What am I doing wrong?

[Lysendriel]

Ok, so this is my first time posting here, but I'm really lost and confused and I'm hoping you guys will be able to help. I got a Rebel XS for Christmas last year, and have been self-teaching myself how to use it ever since (mostly because I don't know any photographers in real life).

A few weeks ago I visited the Virginia Safari Park, where you can drive through the park and feed the animals and take pictures, etc. I was using my XS with a Tamron 75-300mm lens and I thought I was getting a lot of good pictures. However, when I got home, I realized almost all of my pictures were blurry, and had so much noise they were unusable. I was shooting in P mode, because it allows me to shoot RAW, while still being semi-automatic, which I needed because most of the animals were moving, and I'm not skilled enough yet to make quick changes in the other modes. I realized that my camera was on auto ISO and chose to take all of the photos at 800 ISO. I have no idea why, as I was shooting in bright sunlight.

Well, after this I did a lot more reading, and it seems that most people hate to use auto ISO. So, when I visited are local zoo yesterday, I thought I would try manually setting the ISO, as well as trying some of the other modes to see if I could get any better results.

The trip was a disaster. Again, I was using my 75-300mm, and I did not get a clear shot all day. It was overcast out, but it wasn't all that dark. Even so, my camera could not get a clear shot. First I tried lowering the ISO, but anything under 800 turned out way underexposed. So, I switched modes, and tried fiddling with the different options. My camera seemed to have two options- high ISO with a decent shutter speed (which would leave my pictures blurry and noisy) or anything under 800 had an incredibly slow shutter speed, which left everything a blurry mess. I couldn't use flash, as all of the animals were too far away to benefit from it.

So, I'm really stumped as to what I was supposed to do. I couldn't seem to find a way to get sharp, properly exposed photos. Am I missing something? Which mode should I be shooting in? I'm going to try to post some photos from my zoo shoot so you can see what the pictures were like. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm really trying hard to figure out this camera.

[tfizzle]

av mode w/the lowest possible aperture for all focal lengths (that lens I think is 5.6).

That will keep you from changing aperture at all zoom levels. Up the ISO to get at least 1/200th if possible (if the aren't moving then probably 1/100 will work) but at 300mm you'll have camera shake between up to about 1/200 (maybe even then depending).

Then if your shutter is still slow get it to be where you want with exposure compensation (read your manual). Also, if shooting in RAW you can use software to help out with exposure.

The ones you posted were shutter priority with the lowest possible aperture. The picture will still take but I bet the 5.6 in your viewfinder was blinking. That's why they are under exposed.

Read up on exposure compensation and learn how aperture and shutter speed work.

"Understanding Exposure" would be good book to read...also, googling works too

[rral22]

First thing I would suggest is put it in green box mode and shoot some pictures to see if things are working correctly. If the camera is working properly, reset all your camera settings to defaults and start working from there.

As an alternative, check the exposure compensation setting for the other modes. You are getting severe underexposure, and it is quite possible in your "experimenting" with different options that you set some underexposure compensation at some point.

As general advice, stop trying to control so many variables at once. Simplify. Get the camera set up to default settings, and then try changing one thing at a time until you understand how they all inter-relate.

[tfizzle]

the exif is on the photos as shutter priority with the aperture as wide as it will go...the picture will still take in creative modes...

The shutter was too fast for the amount of light (even with 800 iso). I'd say read . . . read . . . read and go out and shoot.

[Lysendriel]

I'm not sure with these exact photos, but I did put my exposure compensation up as high as it would go (2 stops, I believe), which did help a little.

Umm, so was my shutter speed too high? Or was it ultimately a combination of problems? I already deleted the majority of my pictures, or I would show you more examples. I guess when I was there, I felt like a was trying a whole lot of different options, and nothing seemed to come out right. I've read a lot about photography, its just when I actually go to take photos, sometimes I get overwhelmed or frustrated when I can't figure out why none of my photos turned out.

[tfizzle]

if it was bright enough out then 5.6 should have given you no problems. I shoot av most of the time as it gives me control over the DOF I want.

When I use hot shoe or off camera flash it's manual.

AV will let you control the aperture which lets in the amount of light and then see if the shutterspped is in the area you want it.

You have a combination of problems giong on. if you had 1/100 w/5.6 to get the right exposure the focal length might have introduced camera shake.

[DC Fan]

Umm, so was my shutter speed too high?

Maybe. In variable lighting, Program AE or full auto may work better. One of those more automated setups could give you a better idea of what shutter speed will work.

Examples from a trip through a collection of Belgian draft horses, some indoors and some outdoors. Used a XTi and a Tamron 18-200mm lens. Set the camera at ISO 800 to handle dim indoor lighting and on Program AE to handle changes between indoor and outdoor illumination. No flash.

