tells a story in a frozen frame. May be it´s personal but if I´m paying such amount and find too much CA and fringing on a glass due that I work with a lot of backlighting, I just feel that manufacturer is fooling me. So I´ve opted for the Z system after trying RF glasses. Take care Math!! Salute!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers Maxi, yes CA and fringing suppression is something I enjoy more out of the new Z lenses than any other factor :)

[@thomaseriksson6256]

I like to choose and not be limited to the lens sharpness, but I also have a limited budget as an amateur. My priorities are a fast lens and sharp lens and hopefully a lens with VR, but I only have a few lenses with VR. The problem is that I collect lenses during many years and I cannot replace all lenses when Nikon switch to Z or produce cameras with high M-pixels. I did that when I switched to digital and I still working on repairing that economic buffer after 12 years.

[@ronaldsand3000]

Hey Matt happy new year Don’t forget also how in the pursuit of optical excellence to be competitive with high resolution cameras, many of the new lenses are becoming increasingly much bigger heavier and much more expensive with each generation All the best

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Yes Roland, there is an interesting cross road emerging with mirrorless design for compact vs larger + optical brilliance, perhaps over time we will see companies give us both options. Cheers Matt :)

[@ronaldsand3000]

@@MattIrwinPhotography I think to some degree they do, the Nikon z series 50mm1.8 is a fraction of the size, weight and cost of the 1.2

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Indeed, it is happening, and we are very spoilt with the Z mount future. No to say the other brands wont do the same, I just have not used most of those lenses. : )

[@ronaldsand3000]

@@MattIrwinPhotography yeah you’re right All the very best and thank you so much for very informative and entertaining insights You’re so generous sharing your knowledge, wisdom and overwhelming real world experience with so many people Kindest regards Ron

[@HEARTISTWORLD]

Hey Matt question, are you keeping your z7 or are you upgrading to z7ii? I was thinking to buy a used z7 the prices are amazing in the US, and i want more megapixels . I already have a z6II and z50, but selling the z50.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Yes it has been suggested I sell it for a Z7II, which I may do, just need to find the time. :)

[@fotoarray532]

Thanks for the inspiration. I really like your night pictures which lots of light and rain. In respect to the sharpness of a lens I think it is important to note, that if a lens is sharp, it is much easier to hit the right focus point. What was the saying? If your image is no good, you probably were not close enough.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Indeed I think lenses need to be sharp, and I think any pro lens from the last 10-20 years and perhaps beyond will be sharp enough for the majority of applications. Thus we should concentrate firstly on our frame, light, subject, mood, emotion, story telling as I don't think lenses are letting us down in general :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@richardfink7666]

.......geneous man.....

[@johnmitchell6919]

HNY! Question Matt. Pages 32 and 132 - are they taken using the tilt shift?

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

HNY John, I love this question. Yes both of those images are created 'in camera' with the 24mm Nikon TS. Cheers Matt :)

[@johnmitchell6919]

Thanks Matt. Had me puzzled for months! Hope you are in better health🙂

[@IndrajeetSingh-xu8yb]

Stay well, rest a bit and recover fully! Drink lots of lemon juice.

[@cheetahkid]

Get well soon, Matt.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you :)

[@detectivejonesw]

I think whether you need ultrasharpness or not depends on what style you're photographing. In the kind of style I normally do and what I get the impression you do, more street photography/urban landscapes you only need a key area to be sharp. But in landscapes I think soft lenses can detract from the image if you plan on making big prints, because they kind of smudge away small details of the landscape

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

For sure, completely valid Jospeh. Happy New Year, Matt.

[@detectivejonesw]

@@MattIrwinPhotography happy new year to you too Matt, glad you're feeling better after your illness

[@jpdj2715]

No, sharpness is not why I migrated from the F-mount Nikon system to the Z-mount system. When I migrated, I had gold ring 1.4G primes with very good sharpness. But they had annoying chromatic aberration. And in combination with my DSLR could give a form of glare/flare that is caused by total reflection between the glass AA layer over the sensor and what is underneath. I could end up with backlit shots that had a complete magenta cast over them. The 85/1.4G had so little Depth of Field (DoF) that single point AF and recompose did not work anymore if you wanted to shoot a portrait fully open. The blur helps to mask bad skin and saves work in post. But the magenta tip of the nose and green edges round the ears [urbandictionary.com]. Fortunately, when I migrated, my DSLR had enough years to be replaced and my lenses still had acceptable trade-in value. The Z system was the proverbial answer to prayers, or what the doctor ordered, or what Nikon needed to do to stop my ongoing rant of 45 years.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

