What went wrong?
My photos are blurry
Nothing in the frame looks sharp, or the focus is on the wrong thing.
Check this first
Is anything in the frame sharp?
Likely causes
- 1.
Missed focus
Common- How to tell
- Something in the frame is sharp, but not the subject: often the background.
- Fix
- Check the rangefinder or focus screen alignment, and use a smaller aperture for more depth of field.
- 2.
Camera shake
Common- How to tell
- Nothing is sharp, and everything is smeared in the same direction.
- Fix
- Use a shutter speed of at least 1 over the focal length (1/60 or faster for a 50mm lens), or a tripod.
- 3.
Subject movement
Occasional- How to tell
- The background is sharp but the moving subject is blurred.
- Fix
- Use a faster shutter speed or a faster film.
- 4.
Lens fault, or film not lying flat
Rare- How to tell
- Consistent softness in the same part of every frame, even on a tripod.
- Fix
- Test the lens on a tripod at several apertures; check for haze or a misaligned element.
Avoiding it next time
- Follow the 1/focal-length shutter speed rule.
- Check the camera's focus with a test roll.
Go deeper
Other camera problems
Last checked October 2026. Seen something different? Tell us.