In article <4kj646$igp@news.ais.net>, rjt@dataviews.com says...

>Does an f-stop setting have anything to do with producing a *sharper*
>picture when you are in focus? I realize a shallower depth of field,
>but will the subject print any sharper?

This comes up, every once in a while..... The short of it is:
Lens optical faults limit wide-aperture performance, but most
of them get reduced as the aperture is stopped down. But
diffraction limits lens performance ever more as the lens is
stopped down. The result is that most 35mm lenses improve in
sharpness until about f5.6-11, then decline, with f16 being
the last really good aperture, and f22 being acceptable.
The better lenses can perform reasonably well at wider apertures
(like f2-2.8), but many need f5.6 or so to look really sharp.
This varies somewhat with lens type. When in doubt, use f8.
Hope This Helps