LOL, indeed we get so much more than 'sharpness' with the advancements in lens tech :) And for some of us these other advancements are even more important. :) Happy New Year, Matt :)

[@jpdj2715]

Hah, I upgraded to Z 7ii, with more sharpness potential, even, than the Z 7 I had before. So I bought an 1840s-design portrait lens to try to mitigate all that sharpness. But known optical distortion aside, it still is pretty sharp. Manual focus and aperture, though: that professor Petzval could have done a better job in 1840. I still have an AF 180/2.8D that would have manual focus on the Z and is rather soft. But 180. Maybe I should start doing green screen portraits at f/16 and shoot blurred backgrounds separately, so as to replace the green screen with these.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Congrats JP I would love to see some images from the 1840's lens :) Cheers Matt

[@jpdj2715]

@@MattIrwinPhotography - So would I. CoVid and serious lockdown. Not the ideal moment to invite models for a shoot in the studio. Winter is wet, cold and gray here and I cannot plan for an outdoor shoot in nice weather. My country may start a mass vaccination, but South Africa already has a variant that non of the existing vaccines will cover for. The keyword for 2020 was "masking" (nice wordplay for Photoshop users) but the keyword for 2021 will be patience (combined with discipline and persistence). Nevertheless, happy new year. Stay safe, be careful.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Yes, I do think we need to brace ourselves for another year of irregularities around the world. You too sir, safe and careful :)

[@_systemd]

i guess it also depends on the field of photography, you obviously have your interests, when someone photographs a bird, or a wild animal, we know how feathers look, how eyes look, how the beak should be defined and clear etc. so we wanna see that on the photograph. hence it is not helpful to shoot at f11 and high ISO to get 70% as good results as with pro-grade lens at f4, right. of course the more abstract, artistic you go, moody, the more is the actual composition important, not feather or iris details. I can totally see the reviewers pushing stuff to sell stuff and the actual enjoyment and artistic part of photography is forgotten in specs sheets, test charts and latest releases.

[@peterlebengood7160]

I tend to laugh at the whole corner sharpness bit. I do landscape/wildlife photography and wind up doing some cropping. Corner sharpness for me is not a big deal.

[@MichaelCortese1]

The only thing needed for a great photo, is a great photographer

[@jrarsenault1937]

!!!!!!!!

[@Skye_the_toller]

Better spend money on a wider aperture than a sharper lens ?? It may make sense... especially if most of our views is for a computer...

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Yes I love short depth of field, so I will go thank direction when I can. :)

[@ronboe6325]

The out of focus area is kinda like background music in a movie. It can see the mood, the place, tension - without the observer really conscious of it happening. Some subjects will really benefit from super sharp lens; but there many cases where you have perfect focus, sharp image, perfect exposure; but no composition or story so the photo is a failure. Taken with a crappy LensBaby lens and a good story - success!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Well said Ronald :) CHeers Matt

[@angloart8410]

Let's put it like this: the majority of poor photographs are not that way because of shortcomings in the equipment, but shortcomings in the artistic intelligence that took them.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Indeed Anglo, any good creation starts with its creator :) Happy New Year, Matt :)

[@francisschweitzer8431]

Ohhh no!! Food Poisoning 😢😢😢 ... Definitely only firing on two cylinders.. glad you are feeling better.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thanks Francis, still only 60% but getting there :) Happy New Year, Matt.

[@francisschweitzer8431]

@@MattIrwinPhotography well 60% is more then 50.... your are trending upwards. HAPPY NEW YEAR

[@0ecka]

