A blurred photo makes a perfectly good picture useless. But not if you know ways to fix it with specialized tools and apps.
However, tools can fix blurry photos only so much, this is why learning how to avoid blurry photos is also critical. In this guide, I will show you how to do both and more.
Major Reasons for Blurry Photos
- Slow Shutter Speed
- Too Wide Aperture
- The ISO is Set To High
- Using an Incorrect Focus Mode
- Not Using Manual Focus When Required
1. Slow Shutter Speed
When your camera’s shutter speed is slow, the photo will be blurred because of the movement of your hand. Even if you use a tripod, you need a faster shutter speed to capture a moving object.
Check the shutter settings and your lens size for settings the shutter speed to a number that removes the minor shakes when hand holding your camera.
If you have a 60mm lens, set the shutter speed to 1/60s or more to eliminate the shaking caused by hand. For a 200mm lens, 1/200s, and for a 400mm lens, set it to 1/400s or more.
2. Too Wide Aperture
A wide aperture (lower f/x) means a shallow depth of field. A landscape photo with an f/2.8 focal length will have some parts blurry but if you capture the same image with a focal length of f/8, the image will be sharper with more depth of field.
When using a smaller aperture, keep in mind it will let in less light so you should use a slower shutter speed and preferably a tripod to avoid blurry photos.
On the other hand, setting a wide aperture is good for taking a portrait where it can blur the background and focus on the person/object.
3. The ISO is Set To High
Higher ISO enables you to select a faster shutter speed and eliminate shaking for different sizes of lenses, but be warned, that the higher the ISO, the more noise your photos will have.
A portrait at 6400 ISO will make the main object blurred. So, test different ISOs to know which ISO works for which shot.
4. Using an Incorrect Focus Mode
There are three common autofocus modes in most cameras:
- Single-shot autofocus (AF-S) is for still objects.
- Continuous autofocus (AF-C) for moving objects. It continuously tracks the movement of the focused object and keeps them in focus.
- Automatic mode (AF-A or AI Focus) relies on its algorithm and the scene to determine which one of the above two focus modes it should use.
Keep in mind that any type of focus works well if you use a tripod for stability. Using carbon fiber tripods is suggested as they absorb vibrations and don’t result in a blurry picture.
5. Not Using Manual Focus When Required
Autofocus works well most of the time, but if you’re using a wide aperture with a shallow depth of field for landscapes, you should switch to manual focus to avoid a blurry photo.
Increase the zoom and set the focus on the object you want to be sharp and make the right adjustments. Make sure to avoid shaking by using a tripod or resting your arms/elbows on a flat surface.
5 Best Free Apps That Can Fix Blurry Photos
Many spontaneous moments can’t be captured again. So, if you have a blurry picture that you want to sharpen, there are some impressive apps you should use on your Android or iOS device.
Note: These apps won’t magically fix the blur 100% but some adjustments will make the image much better than its original version.
- Adobe Lightroom
- Photo Editor – Lumii
- Remini – AI Photo Enhancer
- Snapseed
- Vivid – AI Photo Enhancer
1. Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom is the favorite of many photographers and photo editors. The desktop version is what most serious people use but the mobile app is also packed with many features and one of them is the photo clarity feature that can reduce blur in photos if done right.
If you need pro-level editing, an Adobe subscription is required where you can also upload images to the cloud and access pro features, but for casual use and to fix blur in photos, the free features of the app are sufficient.
- For Android and iOS
- Free and Premium
2. Photo Editor – Lumii
Lumii provides effects, filters, layers, tonal curve adjustments, and many more features to improve your photos. The sharpness feature lets you eliminate blur from your photos to a good extent.
- For Android only
- Free with ads and Premium
3. Remini – AI Photo Enhancer
Remini AI Photo Enhancer is a one-click solution to turn pixelated, old, and blurry photos into sharpened, HD pictures.
You don’t need photoshop experience to use this photo editor. Moreover, you can also retouch photos and increase the number of pixels in an image among other adjustments.
- For Android and iOS
- Free with ads and Premium
4. Snapseed
Snapseed is a massive photo editing app loaded with basic and pro features. Moreover, it doesn’t lock some of its features behind a paywall.
Install it and try its excellent tools like removing skin blemishes, creating HDR photos, and editing the tonal curve of the picture.
The sharpness tool is simple to use like other apps where you can use the slider to adjust the sharpness. But never use too much sharpness as it will make the photo grainy.
- For Android and iOS
- Free
5. Vivid – AI Photo Enhancer
Vivid AI Photo Enhancer is also a one-tap blurry photo fixer app. Just upload the image, press the button, and see the blur go away.
Other than photo enhancement for sharpening images, the app also offers photo adjustments, magic erasers, color correction, background blur, and more.
- For Android and iOS
- Free and Premium
Conclusion
Memorable photos shouldn’t be blurry! Use the above-mentioned apps to fix blurry photos and follow the photo-capturing tips to avoid blurry shots in the future.