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20090820b0095.jpg

Indoors at close range, Program AE chose a wide aperture and slow shutter speed.

Focal Length: 28.0mm
CCD Width: 5.16mm
Exposure Time: 0.025 s (1/40)
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO equiv: 800
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: program (Auto)

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20090820b0101.jpg

Outdoors in sunlight with a longer focal length, Program AE chose a smaller aperture and faster shutter speed.

Focal Length: 70.0mm
CCD Width: 5.16mm
Exposure Time: 0.0050 s (1/200)
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO equiv: 800
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: program (Auto)

The convenience of using automatic settings on a DSLR is that it lets you concentrate on the image, rather than on the camera. Shutter priority works well in cases where a fast shutter is needed to stop action or a low shutter for motion blur, or cases where heavy backlighting may fool the camera's metering. For many other cases, especially those with variable lighting or where you're trying to get candid shots on a moment's notice with no chance of preparation or control, automatic exposure has some major advantages. Not every situation gives you the luxury of time to take an incident meter reading for every shot. (Note that this writer always carries a Gossen Digisix meter for those cases where that sort of metering comes in handy.)

[Lysendriel]

I'm not exactly sure what Program AE is. Is that full auto (the green rectangle)?

My biggest problem with using full auto is that I can shoot raw with it. It will only shoot jpeg with anything other than P, Tv, Av, M, or A-Dep. While there is nothing really wrong with jpeg, I just prefer to use Raw as it gives me a whole lot more control over my images.

I think I was trying to use shutter priority because the other modes were choosing very slow shutter speeds, which were way to long to create clear photos. I think I needed to have slower shutter speed than what I had, though.

[tzalman]

Unless your 75-300 is the IS version your speed (1/200) was already too slow. For most people 1/500 on a Rebel with the lens at 300 mm. is the slowest they can handhold without shake. If you do have IS then you can shoot 1/100.

Point two: when you are in Tv the + Exposure Compensation tells the lens to open up more. But if 0 EC (normal exposure) has already set the aperture to the maximum, the + EC can't open it any more, so it does nothing.

There is no reason to not use ISO 1600. If the choice is between ISO 1600 and blurry or underexposed images, the noise is always better than the alternatives. And noise has a nice way of disappearing from a print or web sized image. Never judge noise at 100% zoom. 25% is more realistic. Also, there is great noise reduction software available.

Here is what using ISO 1600 would have given you:

[Tom Reichner]

Hello, Lysendriel!

Wow - your head must be spinning with all the advice and all the possible settings and adjustments on your camera.

Here's what I would do if I were at your level of experience:

Use only Aperture Priority mode

Have the lens set at the lowest aperture (5.6 for your lens, I think)

Set ISO at 400 and leave it there.

Set exposure compensation at just 1/3 stop underexposed.

Hold your camera as steady as possible when shooting! Hold it against a fence post, railing, or anything you can find.

There you have it! Sure, this means you will be compromising in many situations, but it's going to give you the overall best images. If its bright and sunny, with this sunlight directly shining on your subject, then feel free to adjust the ISO down to 200 or 100. But otherwise just keep it the same so you don't get confused or run the risk of adjusting something for a particular shot then forgetting to set it back.

[Lysendriel]

That seems like a really good rule of thumb. It's been kind of hard to self-teach myself photography, mostly because a lot of books seem to live in fairytale land where the lighting is perfect, the subjects are still, etc. which is never true in the real world.

[DC Fan]

I'm not exactly sure what Program AE is. Is that full auto (the green rectangle)?

Program AE (for Program Auto Exposure) is the control dial setting at "P" on most Canon EOS cameras. The camera chooses the exposure, but allows small changes in shutter speed and aperture while maintaining the overall exposure. Program AE has been offered on Canon cameras since the days of the FD-mount film A-1 camera in 1978.

[krb]

have been self-teaching myself how to use it ever since (mostly because I don't know any photographers in real life).
In addition to the great people on these forums you could look for camera clubs and/or cheap photography classes in your area.

How was the safari park? I had forgotten it was there but saw the sign as a drove by this evening. Decent assortment of animals? Are the animals healthy looking? Etc.

[Lysendriel]

The safari park is great. They let most of the animals free range through acres of grasslands/woods, so it is a great natural environment. You drive through the park, and you can buy grain to feed the animals. It allows the animals who want to be on display come and eat, and those who are shy can be out of sight in the woods. It's a pretty fun places for kids especially. They also have a little mini zoo, which has primates, tigers, etc.

[PhotosGuy]

Try this: Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)