Re: f-stops and sharpness

[P3D Dr. George A. Themelis <fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>Here  is how the rule is applied with 100 speed film:
>>
>>Shutter	f-stop  Rating	Light Conditions
>>-------------------------------------------------------------
>>1/100   f22     +1      Extremely bright w/sand or snow
>>1/100   f16      0      Sunny and bright, distinct shadows
>>1/100   f11     -1      Weak sun, soft shadows, side light 
>>1/100   f8      -2      Cloudy bright, no shadows
>>1/50    f8      -3      Heavy overcast, bright shade
>>1/50    f5.6    -4      Dark shade
>>1/25    f3.5    -7      Bright interiors; Max exp. handheld
>
>Is this from your Realist updated Instruction Manual? ;-)

YES!  As a matter of fact, it is!

>I have question about the f-stops. I noticed that whenever
>I set the camera on f8 or lower, the pictures are fuzzy.

They should not be.  Fuzzy at the corners or even in the center?
Is this the Realist that you got from me? :-)

Most good 3.5 Realists should be sufficiently sharp at f8.
The Ilex that I used in Greece was sufficiently sharp at f3.5.

Another note in the upgraded Realist manual reads: "Favor
faster shutter speeds over smaller apertures (for example,
use f8 @ 1/100 instead of f16 @ 1/25)"  The table above
reflects this philosophy.  Same for the original Realist
instructions (for ASA 10 Kodachrome) to use 1/50 at f6.3
(in-between 8 and 5.6) on a sunny day.

I have seen more pictured ruined from camera shake at slow
speeds than insufficiently sharpness at wide apertures (assuming
that the camera is focused properly.)

George Themelis


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