WHy Blur Blur in Portait??

[lsisaxon]

I not only aperture and shutter speed le..still got ISO, WB etc...
i guess when they mean manual they meant all these settings.... not forgetting the compostion, framing etc...
tot advance cameras are suppose to help u wif all these settings? perhaps a cam wif all manual functions might be cheaper? :think:

My ISO is on manual, WB is manual, but those are what you seldom have to mess with. The mode is on A. Just meter and shoot, camera sets shutter speed for you. If you noticed, my image is 1/3". I can't go anything faster than f/5.6 with the kit lens at that focal length anyway, so just open it up all the way to maximize the light coming in. I believe P mode would give me the same aperture/shutter speed combination.

 

[sunboi80]

My ISO is on manual, WB is manual, but those are what you seldom have to mess with. The mode is on A. Just meter and shoot, camera sets shutter speed for you. If you noticed, my image is 1/3". I can't go anything faster than f/5.6 with the kit lens at that focal length anyway, so just open it up all the way to maximize the light coming in. I believe P mode would give me the same aperture/shutter speed combination.

i usu leave my ISO in AUTO and override if i see the need. WB is the setting i always change nowadays cos dun seem to get a good WB with the presets or auto le.. but just setting the WB already take some time... guess will miss alot of shots if we are insistent on manual mode..

Mabbe that's just me... can't set everything fast enough.. (tat's why still "L" plate haha)

 

[lsisaxon]

i usu leave my ISO in AUTO and override if i see the need. WB is the setting i always change nowadays cos dun seem to get a good WB with the presets or auto le.. but just setting the WB already take some time... guess will miss alot of shots if we are insistent on manual mode..

Mabbe that's just me... can't set everything fast enough.. (tat's why still "L" plate haha)

The key is to know the situation you're going to be in for the session. If you knkow it's going to be low light, set to a higher ISO. If you know the lighting condition, tungsten, then set for tungsten WB. For me, I like to retain the mood of the lighting, so I'm on Cloudy WB most of the time.

 

[Ferderico]

i am a newbie and when i first started using DSLR i always use the Auto mode.
Throughout the short period using the camera, i learnt the limitations of Auto and i also learnt composition.
The auto mode took away all the trouble of getting it in focus, shutter speed, lighting problems, etc... i just focus on my angle for the composition.

Each photo i took i analyzed the limitations. Like what went wrong or how to improve it. Soon i was able to tell the difference of F2 and a F8 aperature and i am still learning.

Some of the comments posted here were abit "hao lian"-ish and abit weird. i heard of wasting film but never heard of wasting shutter life. If i am that worried about maximising shutter life, i wouldnt be posting here as i would be wasting my keyboard life.

 

[tunster]

*For all who think auto is useless in DSLR* - Do you feel more comfortable in driving auto gear cars or manual gear cars? Why is auto gear cars much more expensive? Do you think more people driving auto cars or manual? And why are the racing cars are mostly manual. Think about it and apply the similar theory to cameras.

*For thread starter* - Please provide a sample of your lanscape pic and a sample of your portrait pic so we can help you analyize the problem. Most likely is that you are shooting in those "environmental mode" functions with "Portraits Mode". That mode usually set your lens to the biggest aperture. However, if you are using some low quality lens the wide open end is more likely to give you blur pics. So please also tell us the lens you are using.

 

[sunboi80]

i think wat most CSers are trying to say that each mode serves it's own purpose...
i can think of why in some cases where manual mode is absolutely required like shooting fireworks and moving water (to create that silky motion effect) which auto or P can't do it .... correct me if i am wrong.

I think the comparison of racing cars is not really correct le. even if u look at racing cars i think their changing of gears is not like normal car. just by pressing a certain button/lever right? it's does not work in the same principle like the normal manual cars we see on the road.

i think the main reason for cars and cameras alike when using the manual/auto mode is to give the driver/photographer more control. Lousy drivers like u and me when put into a F1 car can still lose to a Alonso in a normal Mit Lancer AUTO... :bsmilie:

 

[mrhobbit]

whats wrong with computer assisted functions? they ARE there for a reason on all(?) the DSLR bodies.

i use settings in compliance with the situation, wanna control DOF, A, wanna shoot fast subjects or in low light, try my best with S, in controlled situations with consistent lighting M mode because i got the time to tweak and adjust until i am happy.

saying that, i am on A 70% of the time.
coming to that, auto is rather capable in its own right after all, although we did get a DSLR(or prosumer in my case) because we want greater control. WB and ISO whatnot also bothers me if i am shooting an event, therefore, why go manual when sometimes we really cannot afford the time to think and set the exposure, and we still have to think of framing, composition and whatnot, exposure abit off, better than not being able to get that important shot.:thumbsup:

 

[skopio]

after so many posts about shooting modes, where is the picture? TS is missing!!!

 

[Relax9386]

guess he must have given up...

so would I.............

to OT a bit

Very disappointed by some of the comments..

