Blurred photos, please help

[ortega]

ortega How do I increase the shutter speed while in Av mode? By opening up my aperture and ISO speed I still couldn't get the right shutter speed so to speak. But then again, it seems like my f5 was not enough. Should have brought it to a larger aperture. Thanks.

since the problem is the AV mode, then change it

for an indoor shoot like this, i'd normally use manual mode

1. choose the DOF that you need
2. choose the slowest shutter speed that you can handhold without camera shake
3. choose the highest ISO that you are comfortable with.
4. let the flash provide the right exposure

 

[pinholecam]

As many have said, the shutter speed is too low.
1. ISO is set too low; Just use 400 or 800. There is no big deal to the noise level. See what happened with ISO100. Firstly, on small prints and even viewed on a LCD TX at 1024x768 res, the noise is not going to be a problem. Secondly, noisy picts are way better than blurry picts

2. Aperture is set too small. You have a lens that should deliver even at f2.8. Depth of field and shutter speed are like to side of the coin. You can't really have both. we need to strike a balance. Adjust aperture so that you can get a reasonable depth of field and god enough shutter speed (Eg. ~1/90 for human subjects that don't have too dramatic movements). I'd think even f3.2 to f4 should give you good sharpness with this lens (no direct experience, but coming from a Tamron 28-75/2.8).

3. Always (or rather periodically) check your shutter speed through the viewfinder to make sure it is a a god enough shutter speed and change settings accordingly if it is not.

4. A flash (preferably bounced) would have made life much easier.

 

[gimumancer]

since the problem is the AV mode, then change it

for an indoor shoot like this, i'd normally use manual mode

1. choose the DOF that you need
2. choose the slowest shutter speed that you can handhold without camera shake
3. choose the highest ISO that you are comfortable with.
4. let the flash provide the right exposure

hi ortega are you using a canon system? so there's the problem i've been trying to solve, for Canon entry level cams where you cannot override shutter on aperture priority mode, for night/dim scenes you should not use Av mode when using flash else end up having slow shutter..

 

[blurry80]

To TS, Sometimes blurring can provide a feeling of action. The difficult part is to isolate the moving part from the stationary parts in terms of shutterspeed

 

[ortega]

hi ortega are you using a canon system? so there's the problem i've been trying to solve, for Canon entry level cams where you cannot override shutter on aperture priority mode, for night/dim scenes you should not use Av mode when using flash else end up having slow shutter..

no i am using the Nikon system, but the principals are the same, it is just called different thing on each system

to override the shutter speed, just use exposure compensation
or switch to manual

the slower shutter speed is set by the camera to get a correct exposure in dim light, if not you will end up with an underexposed image. Using a flash will provide enough light for a correct exposure at the selected aperture, the shutter speed will now only control the amount of ambient light that your sensor captures.

so a faster shutter speed will have less ambient light and a slower shutter speed will have more ambient light.

 

[gimumancer]

no i am using the Nikon system, but the principals are the same, it is just called different thing on each system

to override the shutter speed, just use exposure compensation
or switch to manual

the slower shutter speed is set by the camera to get a correct exposure in dim light, if not you will end up with an underexposed image. Using a flash will provide enough light for a correct exposure at the selected aperture, the shutter speed will now only control the amount of ambient light that your sensor captures.

so a faster shutter speed will have less ambient light and a slower shutter speed will have more ambient light.

ok thanks, by override i meant literally set the shutter speed that you like in aperture priority mode, this is easily done with advanced cams with 2 dedicated dials but for entry level cams, we'd have to make do with exposure compensation..it's because in my nikon cam, when i use aperture priority and flash, it's default shutter is 1/60 while in canon, i noticed it does not have default shutter so for first time flash users who are used to using aperture priority, ended up having slow shutter as what happened i think to TS

 

[spheredome]

Without further getting into too much detail about the flash and camera difficulties, I was wonder how and why TS managed to use AV mode instead of just plain P or auto mode. It is just not logical for a user who is not deep into photography to use such a mode in an important occassion. Any dSLR user would have spotted 1/8 slowness on the VF.

Just not logical. :think:

 

[Rashkae]

hi ortega are you using a canon system? so there's the problem i've been trying to solve, for Canon entry level cams where you cannot override shutter on aperture priority mode, for night/dim scenes you should not use Av mode when using flash else end up having slow shutter..

That's exactly why he recommended changing out of Av mode to full manual.

 

[blurry80]

Actually during an indoors dinner the lighting rarely changes. Manual is best for such a situation. Coupled with an external flash to correctly expose the subject even if the lights suddenly go off the errors wouldnt be too far off.

 

[maxtheevil]

bro,

as a guide line, set your shutter speed to 1/60.

but just in case u are really new, set it to 1/90

but note, it limits what u can shoot.

but... if it's too dark, without tripod, u can't shoot it anyway.

and using flash, unless u know how... using flash tends to screw up the results under the hands of unfamiliar.

