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Godfuck
I have been trying to shoot a picture with my Canon G7 that doesn't look all molten (due to hand movement), looks grainy (due to high ISO), looks blurry (due to autofocus) or looks too bright/dark (due to my noobness).

Uploaded pic is an experiment.

Getting a (relatively) grainless picture means I have to crank the ISO all the way down to 80. Getting a normally-lite picture means adjusting environment lights and turning the flash off. The result of those 2 configurations means I'm doomed to a shaky picture. I kept experimenting on this plate of delicious cookies until I reached 2 possible solutions:

1) I either turn the ISO up to 400, and hope I don't move my hand for part-of-a-second, which results in a picture with normal room light.

2) Or I could adjust the focus manually with normal lighting, but before I take the picture, I have somebody turn off the room lights (entirely) and I turn the flash option on, and I end up with a picture like the one I uploaded. Adjusting the focus with lights on guarantees that I get a well-focused picture with the lights off. (lights off => blurry picture)

Anybody wants to share their techniques for good quality pictures with normal light?

Discuss.
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon PowerShot G7Maximum Lens Aperturef/4.0Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaLens Size7.40 - 44.40 mmFirmware VersionFirmware Version 1.00Image-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution180 dpiVertical Resolution180 dpiImage Created2007:11:07 19:13:00Exposure Time1/60 secF-Numberf/4.0Lens Aperturef/4.0Exposure Bias0 EVFlashFlash, Auto, Red-Eye ReduceFocal Length29.17 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width912Image Height684RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoScene Capture TypeStandardExposure ModeProgramFocus TypeAutoMetering ModeEvaluativeSharpnessNormalSaturationNormalContrastNormalShooting ModeManualImage SizeLargeFocus ModeSingleDrive ModeSingleFlash ModeRed-Eye Reduction (Auto)Compression SettingFineMacro ModeNormalSubject Distance0.750 mWhite BalanceAutoExposure Compensation3Sensor ISO Speed149Image Number100-0054
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
Get a tripod.
>> Godfuck
>>89375
Tripods are for cheaters. I want techniques like real men :>

No seriously, I have a tripod but it's a pain in the ass to mount it every time I want to take a good-quality picture of something. Besides, techniques are more fun.
>> Anonymous
>>89373
awwwwwwwww cookies
>> Anonymous
>>89378
Get in the van. I'll give you some.
>> Anonymous
>>89373
More options:

a) Tripod, monopod, or mini-tripod put on the cupboard. You can also hold the camera against a wall so it shakes less, but that's only if you're desperate.

b) I'm fairly sure that G-series Canons can use external flashes. Point the head of the flash upwards so the shadows are more natural (and/or use a diffuser), focus with lights on as you described or use an AF-assist lamp if it's built into the flash unit.

c) Get a DSLR that can shoot non-shitty pictures at ISO 400 and up.
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>89377
Okay:
1. Better lighting. More light means you need the shutter open for a shorter amount of time, so less chance of motion blur from the natural movement of your hands. Get some extra lamps, read strobist.com, replace your room lights with halogens, etc.

2. Wide aperture. You were shooting f/4.0 in this shot, but the G7 will shoot at f/2.8. f/2.8 lets in twice the light of f/4.0, which means your shutter speed can correspondingly double.

3. Work on your camera-holding technique. Lean against something. Exhale right before taking the shot so you're not mid-breath or tensed from holding your breath. I found that my Boy Scout riflery-badge training has been invaluable in my current life as an amateur photographer.
>> eku !8cibvLQ11s
>>89373

Blurry due to autofocus? What does that mean? How autofocusing blurs pictures?
>> Anonymous
>>89388
Probably meant that autofocus just missed his subject... not necessarily making the entire image blurry.
>> eku !8cibvLQ11s
>>89398

Then it's due to missed focus, which is purely a user error.
At least I don't photograph blindly.
>> Godfuck
>>89382
I didn't buy an external flash. I'm using the built-in excuse of a flash :/ I'm an amateur with a professional camera I guess lol

>>89384
I too have noticed that long-range shooting tips apply pretty well on photography (keeping a steady hand)

About apertures, does zooming affect the aperture I can choose?

>>89405
>>89388
When shooting in a dark area, if there's not enough light and autofocus is on, the picture turns out blurry.. I don't know what it's called in English. It's the (undesirable) effect of something being out of focus (because the camera didn't get enough light from the object to begin with)
That's why I manually focus on the object, then turn the lights off, so it's still in-focus the minute I take the picture :)
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>89410
Yep. The aperture is the ratio of the opening in the lens to the focal length, so since the glass on the front doesn't grow as you zoom out, the aperture shrinks.

