Very new... Need help with camera shake/blurry pics

[mint20_00]

I just bought the G6 a couple of months ago to learn with and take pics of my 9 month old son. I always have a problem with camera shake and bluriness. I don't want to use the flash, so when I turn it to P to take the flash off, I always get blurry pics. I tried it again this morning in my light kitchen where there should have been more than enough light. I have it set on 400 ISO. I'm not sure what to do. Can you please help me. I saw someone said to set it to Av and shoot, but what's the difference between Av and P?

I'm tired of using Auto, but nothing comes out right when I try to venture out. I've looked into classes, but they're either too easy... (this is the lens, this is the zoom) or too hard! Any info would be great.

[rebel61021]

probally could increase the shutter speed or get a tripod.

[cactusclay]

Av = you set the apature P= camera sets both apature and shutter speed. I don't know if that camera has TV, but if it does, then set it there and set your shutter speed to aroud 200-250 of a second, if there is enough light, if there isn't enough light, then use a tripod or the flash, or try to brace youself so the camera doesn't move.

[mint20_00]

Thanks,

I was using a tripod!!!!! That's what is so darn frustrating. I know there was more than enough light in that kitchen, that's why I picked it. The camera shake icon comes on even when I use the tripod.

I'll try the Tv mode. Still, any more help is welcome.

[ray mackie]

Basically, indoors, if the youngster is moving, you may not be able to set the shutter speed fast enough, and still get a good exposure. I think extra lights is a good answer...some type of outdoor flood light (if you don't want to spend money), or those hardware quartz halogen shop light jobbies. I say go ahead and use the flash, or buy a better one that can swivel and bounce to fix glare....lots of threads on this site recommend certain canon flashes. look around. The lens just isn't fast enough for indoor lighting with movement shots without extra light. Just my opinion.

Ray

[pushtoexit]

I was using a tripod!!!!! That's what is so darn frustrating. I know there was more than enough light in that kitchen, that's why I picked it. .

ND filter is off ? How about focal length, try the shortest possible and move closer to your subject. Finally you may need to experiment with the different light metering modes, that is if it is shake that is causing the problem. You sure it is not a DOF issue with low light focusing ??

[mint20_00]

ND filter is off ? How about focal length, try the shortest possible and move closer to your subject. Finally you may need to experiment with the different light metering modes, that is if it is shake that is causing the problem. You sure it is not a DOF issue with low light focusing ??



I'm glad you're trying to help, but I'm quite new at the prosumer camera thing. Are you talking about f stops? Any way to tell me how to do that?

Thanks so much

[Solo175]

Try reducing your ISO speed to 50 or 100 max to reduce the noise. Shoot in automatic to get those "moments". Play around in manual on some down times until you get more comfortable with what stuff does. If you can mount your camera on a tripod that will cut down on the shake and blur. You can use your tripod handle to pan around and your remote to click the shot.

[Ballen Photo]

Thanks,

The camera shake icon comes on even when I use the tripod.


Hello mint20_00, Welcome to the board.
The camera shake icon will come on because a slower shutter speed was chosen by the camera than is normally hand holdable to get proper exposure. The icon will still be on even though the camera is on the tripod since there is no interface between camera and tripod.
If you're shooting indoors using existing light(no flash), you should actually move your ISO to a higher setting, ie; 400 as opposed to 50 or 100. The downside to this approach is you'll get grainier photos, but they can be cleaned up with a program like "Neat Image".
Also, if you know ahead of time you're going to shoot indoors, open some curtains to get more light into the room.
Is it possible for you to post one of these photos along with the settings used? This would help us to understand your problem better.
-Bruce

[mint20_00]

Bruce,

Thanks for your time. I will try some hopefully tomorrow if school is closed due to a snow day. I really appreciate you trying to help, it's really hard to find help!!!! How do I know what the settings are? Do I have to search through the setting and write them down, or can I get a screen or something that will have them all for me? I have elements 3, so maybe I can get all the info if i put it into the program?

Thanks

Shannon

[pushtoexit]

Hi Shannon

Sorry if my previous answer was not helpful. I don't think your consistant fuzziness problem is primarily from camera shake given the kitchen example you refer to. I believe it is Depth of Field (DOF). When you totally zoom-in (ie your focal distance is 28.8mm) and your aperature (f-stop is open - because you have your flash off so say it is around f3.2) Your total DOF is only 0.36ft. Say you are trying to focus on a subject 5 feet away only things between 4.82 to 5.19 feet will be in sharp focus. If however you zoom-out all the way (focal distance 7.2mm, with your subject still 5 feet away and aperature still at f3.2) now everything between 3.14 and 12.2 feet will be in relatively sharp focus. This link may help.

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

[berto]

shannon.. this is not an insult at all but this is a great advice for you and everyone else who didn't know.
read the manual that came with the camera. it has the answer to your questions. if you are still confused. you can come back and ask here. the answers you will seem more familiar with because you will have had some prior knowledge by reading the manual.


okay, so if you already have read the manual and are still confused.
set the camera to at LEAST iso200 or less. then choose the TV mode(choose 1/80 1/100 or 1/125 of a second). that should be more than enough speed to catch your son moving around.
good luck and show us your results.

