How can I increase detail or make other general improvements using the cameras settings?
Watching out for the problems outlined elsewhere in this document, here are some thoughts. Decrease the ISO setting to reduce graininess. If you leave it at auto, it will often use higher ISO settings as soon as the light dims. (See warnings about low-light situations, however.) Decrease the JPEG compression to reduce graininess. Use the highest resolution your camera allows. These actions will create larger file sizes, so you may want to buy a larger memory card (see your camera’s manual). Reduce or disable the “sharpness” setting. Despite its name, it’s really an “edge enhancement” function, but it does not really add detail — past a certain point, it actually reduces detail. (Use your photo software to zoom into a sharpened picture. If there are “halos” around objects, then you have sharpened too much.) If your photos look blurry, try to steady the camera, rather than use sharpness to compensate for camera shake. Note that sometimes photos can use a bit of “sharpness” for display o
