On your query re sharpness. If this shot used auto focus mode, then such soft details could have fooled auto mode. But judging from so many superb images in this gallery, I think you will have used manual focusing.
there are many great images in this gallery, a pleasure to view. you mentioned difficulty getting sharp images; this might be an example. but using 1/25 at f5.6, may just have hand shake and low dof. try to keep the speed below 1/focal length (here, e.g. faster than 1/100) and see if that helps.