[mint20_00]

Hi Shannon

Sorry if my previous answer was not helpful. I don't think your consistant fuzziness problem is primarily from camera shake given the kitchen example you refer to. I believe it is Depth of Field (DOF). When you totally zoom-in (ie your focal distance is 28.8mm) and your aperature (f-stop is open - because you have your flash off so say it is around f3.2) Your total DOF is only 0.36ft. Say you are trying to focus on a subject 5 feet away only things between 4.82 to 5.19 feet will be in sharp focus. If however you zoom-out all the way (focal distance 7.2mm, with your subject still 5 feet away and aperature still at f3.2) now everything between 3.14 and 12.2 feet will be in relatively sharp focus. This link may help.

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
So what you're saying is I can't be zoomed in all the way and still be 4 feet away. I have to have no zoom and be closer?

[pushtoexit]

Yes, I am suggesting you don't zoom, and move closer if you are trying to shoot indoors without flash.

[mint20_00]

I have read the manual, but it's kind of the chicken and the egg kinda thing. It's hard to know exactly how to use it even if you're read the manual if you don't know what it means. I am trying to learn and read books though, but I consider that a pretty hard way to learn.

[Andy_T]

Shannon,

would it be possible for you to post one of the pictures you are referring to? With the EXIF information?

That would help us a lot in suggesting what you might do different.

Also ... try something else. I understand that you don't really appreciate using flash, as it makes the photo look harsh, but you could soften the flash a bit by holding a tissue (a single layer of it) in front of the flash. Maybe that will improve the pictures with flash.

Another option (but more costly) is to get a flash that can be tilted (e.g. 380EX, 420EX or 550EX) so that you can aim it at the ceiling ... the light thet gets bounced off looks a lot softer and nicer.

Best regards,
Andy

[mint20_00]

Thanks for the help. I'll try to get a pic or two up by the weekend, since that's usually the only time I can get afternoon/daytime light for the pics. :0)

[megaweb]

1. Setup your indoor room bright up with some table lamps
2. Use Wide Angle - no zoom and move your G6 closer to the object
3. Use ISO 100 or smaller
4. Use largest aperture in Aperture Priority mode

[kraterz]

If you want to take shake free pictures of toddlers or babies, then you'd better be shooting at 1/90s or faster. If it means using the flash then there's no choice.

[mint20_00]

Ok, i'm getting a little better here... Yes, the ND filter is off. I can now set the f-stops and the shutter, but not at the same time, unless i'm in Manual. I can set the shutter speed in Tv mode, and the f-stops in Av mode, and both of them in Manual mode. The largest aperture I can get is f2.0. The fastest shutter speed I can get with no zoom is 1/1250, which should be more than fast enough if I have enough light, correct? I am slightly confused about the major differences in opinions that are given. (I appreciate them all) Some say to use quicker speeds, other slower speeds. I am trying to stay away from flash when I am taking these portraits. I do take many other pictures with flash, so I will have many pics. I am just trying to learn to take natural light pictures. I hope to post some pics this weekend. More help is welcomed. Also, I would like to get a very close close-up of my son (as in his whole face filling the LCD)
, but I don't think Macro works well for moving subjects. Any ideas?

[Autumn]

Thanks,

I was using a tripod!!!!! That's what is so darn frustrating. I know there was more than enough light in that kitchen, that's why I picked it. The camera shake icon comes on even when I use the tripod.

I'll try the Tv mode. Still, any more help is welcome.

Try using your remote as this will eliminate any accidental movement of the camera. Also, if you use the flash at about -2 this may help.

[lefturn99]

There are a lot of posts, so if I missed this, sorry. When shooting in low light on a tripod, I always use the 2 second delay. Release the shutter and get your hand completely away from the camera. I'm not sure it is that big a deal but I'm sure that my pressing the release didn't move anything.

[megaweb]

What are you taking ? Human ,room or still life ? If human, I would suggest you not to use tripod. You can handheld your camera with shutter speed of 1/60sec. Follow my previous post tips :

1. Setup your indoor room bright up with some table lamps
2. Use Wide Angle - no zoom and move your G6 closer to the object
3. Use ISO 100 or lower.
4. Use largest aperture (f2) in Aperture Priority (Av) mode

when you press half shutter to meter the human exposure, check the speed is 1/60sec or faster. You should able to get decent shots for above setup. You have to learn how to shoot with no zoom and keep your setup near to the human for closeup portrait shots.

[mint20_00]

So here they are....

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/userprofile.asp?user_id=123689
Scroll all the way down. I lightened it up a little with ps elements 3.0.

I know there's not enough natural light... but I can't really get much more. I've heard many people say that natural light is so much better... Is it that much better than using lights? Because I think I might have to start using them. I don't have the $ right now to spend on nice lights or a flash, but I can use regular lights. How do I get a nice, wrinkle free background? Do I have to get more fabric so I can pull the subject away from the backdrop more? Also, how can I get rid of the shadow on the left? Position him a different way? Put a reflector there or a light source there?

