Blurry Images vs. Out of Focus Images Can You Tell the Difference?

On this quick video, photographer Mark Wallace from AdoramaTV takes a look at one of the most basic things every photographer needs to understand and master – the difference between blurry images and out of focus ones and what causes each of them. 

You might get the two confused but they are actually very distinct phenomenon:

Out of focus images are caused by your lens – more particularly the focus in your lens. If you are shooting a subject in front of a tree and you focus on the tree instead of your subject – you will get you subject out of focus (you can see this in the video).

Blurry images are caused by your camera (and your subject) – more precisely, blurry images will happen each time your shutter speed isn’t fast enough in relation to the speed in which either your subject is moving, or  you and your camera is moving (Wallace doesn’t mention this in this short video but if you move during your shot you are much more likely to get a blurry image – image stabilizer in your lens or camera can help – but only to a degree – and remember – image stabilizer only stabilizes you – not the subject that you are shooting – you will still need a fast enough shutter speed to capture a moving subject).

You can watch many more photography tips on the LensVid technique section.

Iddo Genuth
Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.

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