So, you just like most people are confusing image quality with quality images :)? I mean, higher image quality of a quality image wouldn't make it any worse ... better actually. While people often suggest that we must choose sides. Which is stupid really. I don't want to choose. I want both. In real world, 4.7% sharpness difference can be like lens copy variation of the same lens model (not sure about today, but less than 5% used to be considered acceptable). It's no big deal. But when we compare say 24mp crop vs 42mp FF or 50mp FF or 60mp FF, then we can see that the difference can be way over 50% or even over 100% (more than twice). Because FF chip is 135% larger. I think that primarily there are two types of images - boring images and interesting images. And only after comes the image quality. I don't care how many pixels a boring image contains. However, there's something about the large viewing size potential on an image. Some images look better when viewed large, a metre wide, wall-size, ultra-high-def. That huge amount of data can blow minds :). But we cannot do that with a crappy little snapshot that might have seemed interesting on a phone screen. While on the other hand great high quality high resolution images can look boring on a tiny screen. That's why I don't use small screens. It is possible to take a beautiful 40-50mp image and then simply destroy it by downsizing it (to hell) to 500pix boring piece of garbage ... :). The megapixels, the detail, the sensor size, the information ... they all matter a lot.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Howdy 0ecka, I don't think you watched the whole video, and if you did, you missed what I said. I think we might actually agree. You said 'So, you just like most people are confusing image quality with quality images :)?' The first image of the cafe and bookshop, is low 'image quality' but is a 'quality image', defined by its extraordinary market success. This image been used small (greeting cards), medium (book covers) and large (canvas up to 2m wide) and thus is defined as a 'quality image' made from low 'image quality'. Exploding the myth that only images of high 'image quality' can equate 'quality images'. Which was the entire point of the video. Of course this does not exclude high 'image quality' images from being poor 'quality images' and vice versa. And 'quality images' is subjective in all cases, what you find boring I might find exhilarating. Vice versa. Regards Matt

[@0ecka]

​@@MattIrwinPhotography Hey, Matt. I did watch the whole video. It's great. I like it. But, objectively, it rises more questions than it gives answers. And I think that you know what I'm talking about (well, you have that impressively sizable monitor behind you). We do agree on most things. But you are using this "image quality / quality image" confusion as an argument for justifying the popularly annoying "gear doesn't matter" mantra. I get it when you say that the "absolute sharpness" is pointless. But, in my opinion, this "absolute sharpness" is only crazy when we are splitting hairs, which is not a thing or a widespread problem. Nobody really does that. When we compare an old 8mp point&shoot or a phone camera against the Z7II, we see different worlds of sharpness and no "camera doesn't matter" mantra holds water there. Unless someone buys the Z7II to shoot phone-camera-like snaps. Which is pointless. Just like it is pointless to preach that all cameras are same good, only because someone has a garbage level "good enough" tolerance (which means that all cameras are overkill for him). And that's a very common practice these days (the smartphone era). Successful images might have nothing to do with sharpness, just like they might have nothing to do with image quality or quality images. I've seen tons of "successful" boring images. It doesn't really mean anything. You are right. We may like different pictures. You've shot some interesting images. Well done. However, we can't say that those images couldn't possibly be any better than they are. The viewing size alone could make them even more interesting. And I mean larger while high definition up close. Which means that better gear comes into play as well. And that's the whole point. It's never about the 4.7% differences. But the gear actually matters a lot (more than most people think, because they don't utilize their camera potential). "Exploding the myth that only images of high 'image quality' can equate 'quality images'." - There is no such myth. Where are you getting this idea? If I say that "I like some sugar in my tea", it doesn't mean that "sugar is the only thing I like". Would I like a tea without sugar? - No. - Would I like some sugar? - No. Thank you. - Some things only make sense together. I'd like more pixels for quality images. Would I like more pixels for crappy snapshots? - No. What for? It's pointless. - See, they are not the same thing (quality and resolution) and we shouldn't try to blend them together or throw one away. This "camera doesn't matter" nonsense is like putting sand to your tea. "Quality image" is subjective, "image quality" is objective (it's basically the amount of correct and pleasing information an image contains, not just pixels). Size matters! Good light my friend!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