I thought this a place for me to learn....
but sadly..........

rgds

 

[lsisaxon]

*For all who think auto is useless in DSLR* - Do you feel more comfortable in driving auto gear cars or manual gear cars? Why is auto gear cars much more expensive? Do you think more people driving auto cars or manual? And why are the racing cars are mostly manual. Think about it and apply the similar theory to cameras.

*For thread starter* - Please provide a sample of your lanscape pic and a sample of your portrait pic so we can help you analyize the problem. Most likely is that you are shooting in those "environmental mode" functions with "Portraits Mode". That mode usually set your lens to the biggest aperture. However, if you are using some low quality lens the wide open end is more likely to give you blur pics. So please also tell us the lens you are using.

The pinnacle of motor racing has auto clutch. Most of them are paddle shift. Used to have traction control etc.. These are computer aids. The reason why many racing cars are manual transmission is because 1) the auto transmission system in normal cars uses torque converter which loses some power; 2) they are more expensive if you bust them.

MT are useful for people who want to control the car beyond what they are normally meant for. Try driving the MT WRX STI down PIE during peak hour.. Good luck! ;p I cannot imagine that.

Similarly, for people where photography is their job, they don't have the luxury to miss the shot. Why do people come up with multi segment metering when centre weight or spot is more than sufficient? It's because photographers demand that the metering can do the job and do it well. It's only those who thinks that manual everything is best.. Then my advice... Forget about digital photography and go back to silver halides.. Then you get to control the chemicals, temperature etc.. Been there, done that more than 10 years back.. Don't see the need to do it again... ;p If you want it for the experience, yes, DSLRs have manual modes too.

I prefer to drive auto cars but my license is class 3. Wanted to take 3A initially but friends adviced me to got for 3. It's harder to master the clutch but it's a good experience. I think it's a good analogy. :thumbsup:

 

[tunster]

Seems like everyone is missing my point.

I mean...auto is for comfort...manual is for controls and semi auto is for fast reaction.... haaai....

FYI: I use AV most of the time.

 

[langzi]

Hi all...

Thanks for all the comments.... be it +ve or -ve!!!

no pic yet.... lazy to create a online ablum (OT abit, btw which site is best recommended for the online ablum?)!!!

Did a experiment just now.... i try again taking an object in landscape n portait.

1st: snap the object in landscap w/o flash in auto mode, output - blur.

2nd: snap the object in portait w flash. output - clear!!!

so i guess must be due to the lighting, am i rite to say that??? or is that anyhow causes??

 

[night86mare]

Hi all...

Thanks for all the comments.... be it +ve or -ve!!!

no pic yet.... lazy to create a online ablum (OT abit, btw which site is best recommended for the online ablum?)!!!

Did a experiment just now.... i try again taking an object in landscape n portait.

1st: snap the object in landscap w/o flash in auto mode, output - blur.

2nd: snap the object in portait w flash. output - clear!!!

so i guess must be due to the lighting, am i rite to say that??? or is that anyhow causes??

bro, photography other than iso, aperture and shutter speed which you can control:
iso is how sensitive your camera is to light (link with noise)
aperture is how big the hole in your camera lens is (link with depth of field)
shutter speed is how long your sensor is exposed to light for..

so think of it like your camera being a hose..
iso is how fast the water moves through the hose, aperture is diameter of hose.. and shutter speed is how long the water flows for.. very common analogy.

you want correctly exposed photo, is like using the hose to fill a bucket. too little no good, too much no good.. must be just right.. though sometimes you can deliberately fill it up less or fill it up more (high key, low keyportraits)

got another thing which affects is lighting condition.. you can change this somewhat with flash.. over limited distance.

your camera in auto mode doesn't know what is going on, when it is too dark, generally it will just happily fire flash whether it is good or not.. so i think you are probably shooting indoors, or in condition where it is not very bright..

in the first case, without flash, it probably tries to bump up iso, tries to open up aperture.. but still cannot, so make shutter speed long.. so long that you cannot handhold it without having any hand shake present, hence the blur

for the second case, with flash, there is a brief moment where the entire area you are shooting is flooded with light.. more than enough to "expose" the picture correctly even with shorter shutter speed.

hope you understand what this means.. if not, best to break out of comfort zone.. and read up on some photography basics. auto mode is ok, at least to me, when you are starting out, but if you genuinely have interest to have this control over your pictures, instead of just happily snapping away (though, don't we wish we could).. then sooner or later have to understand how it works, what quirks your camera has, and how to get the picture you want.

there is a reason why a lot of people show auto mode such disdain.. there is nothing to do with car autodrive, that analogy is quite bad.. auto mode is like letting the car drive you wherever it feels like going.. sometimes you are lucky, the car will be very nice and smart and intelligent and bring you to right place with swee swee timing.. other times, you not so lucky, even if it is going at 90km/h towards a pile of explosives.. you just let it bang the explosives.. do you really want that? :dunno: if you don't have interest in photography, then yar, by all means, auto.. but a bit of understanding in this genre.. goes a long long long way.

