Digital cameras: Shooting Indoors (Need Advice)
Shooting Indoors (Need Advice)
by Bermudamatt - 3/6/08 10:22 AMHey everyone. Lately I've been trying to take night indoor pictures without a flash and the people always seem to turn out with alittle blur. I'm using The Olympus EVOLT E-510 digital SLR with 2 image stabilizers but it doesn't seem to help at all. How can I take have clear crisp indoor night photos without a flash???
FYI, I'm taking pictures of my people.
Shooting Indoors without flash with DSLR camera
by snapshot2
- 3/6/08 1:22 PM
In reply to: Shooting Indoors (Need Advice) by Bermudamatt
Your camera is capable of producing good photographs under that condition.
But not in Auto mode.
Time to find out about:
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Program Mode
Something we would like to know:
EXIF information
Something that is embedded in every digital photo
If you do not know how to find the EXIF information, do the following:
Select one of the blurred picture files on your computer.
RIGHT click on the picture file.
Click Properties
Click the Summary tab
If you see no data .... click the Advanced button
Write down the following:
Shutter Speed
Lens Aperture
ISO speed
Let us know what you find.
Also what lens (model) are you using?
Were you using any optical zoom when the photo was taken?
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Blurred Photo Info
by Bermudamatt - 3/6/08 4:01 PM In reply to: Shooting Indoors without flash with DSLR camera by snapshot2
I'll take 2 blurred photos I took and tell you the information about them.
Photo 1
Focal Length 17mm
Exposure Time 1/10 sec.
Iso speed 400
Didn't see lens aperture information.
Photo 2
Focal Length 24mm
Exposure Time 1/50 sec.
ISO Speed 200
The lens is the standard 14-42mm lens and no, I wasn't using any optical zoom. I hope thats enough, let me know if it isn't.
Here's what's wrong.
by kalel33 - 3/6/08 5:05 PM In reply to: Blurred Photo Info by BermudamattThe image stabilization is a way to help eliminate the shake in your hands, but it doesn't help it with the subject's movement. The slower shutter speeds means that if they move a little then they will turn out blurred. You need an f2.8 or larger aperture to shoot in low light with objects that are not stationary. You could also kick up the ISO more to like 1600. That lens just is not fast enough for what your asking of it.
Photo Information
by snapshot2 - 3/6/08 7:23 PM
In reply to: Blurred Photo Info by Bermudamatt
Your lens is rated at f/3.5 - f/5.6
And the focal lengths you stated (17mm and 24mm) are indicating there is some optical zoom being used.
So your aperture at the time was approximately f/3.5 for the first shot and f/4.0 for the second shot.
Maximum available at the time.
Photo 1
Not enough available light.
Exposure of 1/10 second is too slow for the camera to be hand-held.
You could easily get camera motion blur.
You should be using a tripod for that shot.
And every one in the scene must be frozen-still to keep from getting motion blur.
If you changed the ISO speed to 1600, that will gain you only two stops.
Which means that you could increase your shutter speed to 1/40 of a second.
With image stabilization, that would help cut out any camera motion blur.
But everyone in the shot would have to stay still to prevent motion blur.
You really need a brighter lens for that shot:
Such as the:
Olympus 50mm f/2.0 ($425)
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 ($430)
Sigma 24mm f/1.8 ($340
Those are prime lenses (meaning they do not zoom)
A bright zoom lens like the Olympus 14mm-35mm f/2.0 will cost about $2,300.
Photo 2
The data shows that you have more available light here.
You could raise your ISO setting to 800 and take photos at 1/200th of a second.
Good enough to hand hold the camera and allow for some people motion.
By going to ISO 1600, you could use a shutter speed of about 1/400th of a second.
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Here is a write-up on exposure:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7593_102-0.html?forumID=58&threadID=241840&messageID=2469240#2469240
It should help you understand the interaction between shutter speed, aperture and ISO.
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For indoor photos:
Select the Aperture Priority mode.
Set the aperture to the maximum brightest setting for the lens you are using (f/3.5)
Set the ISO to 1600
Frame your shot and press the shutter button half way down.
The camera will show you the shutter speed it plans to use for that shot.
For any type of action, you need a shutter speed of at least 1/200th of a second.
For no action, a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second is satisfactory.
If you can not achieve these speeds, you need more light or a brighter lens.
Bring in a flood-light if necessary.
Try to keep the ISO setting as low as possible.
The higher the ISO setting, the more noise (grain) you get from the CCD sensor.
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Thanks!
by Bermudamatt - 3/7/08 12:07 PM In reply to: Photo Information by snapshot2
Thanks for all the help and tips! I'm still getting used to using such a powerful camera. I didn't know my camera has optical zoom, how do i use it? Do you know the E-510 has it? didn't see anything in the book about optical zoom, I just know I can use the lens to zoom with. Right now I can't get the aperture below 5.0 Do you know how I could get it to a lower number like 3.5?
Olympus E-510
by snapshot2 - 3/7/08 2:27 PM
In reply to: Thanks! by Bermudamatt
Point and shoot cameras use optical zoom by pressing a button on the camera.
