Blurry Pictures.

[Disney Ontario]

Hi. we have had this digital camera for a couple of years now, and now some of the pictures turn out blurry. Am I using the wrong setting or are we getting too many pictures on the memory card?

[Anewman]

Let me guess, most of the "blurry" images are shot in lower light situations.

[maverick9six]

The number of pictures on the card does not affect the quality of photos. If you have an older digcam then you probably do not have image stabilization as a feature on your camera; in that case, you must use your flash to avoid shakey, blurry photos- or have a tri-pod- it's a bummer, and the flash can ruin the moment, but in order to avoid blurry pics, you've got to.
bad thing about flash, is the range in which the flash can reach- if you are shooting in a low light situation and use your flash but your subject is far away, the pic will turn out very dark even with the flash- it might be salvaged with editing... maybe.
If you are always in this situation of fast moving subjects or low lighting then you might consider getting a newer camera that has Image Stabilization and a super zoom. It can't hurt to wait until prices drop on those cameras since those features are newer and therefore kinda pricey.

[Anewman]

The number of pictures on the card does not affect the quality of photos. If you have an older digcam then you probably do not have image stabilization as a feature on your camera; in that case, you must use your flash to avoid shakey, blurry photos- or have a tri-pod- it's a bummer, and the flash can ruin the moment, but in order to avoid blurry pics, you've got to.
bad thing about flash, is the range in which the flash can reach- if you are shooting in a low light situation and use your flash but your subject is far away, the pic will turn out very dark even with the flash- it might be salvaged with editing... maybe.
If you are always in this situation of fast moving subjects or low lighting then you might consider getting a newer camera that has Image Stabilization and a super zoom. It can't hurt to wait until prices drop on those cameras since those features are newer and therefore kinda pricey.


Image stabilzation only helps with CAMERA movement not subject movement.
IS will not freeze action, only a faster shutter speed would do that.

Super zoom actually hurts when it comes to Blurr caused by camera shake and lower lighting. It is hard enough to hand hold a super zoom in well lit conditions, but you reccomend it for lower light????
With lower lighting the shutter speed required be too slow to hand hold a SUPER ZOOM at full tele, even with IS.

[Kelly Grannell]

S2 IS max zoom is approximately 400mm, that means you'll need at least 1/400 sec shutter speed IF you have a steady hand. Say you have OK hands + factor in the lightness of S2 IS (which creates more instability) + Image Stabilizer working, the slowest speed you'll need is 1/200.

In a low light, at an aperture approx f/4.5, at maximum ISO of 400, this is VERY difficult to achieve.

Besides, the S2 IS is already discontinued (they are just finishing up their stock), the price won't go too far lower than it is right now (about US$300), Still around CDN$500-ish in Toronto.

[Kelly Grannell]

you must use your flash to avoid shakey, blurry photos- or have a tri-pod- it's a bummer, and the flash can ruin the moment, but in order to avoid blurry pics, you've got to.

Flash sync in most P&S cameras don't go faster than 1/90 sec, still too slow for fast action shots. Besides, due to P&S slower AF and shutter lag makes action shots, especially indoors, almost impossible to be achieved.