 

[langzi]

thanks for the the pretty detailed explanations.

got works commitments & studies to take care. of cos not forgetting my CO, got to spend time with he!!! haa... ;p

yap.... signed up a basis DSLR cos le..... and of cos, will read up more!!!

purpose of getting the DSLR is learn more about photograhy.... since i have some keen interest in it!!! so i hope to lean hw to control the cam n of cos the pic....

a long way to go......

btw, yes, those pics that i mentioned are taken indoors!!!

 

[night86mare]

purpose of getting the DSLR is learn more about photograhy.... since i have some keen interest in it!!! so i hope to lean hw to control the cam n of cos the pic....

a long way to go......

yes, that's the spirit

the central library at bugis has a good extensive photography collection

i suggest, borrow a combination, some on theory/technical, some with just pretty pictures, whatever you're interested in, be it portraits, events, landscapes, they have a nice collection.. at least when i last went around sep last year.. speaking of which i should check it out soon again

for photoshop learning, if you use cs2, adobe photoshop cs2 for photographers was a book that i learnt a lot from, i thought (see link for book image)

there is an excellent basic dslr usage book, complete with how to use flash, all teh modes explained beautifully with good pictures, etc.. but i can't remember its name.. when i do remember, i'll post it here.. if i remember to post it here :bsmilie:

 

[night86mare]

yes, i found it!

this one.. digital slr handbook by michael freeman.. very informative

btw, both could be fuond in the national library.. for the digital slr handbook, got quite a lot of copies in many branches.. call no English 775 FRE -[ART]

 

[ahandre]

yes, that's the spirit

the central library at bugis has a good extensive photography collection

i suggest, borrow a combination, some on theory/technical, some with just pretty pictures, whatever you're interested in, be it portraits, events, landscapes, they have a nice collection.. at least when i last went around sep last year.. speaking of which i should check it out soon again

for photoshop learning, if you use cs2, adobe photoshop cs2 for photographers was a book that i learnt a lot from, i thought (see link for book image)

there is an excellent basic dslr usage book, complete with how to use flash, all teh modes explained beautifully with good pictures, etc.. but i can't remember its name.. when i do remember, i'll post it here.. if i remember to post it here :bsmilie:

I like Martin evening's book as well, sharing specifically on utilizing CS for photography.

To TS : perhaps can borrow that National Geographic series by Robert Caputo et.al. I found it explains the basic of photography for different situation (there are four titles : NG's Field Guide, Birds, People, Landscape). I'm still learning as well.

 

[night86mare]

I like Martin evening's book as well, sharing specifically on utilizing CS for photography.

To TS : perhaps can borrow that National Geographic series by Robert Caputo et.al. I found it explains the basic of photography for different situation (there are four titles : NG's Field Guide, Birds, People, Landscape). I'm still learning as well.

all photobooks can always be read, reread.. if you find some parts boring, just skip and fast forward.. aiya actually true for most good books la hahaha

these days, i just like sitting in the library for a whole afternoon and flipping through landscape photography books.. ok not right now, but when no more exams :bsmilie:

 

[zaren]

Hi all...

Thanks for all the comments.... be it +ve or -ve!!!

no pic yet.... lazy to create a online ablum (OT abit, btw which site is best recommended for the online ablum?)!!!

Did a experiment just now.... i try again taking an object in landscape n portait.

1st: snap the object in landscap w/o flash in auto mode, output - blur.

2nd: snap the object in portait w flash. output - clear!!!

so i guess must be due to the lighting, am i rite to say that??? or is that anyhow causes??

hi langzi,

firstly i assume you are not shooting in "auto mode" (green rectangle icon), but in the "landscape" vari-program mode (mountain icon), and the "portrait" vari-program mode (face icon).

for the 1st pic, the landscape vari-program mode will automatically set the smallest aperture for greatest depth of field, and therefore the longest shutter speed to achieve the correct exposure. snapping the object in this mode handheld without flash indoors will give you blurry pics because of camera shake.

for the 2nd pic, the portrait vari-program mode will automatically set the largest aperture for smallest depth of field, with correspondingly shortest shutter speed to achieve the correct exposure. snapping the object in this mode handheld with flash indoors will result in a sharp pic because the exposure time is very short due to to the lighting from the flash.

cheers,
z.

 

[JavaBeanz]

Base on the scenario, you are most probably right to say lack of sufficient light is the cause of the blur. Hand shake and object moving will cause blurring in low light. You should see some blinking icon in your viewfinder, telling you to use your flash.

p.s. you should use the same mode, with and without flash in your experiment to confirm lighting is the issue though

Hi all...

Thanks for all the comments.... be it +ve or -ve!!!

no pic yet.... lazy to create a online ablum (OT abit, btw which site is best recommended for the online ablum?)!!!

Did a experiment just now.... i try again taking an object in landscape n portait.

1st: snap the object in landscap w/o flash in auto mode, output - blur.

2nd: snap the object in portait w flash. output - clear!!!

so i guess must be due to the lighting, am i rite to say that??? or is that anyhow causes??