​@@0ecka ​@@0ecka Hi 0ecka, ok so you watched the video. 'Exploding myth', was a turn of phrase used by me in jest as you used the term 'most people' so it was starting to sound like a problem of mythical proportions if 'most people' talk about it. When really you and I can only talk about our selves. You wrote 'So, you just like most people are confusing image quality with quality images :)' I am not confused by anything. And I think people who don't need to worry about the bleeding edge of tech are often sold the bleeding edge of tech they don't need. If you know your use case requires it, go for it. You said. 'But you are using this "image quality / quality image" confusion as an argument for justifying the popularly annoying "gear doesn't matter" mantra' I never said gear does not matter. What I said 2 or 3 times is, that if you have purchased a pro lens in the last 10-20 years, it will probably suit 90-95% of people needs today. The below statement does not represent the video I made - 'But you are using this "image quality / quality image" confusion as an argument for justifying the popularly annoying "gear doesn't matter" mantra. I suspect, roughly 1,999 out of 2,000 today won't print above 1m, (3 feet) if that. If you know you need more pixels and more resolving power, then spend on the latest body and glass, that is what I do. Of course. sometimes not sharp images, and I mean deliberately out of focus images, via depth of field or a tilt shift lens, with very little in focus, are successful too. Painting with light, shape, colour and mood. Your wrote This "camera doesn't matter" nonsense is like putting sand to your tea. "Quality image" is subjective, "image quality" is objective (it's basically the amount of correct and pleasing information an image contains, not just pixels). I never said the camera does not matter. What I did say is it is possible to have success with a camera of lower quality. Very different. Of course more is always more. Of course. But you can still make exciting, emotional, provocative, award winning images with less. And if you listen again to the video, by less I said recent generations of pro glass. I did not talk about bodies people should use, I talked about the bodies I have used. 8MP, 12MP, 36MP, 24MP. Cheers Matt

[@0ecka]

@@MattIrwinPhotography Well, I've never said that I use any "bleeding edge" gear, nor I suggested that everyone should worry about it. But the people who can afford it are not the bad guys. They are pushing the progress. Don't try to stop them, please :). "I never said gear does not matter." - Right. You said that the opposite ("gear matters" or "image quality matters") is a myth :). I'm just connecting the dots. Have you ever tried downsizing a good image until it becomes too low quality? There's a limit when it's not good enough anymore. And that limit changes with time and tech progress, and it's different for different people. I just think that a book cover or a magazine or a greetings card viewing size is not doing justice to images produced with modern cameras. I mean, phone cameras can do more than that, that's not the apogee of photography. Not much people print above 1m. Not much people print at all. And we don't have to print. My monitor is 1m wide and even larger ones are coming to market. Huge 8K panels. And it's beautiful. They were bleeding edge 5 years ago, of course. But "most people" are stuck with 15" laptops, or 20"-25" 1080p monitors, or 27" 4K/5K (which is way too small for that resolution). People are being fooled to chase mythical resolution'less "quality image" unicorns. That is not OK. When we talk about camera gear, the "quality image" shouldn't even be mentioned. It's impossible to tell which camera will help you capture your most successful photographs. People love fantasies with unrealistically extreme scenarios like "an ascetic photography master with the crappiest camera producing nicer images than some amateurs with top equipment". While the truth is that same master can produce much better images with proper gear. "it is possible to have success with a camera of lower quality" - True. Unfortunately it often sounds like and is interpreted as "camera doesn't matter" and even as "lesser camera helps getting better pictures". It also doesn't mean that "it is impossible to have even more success with a camera of higher quality". Holding yourself back from enjoying photography (and gear) more than a "successful" image requires isn't going to make anyone a better photographer. Better cameras can help though. Those fantastic modern on-sensor focusing systems alone can make a huge difference, they help us capture more keepers. So, I say "it is possible to have success DESPITE using a lower quality camera", "images can be interesting DESPITE lacking quality". And we can use lesser gear DESPITE having no good reason for it. It's the idea of making the image quality of quality images lower (than it has to be) on purpose that is bothering me. I took the stupid "camera doesn't matter" advice when I was starting with digital. And I learned it the hard way. Now in 2021 it's an even more destructive idea. When someone new to photography comes to see what you and other youtubers have to say about camera gear, they often get fooled by populistic mantras and then they make bad buying decisions. I personally regret not getting a used FF camera from the beginning. But you can't know what you don't know.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

@@0ecka Sorry Oecka, you know who I am, if you would like me to devote more time to you, who are you? Long chats with anonymous people become untenable. As you are not accountable for anything you write. Send me an email. Cheers Matt

[@cwoble]

Hi Matt, hope you are a better already. But just admit that you partied to much on New Years eve and that you had a mayor hangover ;-) All jokes aside food poisoning is not a laugh get wel soon ...

[@germanassimonson1671]

It is quite misleading to call a video "Super Sharp Lenses - Need To Worry?" and then discuss conscious choices to use a shallow depth of field or plain misfocus. What DOF has to do with sharpness here?

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

This video is about Dof and sharpness. If you watched it all you would know.

[@MarioSellinger]

I love people that brag about having the sharpest lens on the market but then use - 30 clarity and +40 grain in post 😂

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Indeed. :)