Focus or camera shake?

Out of focus can be regional in the photograph while camera shake will be universal, covering the whole frame.

 

of course depending on the length of the exposure, I can usually tell if the lack of sharpness is "one directional". I've got bad eyes, hard for me to focus, my picts when out of focus, details are "evenly fuzzy". My wife doesn't have the steadiest hands any more, but she's got excellent eyesight and when she has a photo that lacks sharpness, objects have a "trail"

 

Yes, a trail or a kind of double image or directional blur all indicate camera movement. Out-of-focus points are spread circles. I guess some circular kind of camera movement could approximate out-of-focus, but usually it doesn't. A good 10x loupe should tell the tale.

Best,

Doremus

 

Similar to differentiation between an over developed and over exposed negative. It can be hard to tell even for those with experience. Out of focus images might have something in focus that is not the main subject matter, but if the focal point was beyond infinity, and there are no sharp edges in the subject, it may be impossible to know.

 

Good Point!

 

Unfortunately for some of us, it's sometimes both.