When determining why an image appears blurry, it’s important to distinguish between an out-of-focus shot and blur caused by enlarging a smaller image.
An out-of-focus image occurs at the time of capture. This can happen if the camera wasn’t focused properly when the shutter button was pressed. Factors influencing focus include an incorrect focal setting, a subject moving too quickly (resulting in motion blur), or the camera itself shaking. Out-of-focus images will typically have soft edges across different areas, and details won’t be crisp.
On the other hand, a blurry image due to enlargement is the result of increasing the size of a lower-resolution image beyond its original pixel dimensions. This means the image loses clarity because the available pixels are being stretched to fill a larger space, leading to pixelation and a loss of sharp details.
To determine the cause, inspect the image at its original size. If it’s sharp without enlargement, any issues arise from scaling it up too far. If it’s blurry at its original size, the image was likely captured out of focus. Adjusting camera settings and ensuring steady handling can prevent blur, while using higher-resolution images initially can reduce the quality loss from enlarging.