Canon T7i Sharpness

Welcome to the forum!

The T7i is a fine DSLR equipped with the recent sensor and processor. I might have some concerns over your zoom lenses and your technical settings.

BTW, I have been using a T6s (one generation before yours) for a few years and enjoy it.

Before I proceed, I must say that I like the two images that you posted - beautiful light and thoughtful composition, plus the warm saturated colors.

Looking at the EXIF data, I notice that the shutter speed is too slow in relation to the focal length. On full-frame cameras, it is advised to set shutter speed to at least 1 / focal length, e.g. 1/100 seconds for 100mm. On crop-sensor cameras, one should take the crop factor into account, e.g. 1/160 seconds for 100mm.

That rule of thumb applies when you shoot hand-held, to overcome camera shake.

When you use a tripod, you can set a relatively slower shutter speed, but don’t forget to turn off lens IS (Image Stabilization). At the same time, though, please be aware that slower shutter speeds likely introduce blurriness due to subject movements, e.g. branches, leaves, grasses moving in windy conditions.

For landscapes, and especially with longer focal lengths, I usually stop the aperture down to f/9 ~ f/11, and pay attention to where the focus point is placed.

Also, please note that the direction of light plays a critical role in enhancing microcontrast which contributes to perceived sharpness or “pop”. Light that shines on the subject at an angle, instead of straight on, is usually preferrable.

The two lenses that you are using are good, but not very good or excellent - if you really care about minute-detail sharpness. It may be too early now to bring up the subject of choosing and buying lenses. At the beginning, it suffices to say that the 18-135mm IS STM, 55-250mm IS STM, and 70-300mm IS II USM (latest version) are better options. Farther down the road of experience, you may want to consider prime lenses and L lenses.

Excellent lenses are a long-term investment that will extend over multiple camera bodies. One upgrades the bodies every few years to take advantage of new technologies, but great well-selected lenses are “forever”.

Good luck!