The misconception that we haven't seen clear, high-resolution photographs of Earth from space showing its spherical shape without manipulation or composite imagery is based on a misunderstanding of the available images and the limitations of photography from space.
In reality, there are numerous high-resolution photographs of Earth taken from space that clearly show its spherical shape. Images captured by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and various satellites provide stunning views of our planet. These images often show a clear spherical Earth, and they have been widely shared and published.
However, it's important to note that most of the images of Earth taken from space are not a single photograph but a composite of multiple images. This is because to capture a full view of the Earth, multiple images need to be stitched together due to the limited field of view of the cameras or sensors on board spacecraft. This process is done to create a complete and accurate representation of the Earth's surface.
Furthermore, the distance from which these images are taken also plays a role. Earth observation satellites are typically positioned several hundred kilometers above the Earth's surface. From this distance, the curvature of the Earth is visible, but the planet may still appear relatively large in the frame, depending on the camera's field of view.
If you are referring specifically to a single, unmanipulated photograph of the entire Earth, with enough resolution to clearly show its spherical shape, such an image would require capturing Earth from a much farther distance, far beyond the orbit of any existing satellite. While some photographs like this have been taken by spacecraft such as Voyager 1, which captured the iconic "Pale Blue Dot" image from a distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles), they are not high-resolution images.
In summary, there are numerous high-resolution photographs of Earth from space that clearly show its spherical shape. However, these images are often composites of multiple photos to capture the entire view, and capturing a single, unmanipulated, high-resolution photograph of the entire Earth from a distance where its full curvature is visible is not currently feasible with existing technology.