Shaky photos

[FlapperQuack]

When i take photos on my digital camera, i get blurred (different to out of focus) of smeared photos under any kind of remotely low light. The Camera is a Konica Minolta Dimage Z5. I managed to acheieve good photos under the same light levels with an inferior camera previously (Canon Powershot A5).

Even with the anti-shake on (which i've read is supposedly the one of the best in its class) and the optical zoom at 1x this still happens. I have tried turning the shutter speed up (to about 1/8 i think)to allow for less motion blur but this doesnt help. Does anybody have any suggestions? I may obviously have screwed something up accidentally!

[fo3nix]

try increasing the ISO.

though, higher ISO is better for low-light and no flash, but makes images grainier.

what is "low light" to you? inside a restaurant somewhere with lights on, places like that? if the shutter is fast, and as long as you hold it fairly steadily (if it has a viewfinder, use that and not the screen to compose your image), then your images should come out fine.

[Buenchico]

There's a rough rule of thumb which photographers use with conventional (non-digital) 35mm SLR cameras. This states that the slowest shutter speed to avoid visible camera shake is the reciprocal of the focal lenghth of the lens. e.g. if the camera has a 50mm lens, the shutter speed shoud be 1/50 second or faster. (This guide figure assumes that the photographer is standing still, with his elbows tucked into his sides and holding his breath as he gently squeezes the shutter).

The Z5 has a lens equivalent to 35-420 mm on a 35mm camera. Using the guideline (and erring on the side of caution), I'd suggest a minimum shutter speed of 1/50 second with the lens at the wide-angle end of its range. When the lens is fully zoomed, a guideline minimum shutter speed would be 1/500 second.

To obtain high shutter speeds in low light, you'll either have to use flash or, as fo3nix suggests, raise the ISO. The Z5 offers ISO settings of 50, 100, 200 or 320. For guideline purposes, I'd suggest 50 should only be used for tripod-mounted work. ISO 100 is OK for 'snapshot' work on a sunny day. ISO 200 is probably the setting I'd choose for my default setting (simply because of the number of cloudy days we get in this country). ISO 320 is the best setting you've got available for low-light work but it should be noted that this isn't particularly fast when compared to the film stock used by professional photographers for, say, photographing rock concerts. (For these sort of events, professionals use films such as Kodak's T-Max with an ISO of 3200. Even then, they sometimes find that they need to 'uprate' the film, to ISO 6400, in the lab).

The alternative way to avoid visible camera shake is, unsurprisingly, not to shake the camera. Buy a tripod, monopod or (possibly most convenient and useful) a beanbag.

Chris

[wideboy]

Don't suppose it is one of those cameras which need you to press the shutter button halfway for a while to get the focus (may take longer under low light), before pressing further to take the shot?

[FlapperQuack]

Wow, thanks Buenchico. I need to spend some time trying out what you've told me.

Would i be right in assuming that a combination of a high shutter speed (like your suggested 1/50 or higher) with ISO 200 or 320 should allow me to pull off most basic "low light" shots?

I bought myself a cheap tripod a little while ago, which is great if what i'm taking photos of doesnt move, and i have something to rest it on. I've managed to get (fairly) successful shots of a night city/moon with the use of a tripod and long shutter times, although i read a suggestion to use the self timer to avoid my hand upsetting it when pressing the button in such a situation.

My idea of low light is indoors, in a normal room, with normal lights. I think the camera has a different idea of "low light" to me! Again, thanks for your advice!