DSLR cameras zoom is manual.
Why it was not in the book is because the book is about the camera.
The zoom is part of the lens you are using.
You rotate a ring on the lens to zoom the lens
It will likely have markings (on your lens) from 17 - 24mm.
Rotate the ring that is near those markings and watch through the viewfinder.
You will see it zoom.
If you are only getting f/5.0 it indicates that the lens is presently almost fully zoomed.
The lens loses light when zoomed.
In good light, it will read f/3.5 when using no zoom and f/5.6 when fully zoomed.
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Dang! You guys KNOW some stuff about camera's
by redbird985 - 3/7/08 8:52 PM In reply to: Olympus E-510 by snapshot2
I have a question also please. I am using my daughters old camera. A Canon Powershot SD200. takes beautiful outdoor photo's but indoors all the photo's seem to come out 'grainy' and red eye, even though I think I have the red eye fix on. These are the latest "things" I see on the screen:
A 'girls head' in a square, in the upper left corner.
Upper right corner: A square with what looks like an eyeball in it AND next to that a "blank" square, then next to that an 'eyeball' and next to that a shape that looks like a camera with a hole in it and a little 'cap' shape on top of the camera.
Bottom Left: a slice of pie shape with an "L" in it and below that an "L".
Bottom Right: the number 105.
Now, I've tried reading through the manual, but I think that's what screwed me up to begin with. I don't know WHAT I pressed before, and I know I'll only make it worse. I'm techno ignorant about camera's.
I just want to be able to take photo's of people, inside, without redeyes and the horrible grainy look.
Can you guys tell me what to do please.
Thank You!
Donna
No offense
by jump1127 - 3/8/08 1:39 AM In reply to: Dang! You guys KNOW some stuff about camera's by redbird985your red-eye pictures can be fixed using Photoshop. Nevertheless, any point&shoot camera , even the best current model, doesn't do well when the light is dim. Grainy look ( lots of noise ) with red eyes and blur pictures are the combination of results. Flash can be quite helpful, but not for a distance over 5 meters ( roughly about 15 feet or so ) away for the built-in flash.
DSLR camera becomes an alternative to solve the problem. However, you need to read and understand more hidden functions inside the camera, as well as how to select the tripod, flash, and lenses.
Canon SD200
by snapshot2 - 3/8/08 7:09 AM
In reply to: Dang! You guys KNOW some stuff about camera's by redbird985
As for the items shown on the LCD screen.
Since there are so many icons on the screen,
I believe it will be better to tell you where to find out about the various icons on the LCD, than to try to explain each one.
Here is where you find out what all of those things mean.
Get out the Camera User Guide and turn to pages 42 and 43.
You will see a visual example of a LCD screen with the various icons displayed.
The data boxes that point to the various icons contain a brief explanation and a page number, where you can find more information.
If you do not have a copy of the Camera User Guide, you can download a free .pdf copy from Canon.
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&tabact=DownloadDetailTabAct&fcategoryid=323&modelid=10595
As for the red-eye and grainy pictures when shooting inside.
It is as Jump1127 wrote:
Those are the Achilles heel of the small point and shoot digital cameras.
The person that started this thread, has an Olympus E-510 DSLR camera.
It is an expensive camera that has lots of controls available.
You can even get special lenses that work well in low light.
While it is complicated, it can take good shots indoors without grain.
It also has a very bright flash that can completely light up a medium size room.
The small point and shoot camera does not have those abilities.
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Emazing
by Bermudamatt - 3/8/08 2:09 PM In reply to: Canon SD200 by snapshot2
Before I got my E-510 I was using a Canon powershot but I don't remember which one it was 
I had the same problem with photos having red eye even with red eye mode on. I hated having to use AA batteries and other problems that come with using a small camera.
In my personal opinion its all about that you want and how bad you want it.
If you want really good photos, no red eye, quick shutter, you have money, and you don't mind caring a large camera then I would definitely recommend the E-510. But I will warn you, it takes a lot of getting used to, many people will get frustrated because of all the control you have. So if you get the E-510 you'll have to take time to learn it. I've had it for 3 months and I'm still learning a lot! But I love the camera. I love having all the control and being able to REALLY fix pictures even before they get to the computer. It is truly a fantastic camera.
But a compact camera is nice too. I wish I was able to stick my camera in my pocket and take pictures without people looking worried.
But like I said, its all about what you want.
Not what you want to hear....
by forkboy - 3/8/08 2:16 PM In reply to: Shooting Indoors (Need Advice) by BermudamattWhile I understand you don't want to use a flash, I'm uncertain as to why that is. You would find yourself getting much better results by investing in a flash unit. What many don't know is that you do not need (or want!) to fire the flash directly at your subject(s). Instead, adjust the flash head to fire up towards the ceiling. This will create warmer pictures as opposed to the harsh white of direct flash photography. Or so I think.
very true
by kalel33 - 3/12/08 5:33 PM In reply to: Not what you want to hear.... by forkboyI use a flash all the time. I point it upwards or bounce it off a wall. A cheap diffuser works extremely well too.
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