How do I get sharper images? NX1100

CMurdock wrote:

Thank you for the useful information.

Is it absolutely necessary to use a tripod? Does reducing the aperture automatically increase blur if there is hand movement? I guess it does, because it means longer exposures, right? So there is no way to get greater depth of field without longer exposures? If I use higher ISO's, that will reduce exposure time, won't it?

Finding a tripod that will put the camera in the position I want may be difficult.

Yes, to get an equivalent exposure at faster shutter speed, you need to increase the aperture (which will mean that the edges and areas beyond your focus point will be increasingly out of focus) or increase ISO (not great for product photos, where you want the cleanest image possible).

Using a tripod makes a world of difference for product photography, truly. Hand-held without image stabilization, you can only shoot at maybe 1/30th (with very steady hands) of a second or faster. That limits you in terms of proper exposure and ability to use the lowest ISO. A tripod is a cheap investment with great return. Some of my exposures are 2 seconds long on my work desk in suboptimal lighting, but they come out nice and clean at ISO-100. I can only do that with a tripod.

There are different types of tripods. You can put a smaller one on your desk or get a taller one and extend it, flipping the camera to point mostly down, shooting from above. Or will allow you to shoot at some angle, diagonally. I think diagonal shots look more aesthetically pleasing anyway.

P.S.: I'm going to respectfully disagree with the poster above: a tripod is a very worthy investment (and it can be a very cheap one at that if you shoot at home in non-windy conditions) if you shoot in anything but bright daylight. I used to shoot without a tripod, and after getting one, it was like night and day of difference.