If you take a close look on magnified pictures taken with different sharpness settings, you'll find a probability that default sharpness setting in camera is 'soft'. This could be true. The big problem of camera's CCD is low resolution ability which brings out dim pictures. The original RAW file is recalculated so final sharpness depends a little on quality of interpolating program. Thus, the basic level of sharpness is already set in camera before the image data is recorded onto disk. This could be found when you compare real resolution charts of different cameras with same resolution source, when the tests shows different final resolution results.
The sharpening process uses different algorithms. When the picture is sharpen, some artifacts of sharpening process could become visible: ghosting, echo, amplified noise, but the most visible consequence of sharpening is stronger light-dark line on contrast edges. You can find a sharpening artifacts described on the page of Computer sharpening.
Picture data:
Reduced to |
14% |
Resampling process |
Anti-alias |
Compression |
30 steps |
Original image data:
Type |
fine JPEG |
Resolution |
2560*1800 |
File size |
1257 KB |
Image size/72dpi |
903 x 677 mm |
Focus |
200 mm |
Aperture |
9,5 |
Shutter time |
1/30 sec |
ISO |
100 |
WB |
Daylight |
Color |
0 |
Intensity |
0 |
Contrast |
0 |
Sharpness |
Soft |