Thanks, any help is appreciated.

Shannon



http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/userprofile.asp?user_id=123689

[Andy_T]

Shannon,

the problem with the picture you posted looks more like an exposition problem to me.

If you photograph anything with a white background, the camera will assume that the background should be gray (as in a 'balanced' photography) and adjust the exposition accordingly. Same with winter pics outside in the snow.

If you set exposure compensation to +1 step (or experiment with manual exposition based on the values the camera calculated in 'automatic' mode), you might get better results.

Best regards,
Andy

[xdjoynerx]

bounce the flash off the ceiling with a folded up white piece of paper, or buy a slr and use a higher iso.

[Ballen Photo]

So here they are....

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/userprofile.asp?user_id=123689
Scroll all the way down. I lightened it up a little with ps elements 3.0.

I know there's not enough natural light... but I can't really get much more. I've heard many people say that natural light is so much better... Is it that much better than using lights? Because I think I might have to start using them. I don't have the $ right now to spend on nice lights or a flash, but I can use regular lights. How do I get a nice, wrinkle free background? Do I have to get more fabric so I can pull the subject away from the backdrop more? Also, how can I get rid of the shadow on the left? Position him a different way? Put a reflector there or a light source there?

Thanks, any help is appreciated.

Shannon


Hi Shannon, The FIRST thing I noticed was the available light appears to be coming in from a rear angle, which is creating a backlit sittuation that is fooling your cameras meter into thinking there is more light on your subject than there really is. You mentioned using a reflector, and in your case for this particular shot, that would be an excellent idea if you want to maintain the same angle.
If your going to be shooting these types of shots on a regular basis, you might want to consider getting a light meter.
Oh, by the way, those are some cute shots. ;)
-Bruce

[mint20_00]

Hi Shannon, The FIRST thing I noticed was the available light appears to be coming in from a rear angle, which is creating a backlit sittuation that is fooling your cameras meter into thinking there is more light on your subject than there really is. You mentioned using a reflector, and in your case for this particular shot, that would be an excellent idea if you want to maintain the same angle.
If your going to be shooting these types of shots on a regular basis, you might want to consider getting a light meter.
Oh, by the way, those are some cute shots. ;)
-Bruce

Bruce,

Thanks for the encouragement!! Ummm.. how much does a light meter retail for? Are they easy to use???

Thanks,
Shannon ;-)

[rgravel]

Shannon...about using the flash.

Here is what I do sometimes when I find using the flash creates light that is too harsh :

I use the shiny side of a CD to bounce the light to the ceiling . Just make sure you lock the focus first (half press) in case the CD would get in the way.

It worked great on a few occations. Here is a pic of my sofisticated ( :/ ) setup with my G5:)

Good luck .

[Ballen Photo]

Bruce,

Thanks for the encouragement!! Ummm.. how much does a light meter retail for? Are they easy to use???

Thanks,
Shannon ;)

Hi Shannon, I dont want to send you down the road of "Spend Lots of Money" just yet. Try experimenting with a cheap reflector like white foamocore insulation that can be had quite cheap at hardware/lumber stores, or something similar that you may already have around the house. A four foot square piece of white flat and rigid material should reflect enough light to act like a fill light.
The light meters I've seen start at around $170 and go up from there. They are pretty easy to use once you know the basics. You set the desired ISO, take a reading, then in manual mode on your camera, set your aperture and shutter speed to the reading you just took, while ensuring the camera ISO is set the same as the ISO you input into the meter, then take the shot.
I recommend looking at them in your favorite camera store, as once you have it in your hand and the (hopefully) knowledgeable counter person helps to explain it's functions, you'll have a much better understanding of how they work. ;)
-Bruce

[slayer]

I've also tried using a pringles lid cover over the built-in flash for short distance fill-flash... works great to diffuse the flash. ala Stofen ;)

Shannon...about using the flash.

Here is what I do sometimes when I find using the flash creates light that is too harsh :

I use the shiny side of a CD to bounce the light to the ceiling . Just make sure you lock the focus first (half press) in case the CD would get in the way.

It worked great on a few occations. Here is a pic of my sofisticated ( :/ ) setup with my G5:)

Good luck .

[mint20_00]

Wow guys, Thanks!!!! Tons of good stuff here. I will be at it again this weekend. I can't wait until the summer when I can use my garage as a "studio." Hmmm.. I will wait a little longer Bruce, I would like to try the cheaper methods first. I'm always looking for any kind of advice you have lying around. Thanks again :-) I'll post more pics this weekend.

Shannon

[pushtoexit]

I recently picked up a silver reflective Car sunshade from the dollar store I use it to fill shadows, I also saw a post on this form about GE "Reveal" Light bulbs casting a pretty good light. I really like what you are doing with your pictures. Good luck.

[mint20_00]

I recently picked up a silver reflective Car sunshade from the dollar store I use it to fill shadows, I also saw a post on this form about GE "Reveal" Light bulbs casting a pretty good light. I really like what you are doing with your pictures. Good luck.


(Beaming with pride) I'm really trying to figure this out.. it takes a lot of time and patience (and ecouragement, thank you). Thanks again