>>2579695Shoot stuff with it or sell it & get something that is more to your shooting style (since you've done fuckall with it - a cheap used DSLR would probably be of better use).
>>2579275Yes, however because of the way monopods are balanced it'll tire the operator out much faster (also, boom poles are cheap [$50-60 for a smaller one]). Though anything is a boom pole if you've got the upper body strength (dowels, painters poles, broomsticks, anything long that you can attach a mic to will do the job).
>>2579263>>2579267>>2579329It's a mix of lighting style changes, filmstock improvements (35mm stock got really sharp in the 90s/2000s), lens improvements, digital sensor improvments (& CGI usage [cgi is overly sharp or overly 'shiny' in my opinion]), resolution (home viewing etc), and projection improvements/prints (better consistency).
Sharpness depends on what you're shooting & how you want it to look - which is achievable through various methods:
Softer images (intentionally softer):
1. Soft lighting (say, glamor lighting) will soften the look of your subject greatly, but takes some effort to do right (mostly indirect & diffused lighting)
2. Filters
3. DIY (vaseline, pantyhose)
4. Softening in Post
5. Shallower DoF & Larger Sensors (changes perceived sharpness, not actual sharpness depending on the lens [hence why )
Sharper Images:
1. Harder lighting (think Film Noir [direct light, hard shadows etc])
2. Higher Resolutions
3. Sharpening in Post
4. Deeper DoF (most lenses perform their best 1-2 stops down the range [too far down you run into other issues, too far open & it softens a bit])
5. Sharper Glass
6. More Contrast (if everything is the same color - it reduces perceived sharpness).
It's an aesthetic & story driven decision really. If it makes sense to be sharp - make it sharp, if it makes sense to soften it down - soften it down.
