A soft image does not have one universal cause. Focus may have landed in the wrong place, the subject may have moved, or the camera may have shifted during the exposure. A very shallow depth of field can also leave important detail outside the sharp region.
Find the pattern before changing everything
Look for sharp detail anywhere in the image. Directional streaks can suggest movement. A sharp background with a soft subject can suggest misplaced focus. Very small apertures and aggressive noise reduction can also reduce fine detail.
Try it
Photograph a still object with a supported camera and a deliberate focus point. Make another photograph handheld with a slower shutter speed. Compare them at the same size, then change only one variable at a time.
By Joseph Hubbard, photographer and artist at Hubbard.ART.
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