Camera suggestions for...

[lovin'fl]

a person not so good with a camera. I have a Kodak EasyShare Z710. It is too slow. Photos come out fuzzy/blurry. When I zoom in they are blurry, moving targets (like my DDs playing softball) come out blurry (if I can even catch the shot), night shots come out bad. I don't know much about taking pics so I need an easy camera. I also want to only spend $500...give or take. I was interested in the SLR cameras (Nikon and Canon Rebel because other softball parents have those and they take great pics, but will I be able to use those...I wouldn't know what lense to use for what). My BIL used a Nikon coolpix at Disney this Xmas and his shots came out nicer (clearer and brighter) than mine.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I have reviewed your camera specs. Your camera is an older model and has some limitations such as a maximum ISO (sensor sensitivity) of 400 and no image stabilization. The lack of stabilization is probably why your zoom images are blurred. I am assuming that you are using the camera in the automatic scene modes and not moved to either the semi-automatic or manual modes. With the limitations, you still should be able to obtain a good image. The first thing I would do is learn more about photography and what it takes to make a good image. I would recommend a book by Bryan Peterson called "Understanding Exposure". While this book is geared toward SLR cameras, it does do a good job of explaining the photographic triangle of shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Those three things are the basics of photography. After learning the triangle you might try exploring the semi-automatic mode and manual modes. While I'm not an expert, I always caution that a new camera does not always produce better images. The photographer has the greatest input into producing good images.

 

[Pugrpooh]

I saw the picture you posted of the castle this morning on the "image below me" thread. Your shutter speed was 1/60" which is getting pretty slow. You need to try and make sure the camera is stabilized -- either on a tripod, resting on a fence, or just try holding your breath and staying as still as possible while taking the photo. That would help with motion blur.

I don't think there's motion blur in that photo though. It looks to me like it's not in focus. Another thing is that your flash fired. That would light up the foreground, like that person's head on the right side of the photo and the other people in the foreground, but the background would be darker. That's okay if you're trying to shoot a portrait at night, but if you're just trying to take one of the castle, you didn't need flash.

If you increase the ISO, you also increase sensitivity to light. That can help keep exposure times shorter (= less blur) but also introduces noise into the photo. In your shot of the castle, your ISO was 160. Newer cameras have higher ISO capabilities which help with lower light settings.

I was there the same time you were! We had a fantastic time but I was glad to be leaving when we did. The crowds the last couple of days we were there were getting crazy! The 20th was our last night there and I was walking around taking photos while DD9 and DH were at Space Mountain. At about the same time you took the photo of the castle I took this one from the train station:

The book that Gianna's Papa recommends is also an excellent read for getting a grasp on the fundamentals of photography. A DSLR in auto mode will get you better pictures, but to really get the most out of any camera, even a P&S, it's best to understand what is going on in the camera and how to use the settings to get the image you want.

On this trip I didn't take my DSLR, but only my mirrorless camera, the Olympus E-PL2. It has the same sensor as my DSLR, but in a much smaller body. The photo above was taken handheld at 1/13" (I was standing REAL still and had image stabilization turned on) and the ISO was 1600.

Good luck!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Here are two shots taken by my daughter with her 7.1mp Canon PowerShot P & S. She has a lot photography experience, but does not currently own a DSLR. Good shots can be taken with a P & S. Both of these are handheld shots.


Castle Kim Night by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


Kim Castle 4 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

And another handheld night image:


Main St Cinema Kim Night by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[lovin'fl]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try to read the book. I'd love to become more knowledgeable.

Those pics are wonderful. We just got there on the 20th and it was more crowded than we expected, but didn't get real bad until the 25th (we left on the 26th, so we avoided some of the crowds too).

I had a reall hard time getting a decent photo of Susan Lucci at the Candle Light Processional. When I zoomed, it was blurry. I didn't use the flash for all (I tried different things) and as it got darker...I even set it to the night setting. I was sitting pretty still.

 

[lovin'fl]

And I don't know why the date changed to 1/2/2006 (correct date was 12/24/2011)...it was showing the correct date at beginning of the trip...and I had the date turned off before the trip...don't know what happened...maybe battery replacement did it.

 

[lovin'fl]

Why did this come out nicer?

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Why did this come out nicer?

First of all, your shutter speed was faster and it appears your lighting was better. Excluding the flash image, your shutter speed was too slow and what you are seeing is motion blur. Even though you thought you were still, if your shutter speed is to slow, just your breathing can affect the image. Many photographers, myself included in such situations, exhale and hold our breath before pressing the shutter button.

I would read your owners manual and look for the manual settings area. There, you should be able to select some semi-automatic settings such as aperture priority, shutter priority, ISO priority modes. Then you can manually set one of those and then the camera will automatically choose a setting for the other two it believes will give you a proper exposure. Or you should be able to manually set all three. At least you should be able, if I read the review on your camera correctly.