Canon 400D (Rebel Xti, Kiss X)

[handicap18]

Are you using a tripod?

 

[Josh125]

What type of night shots are you looking to capture? If you are talking about people/portraits a speedlight is what you need to bounce the flash or diffuse it as to avoid blowing out the subject. If you are talking about taking pics of scenery/vistas you will need to use either M or aV to take a longer exposure.

Either way using a tripod will go a long ways to improve pic quality.

 

[MICKEY88]

What type of night shots are you looking to capture? If you are talking about people/portraits a speedlight is what you need to bounce the flash or diffuse it as to avoid blowing out the subject. If you are talking about taking pics of scenery/vistas you will need to use either M or aV to take a longer exposure.

Either way using a tripod will go a long ways to improve pic quality.

using a longer exposure to use more ambient light will help avoid blowout, more than just diffusing the flash

 

[orchjoe]

You may want to consider buying a remote switch to go with your tripod if your going to do long exposures:

 

[Wick]

is there a setting that will allow me to get a crisp shot without a tirpod? because i haven't got one yet.

 

[Wick]

take this shot for example:

http://flickr.com/photos/yvanobi/2234679228/in/pool-mynewxti

To achieve this kind of shot, what kinds of adjustments should i make? And is it feasible to achieve this without a tripod?

 

[handicap18]

take this shot for example:

http://flickr.com/photos/yvanobi/2234679228/in/pool-mynewxti

To achieve this kind of shot, what kinds of adjustments should i make? And is it feasible to achieve this without a tripod?

The shot you have linked has a 2 second shutter. NO possible way to get that shot with that exposure without using some sort of tripod or other way to keep the camera completely still.

What are you using for lenses?

You can get decent handheld shots at night with the right equipment. Lenses that have a WIDE aperture such as a 50mm f/1.8 or 30mm f/1.4 would help. Or a lens that has IS (Image Stabilization) would also help.

You wont get the same result as the shot you linked though. With a wide aperture or IS handheld you'll have to use a high ISO and that will create a noisier image (grainy in the film days). To get the crisp clean image you need a low ISO (aka film speed) and with that for shots a night you need to keep the camera perfectly still for long periods of time. Thus the need for a tripod.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Hey guys,

I just bought my first DSLR, a canon eos xti rebel 10.1 mp and I'm excited to get started.

First, I want to get a hold of night shots. This is the main reason I switched to DSLR because I've seen what they're capable of in night shots and dimly/dark areas. My old point and shoot digital (Nikon 4 mp) did a horrible job in these situations-- often, the flash was so incredibly harsh, it made everything look real crappy.

Are there any adjustments I should make to make my night shot look like a real night shot?

Thanks!

Welcome to the world of DSLR!! My DH got me the XTi just over a year ago now and we're both still learning about night shots but definitely agree with everyone about buying yourself a tripod of some sort and a remote shutter. We just returned from a trip to the World in January and took quite a few night shots with our new 50mm F/1.8 lens. Combining the three (tripod - or in our case a Gorillapod - remote shutter and 50mm lens) gave us much better results than previous hand held tries with the kit lens and a high ISO and allowed us to use a much lower ISO. ... here are a few examples:

If you have any questions, feel free to ask and we'll try to answer them as best we can.

 

[Groucho]

For night photos of static objects (like the London one), the type of camera really doesn't matter, it's all about a tripod... even basic point-n-shoots can get good results with the right technique.

The DSLR's advantages are for taking photos of moving objects at night, like humans, parades, etc.

 

[jann1033]

if you don't have a tripod and really can't afford to get one maybe try putting the camera on some sturdy stationary object( ie trashcan, bench etc) and using the timer, that way you won't bump it by accident depressing the shutter...it's fun to play with longer shutter speeds and just see what you get...

 

[handicap18]

Welcome to the world of DSLR!! My DH got me the XTi just over a year ago now and we're both still learning about night shots but definitely agree with everyone about buying yourself a tripod of some sort and a remote shutter. We just returned from a trip to the World in January and took quite a few night shots with our new 50mm F/1.8 lens. Combining the three (tripod - or in our case a Gorillapod - remote shutter and 50mm lens) gave us much better results than previous hand held tries with the kit lens and a high ISO and allowed us to use a much lower ISO. ... here are a few examples:

If you have any questions, feel free to ask and we'll try to answer them as best we can.