 

[gryphon]

TS, if you want want to use Av in low light condition, you will need to increase your ISO beyond 1000, maybe at 3200 or 6400.
If not, you have to use other modes P or M etc

 

[nixontkl]

A little sharing of my shooting preference

When shooting ppl, I usually have my shutter speed set to 1/40 to 1/80 range, but mostly be shooting at 1/60. reason is that your subject of interest is a human and human move about and the most powerful 'IS' or 'VR' is powerless against your subject moving. and the speed of 1/60 is able to freeze normal movement of ppl. (ie walking, leaning over things, talking, laughing)

but when shooting at 1/60 and at low ISO in dim lit environment even with flash, u may end up with well lit subject but underexposed background, thus sometime the use of lower shutter speed of 1/40 or 1/50 but at the risk of subject blur due to movement. if its a posed shot then 1/40 is no issue.

when human subject in fast action, shutter speed 1/80 or even up to 1/200 is needed depending on how fast your subject is moving. higher shutter speed should also be use when u are using tele lens. Personally when I shoot ppl on my 70-300mm VR, I tend to use 1/80 or 1/100 to get a sharp image.

moi 2 cents to share.

 

[IsenGrim]

ok thanks, by override i meant literally set the shutter speed that you like in aperture priority mode, this is easily done with advanced cams with 2 dedicated dials but for entry level cams, we'd have to make do with exposure compensation..it's because in my nikon cam, when i use aperture priority and flash, it's default shutter is 1/60 while in canon, i noticed it does not have default shutter so for first time flash users who are used to using aperture priority, ended up having slow shutter as what happened i think to TS

no one can override the shutterspeed directly in Av like you said. That is manual mode.

Anyway since are are on the subject of blur.
lets say im already at:
1/50
f4
iso800

and the event is happening and suddenly theres a flurry of movement and there's no time to change setting to ISO1600 and 1/100. In the end, some of the pictures got motion blur.
will setting flash to 2nd curtain help (to some extent) in such a event?
or the help is so negligible that cant really tell?
would you set flash to 2nd curtain for whole event if it will help (incase of such a flurry of movement suddenly)?

 

[ortega]

no one can override the shutterspeed directly in Av like you said. That is manual mode.

Anyway since are are on the subject of blur.
lets say im already at:
1/50
f4
iso800

and the event is happening and suddenly theres a flurry of movement and there's no time to change setting to ISO1600 and 1/100. In the end, some of the pictures got motion blur.
will setting flash to 2nd curtain help (to some extent) in such a event?
or the help is so negligible that cant really tell?
would you set flash to 2nd curtain for whole event if it will help (incase of such a flurry of movement suddenly)?

i normally like a little movement in my shots and my default shutter speed is 1/30 or 1/15s
so my flash is always on rear curtain sync

 

[IsenGrim]

i normally like a little movement in my shots and my default shutter speed is 1/30 or 1/15s
so my flash is always on rear curtain sync

ooo thanks ortega

that cleared up my doubts!

 

[gimumancer]

no one can override the shutterspeed directly in Av like you said. That is manual mode.

i think for advanced cams with 2 dials (1 for aperture 1 for shutter) you can..but i'm not too sure, can anyone with advanced cam verify on this?

 

[DeSwitch]

i think for advanced cams with 2 dials (1 for aperture 1 for shutter) you can..but i'm not too sure, can anyone with advanced cam verify on this?

That is manual mode. In newer model, you can set the min and max shutter speed and aperture. Say if you set to min 1/60s, no matter what the slowest speed will be 1/60, warning lights will blink and shots may turn out underexposed.

ISO 400 should be enough for wedding functions. Better to use Tv mode or Manual mode.

 

[wildsoyabean]

i think for advanced cams with 2 dials (1 for aperture 1 for shutter) you can..but i'm not too sure, can anyone with advanced cam verify on this?

that is manual mode. not Aperature pirority mode.

however, using Av mode you can indirectly control shutterspeed

1) by playing with f stop
2) by playing with iso.

i see that you had a flash. im not sure why with flash the shutter speed still 1/8. usually with flash shutter speed quite fast one under those kind of condition.

did u put add slow sync to your flash when you shot?

 

[chalib]

i think for advanced cams with 2 dials (1 for aperture 1 for shutter) you can..but i'm not too sure, can anyone with advanced cam verify on this?

In Av mode, you set the aperture and ISO, cam will determine the shutter speed based on cam metering

 

[gimumancer]

That is manual mode. In newer model, you can set the min and max shutter speed and aperture. Say if you set to min 1/60s, no matter what the slowest speed will be 1/60, warning lights will blink and shots may turn out underexposed.

ISO 400 should be enough for wedding functions. Better to use Tv mode or Manual mode.

oh ok..because i remember a friend told me on his d90 he can override the shutter speed using aperture priority..i find it a convenient feature for example if in aperture priority you do not like the shutter given by cam, you can just override it by a few stop, dont need to change to manual mode and reconfigure both aperture and shutter again..maybe need to try it myself when i get hold of his d90..