BLURRY AND DULL :(

[beesparkle]

COULD ANYONE HELP AND JUST HOPEFULLY REASSURE ME. I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A CANON A95 AND MOST OF THE TIME MY PHOTOS ARE DULL AND BLURRY, IS IT BECAUSE IN ALL HONESTY I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IT ALL WORKS WHEN OUT OF AUTOMATIC! ?? SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS IN AUTO BUT THATS WHEN I HAVE MAYBE ZOOMED IN A DULL ROOM ETC. OTHERWISE I HAVE HAD SOME NICE SHOTS IN AUTO. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MOVE INTO MANUAL THO BUT DISSAPOINTED AT MY DULL BLURRY RESULTS!

[paulcheah]

Could be any number of reasons.
Shaky hands, try a tripod, bad lighting, slow shutter speeds, zoomed in tiny movements in the camera is much more perceptible which of course is reflected in blurry shots. Dullness in an image can be of many causes as well, sometimes high ISOs can cause an image to look dull coloured. It can even be god forbid defective equipment.

Try a tripod or holding the camera still by controlling your breathing. Try well lit shooting conditions and make sure its focusing right and your subjects are within its range of focus. Maybe someone else can offer more help.

[nwyman]

i had much better luck by using the camera outside in bright sun at first. Then I learned to set the time at two seconds, and to brace myself on something and hold the under the lens with my left hand, and exhale when pressing the shutter. Learn to wait for the green frame around the subject (this means the camera has achieved focus).
Once I got that sorted out, I moved indoors and learned to deal with the lighting situations.
It was a bit disconcerting at first - I expected to just point and shoot, but it isn't quite that simple.
Nancy

[nwyman]

More tips - take a shot on auto - if you like the results, check out the shooting data on the display screen in playback mode - see what your shutter speed (tv) and aperture settings were - then move to either TV or AP mode and try to duplicate or improve on what the automatic settings did.
Then you can move down to Manual Mode and try again.
Nancy

[Majarvis]

COULD ANYONE HELP AND JUST HOPEFULLY REASSURE ME. I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A CANON A95 AND MOST OF THE TIME MY PHOTOS ARE DULL AND BLURRY, IS IT BECAUSE IN ALL HONESTY I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IT ALL WORKS WHEN OUT OF AUTOMATIC! ?? SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS IN AUTO BUT THATS WHEN I HAVE MAYBE ZOOMED IN A DULL ROOM ETC. OTHERWISE I HAVE HAD SOME NICE SHOTS IN AUTO. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MOVE INTO MANUAL THO BUT DISSAPOINTED AT MY DULL BLURRY RESULTS!
Learn. Love. Use.

[beesparkle]

THANKS FOR ADVICE

SORRY MAJARVIS BUT DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE RELEVENCE OF THE CAPS LOCK PICTURE TO MY QUESTION!! THANKS ANYWAY THO!

[Ikinaa]

THANKS FOR ADVICE

SORRY MAJARVIS BUT DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE RELEVENCE OF THE CAPS LOCK PICTURE TO MY QUESTION!! THANKS ANYWAY THO!

I guess Majarvis means you should turn off caps lock and write normally because reading a text in Full Caps is hurting the eyes and a lot of people won't read such a text, so if you write normally, I guess more people will also responds.
Try searching google for 'Netiquette'. Full Caps is often considered as shouting...

[beesparkle]

Many thanks for advice. Did not realise that and apologise for any offence!!

[S45_fornow...]

COULD ANYONE HELP AND JUST HOPEFULLY REASSURE ME. I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A CANON A95 AND MOST OF THE TIME MY PHOTOS ARE DULL AND BLURRY, IS IT BECAUSE IN ALL HONESTY I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IT ALL WORKS WHEN OUT OF AUTOMATIC! ?? SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS IN AUTO BUT THATS WHEN I HAVE MAYBE ZOOMED IN A DULL ROOM ETC. OTHERWISE I HAVE HAD SOME NICE SHOTS IN AUTO. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MOVE INTO MANUAL THO BUT DISSAPOINTED AT MY DULL BLURRY RESULTS!

Read the manual. It came with the camera. It has pages with pictures and lots of words.

[beesparkle]

thanks S45 for your sarcastic but unhelpful advice;)

[S45_fornow...]

thanks S45 for your sarcastic but unhelpful advice;)

No problem. I actually find that reading the manual can be very helpful. ;)

Go take some pics and enjoy your new camera.

[Robertson Bruce]

When things look blurry and dull, I usually have 2 more cups of coffee. If that doens't work, I put my glasses back on.

:lol: ;)

sorry. couldn't resist.

[beesparkle]

lol might try that one !!

[Bodryn]

Beesparkle, if you posted a few of those photos probably somebody could tell you what the problem is. It is entirely possible you have a defective camera, but I think probably not. In general, to avoid blurriness in photos and you're not using a tripod, you'll want a shutter speed of 1/100 or faster. It may also be that you aren't aware that you have to press the button part way to give the camera a chance to adjust to existing conditions, before snapping the picture.

Maybe the best advice would be: go to a public library, pick up several books on photography, digital and film, and you'll find all kinds of tips on how to start off successfully. Good luck. And remember, there is no substitute for just taking lots of pictures and learning by doing.

[Tamarack]

beesparkle, I am just now moving out of the dull and blurry phase with my new Canon and am delighting in the results. A previous poster mentioned the focus rectangle in the viewfinder. I have found that watching this closely is key to getting a sharp photo. If you don't carefully focus before taking the shot, the camera doesn't really know where to look and focuses at random on elements of the scene that are not important.

Your camera may have the capability to move the rectangle around within the viewfinder; this is helpful as well for zeroing in on a subject that is off-center.

Other tips: I seem to get better results when I use the viewfinder rather than the LCD panel; more camera stability. Also, the shutter speed points mentioned above are crucial.

Good luck!