Great photos here. I love the China one. Excellent job.

Here are my version's that I took without a tripod. I used ISO1600 (vs ISO100 used in the above photos) and used a lens with a very wide aperture (f/1.4 vs f/3.5, f/5 and f/4.5) and I also had a much faster shutter speed (from 1/20th to 1/100th vs 8 sec to 1/13th)

You can see in mine that I have a lot more noise. The images came out real nice, but no way near as crisp and clean as Cdn Friends of Pooh's images. That is the difference between using a tripod and low ISO vs handheld with a high ISO.

 

[DueyDooDah]

There are very inexpensive tripods that should work. I bought one for my DW and she is very happy with it. It was about $20. Try one of the Ritz camera stores.

 

[allisonswonderland]

Hey- I need some help. My husband is an attorney and we are looking into a camera for 2 reasons 1. that he can use for office (taking pictures of accident sites that may need blowing up) 2. Also for personal use as well. I currently have a small digital Olympus and would like to take better pics that I could frame (some really close ups) 3. Future use for children (that we do not have yet) considering action shots and fast.

Can someone help
The price at sams on the rebel with a small lens is 649 and the olympus come with 2 lenses is 469 or something about that price. What is the best for what I need. Thanks so much, for someone who is clueless!!

 

[vflipo]

xti!!! I love mine

 

[ukcatfan]

The Oly price sounds pretty good, but the XTi can be had for less. You should probably do a little more research before buying. Think of a brand like a system and as such, you should make sure that system has what you want at the right price when you look to grow. For example, the Oly is a 2x crop factor and the Canon is a 1.6x. Pentax, Nikon, and Sony are 1.5x. This means that you multiply the actual focal length of the lens by that number to get the film 35mm equiv. focal length. The Oly has an advantage if you do a lot at the long end b/c, for example, a 100mm lens becomes 200mm where a Canon would be 160mm. The disadvantage is at the wide end. If you look to buy a true wide lens in the future, then you are limited by that 2x factor. Also, the sensor on the Oly is a little smaller than other brands, so high ISO noise is typically higher. If image stabilization is important to you, Canon and Nikon offer it in the lens where the other brands offer it in body, which costs less. I personally have a Pentax, but all DSLRs are good, just different.

Kevin

 

[ukcatfan]

Just noticed the close-up need. For that, you need a macro lens. They typically cost a little more than standard lenses. Believe it or not, but a p&s can sometimes do better at macro work than a DSLR. They are at least easier to use for it and do not require an extra investment.

Kevin

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm by no means an expert but I've also looked at both these cameras and may have a little info here which could be helpful.

Initial price isn't the only factor you should consider - a purchase like this takes on a life of its own, and really needs to be researched fully so you get the camera that will suit you best. The E-410 does not have in body image stabilization which is a great feature if you want to use the camera for personal use so that would be something I'd look at if I were you. The E-510 does. There is a thread going on this page which has more info on the Olympus models. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Nicole786]

When you purchase a camera like the rebel XTI or Nikon D40 how much do you have to tinker with the manual controls to get beautiful images? I'm looking for a D-SLR quality camera with point and shoot abilities, is there such a thing? I feel like i'm not educated enough to understand what to set the aperture at to take night shots -- i just want it to do it, does that make sense? Is there something out there?

 

[Groucho]

All the entry-level DSLRs (Canon XT/XTi, Nikon D40/D40x, Pentax K100D/K200D, Olympus E410/E510, Sony A100) have an "auto" mode and "scene" modes just like a point-n-shoot. If you are not comfortable choosing the settings yourself, you can use those to help.

The Nikon D40 is especially geared towards novice DSLR users and is apparently very easy to use.

Of course, it takes a little bit of educating yourself to really start to see the benefits of a DSLR, but even on Auto, you'll likely notice an immediate improvement in your photos.

 

[AndrewWG]

I agree with everything that Groucho has said, but I would add that you can't expect miracles because you get a DSLR. It has the ability to take superb photos, and on the auto or program settings it will take better photos than you are used to getting. However until you get used to the other settings, you will most likely still not be getting every single pic that you want to get. Alot depends on the lenses you choose to buy for it as well.