The reason it's done this way is that f/2.8 will always allow the same amount of light in regardless of if the diameter of the opening is 50mm/2.8 (i.e., a 17.85mm opening) or 100mm/2.8 (i.e., a 35.71mm opening)

The wide-angle end of your zoom range will therefore have a wider maximum aperture than the telephoto end. For lenses that aren't permanently attached to the camera, it's generally referred to using its range of max apertures. E.g., my SLR's kit lens is an 18-55m f/3.5-5.6 because its max aperture is f/3.5 at the wide end and f/5.6 at the telephoto end.
>> Anonymous
>>89410
i dont get what youre saying when you say that the picture is blurry because autofocus is on. do you mean the autofocus isnt focusing right because theres not enough light for it to see, or are you saying the picture is blurry because autofocus is on? im confused because you said you manual focus with the lights on then turn them off, but that shouldnt be different from autofocusing with the lights on then turning it off...
>> Godfuck
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>>89430

Okay. Enough talking. I uploaded a picture of an object which I shot with manual focus. Notice how it's well-detailed and motherfuckin' good looking.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon PowerShot G7Maximum Lens Aperturef/3.5Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaLens Size7.40 - 44.40 mmFirmware VersionFirmware Version 1.00Image-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution180 dpiVertical Resolution180 dpiImage Created2007:11:08 00:59:51Exposure Time1/60 secF-Numberf/3.5Lens Aperturef/3.5Exposure Bias0 EVFlashFlash, Auto, Red-Eye ReduceFocal Length18.89 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width730Image Height547RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoScene Capture TypePortraitFocus TypeManualMetering ModeEvaluativeISO Speed RatingAutoSharpnessNormalSaturationNormalContrastNormalShooting ModePortraitImage SizeLargeFocus ModeManualDrive ModeTimedFlash ModeRed-Eye Reduction (Auto)Compression SettingSuperfineSelf-Timer Length2 secMacro ModeNormalSubject Distance0.420 mWhite BalanceAutoExposure Compensation3Sensor ISO Speed160Image Number100-0055
>> Godfuck
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>>89430

Now look at this guy. It's the same object, at the same distance (slightly to the right tho) except this time, I turned off the manual focus, thus activating the auto focus function in the camera. This is what I call "blurry". What do you call it?

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon PowerShot G7Maximum Lens Aperturef/3.5Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaLens Size7.40 - 44.40 mmFirmware VersionFirmware Version 1.00Image-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution180 dpiVertical Resolution180 dpiImage Created2007:11:08 01:00:09Exposure Time1/60 secF-Numberf/3.5Lens Aperturef/3.5Exposure Bias0 EVFlashFlash, Auto, Red-Eye ReduceFocal Length18.89 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width730Image Height547RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoScene Capture TypePortraitFocus TypeAutoMetering ModeEvaluativeISO Speed RatingAutoSharpnessNormalSaturationNormalContrastNormalShooting ModePortraitImage SizeLargeFocus ModeSingleDrive ModeTimedFlash ModeRed-Eye Reduction (Auto)Compression SettingSuperfineSelf-Timer Length2 secMacro ModeNormalSubject Distance2.500 mWhite BalanceAutoExposure Compensation3Sensor ISO Speed160Image Number100-0056
>> Godfuck
>>89430
>>you said you manual focus with the lights on then turn them off, but that shouldnt be different from autofocusing with the lights on then turning it off...

Apparently it is different on my camera. On Canon G7, a slight press on the shutter button will apply auto focus if it's possible (meaning if you didn't use manual focus already) so if i turn the lights off and take a picture, first it'll auto focus, then take it, resulting in a blurry picture. (see>>89435)
>> Anonymous
>>89435
lol talk about missing focus. but anyway, instead of turning off the lights, why dont you keep the lights on without flash? or with a powered down flash?
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>89437
For that matter, why doesn't he keep the lights on *with* flash?
>> Anonymous
TRIPOD

better light. put it in a window and get some directional light.
>> Godfuck
>>89437
If I turn the flash off, the camera automatically knows there's not enough light coming in through the lens, and the picture turns out shaky (motion blur)

>>89438
With flash and lights on, the object turns out to be too bright/white, with no visible details whatsoever. (while the background is too dark because of the flash)
>> Anonymous
>>89448

^ This
>> Godfuck
>>89600
Yes.