Canon S3

[meliahz]

I need help!!! I've been taking LOTS of pics with my S3, but a lot of them are blurry. If I take a pic of a group, 1 or 2 people will be clear and everything else is blurry . . . or . . . something behind them is clear and they're blurry. Also, how do you take pictures in the dark / or overcast and get the pictures a little brighter / clearer? Please help me!!! I do have a lot of WONDERFUL pictures I've taken with my camera, but I have a lot of bad ones too!

Thank you!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

meliahz, what settings are you using? Can you show us an example and post the EXIF data if possible?

As someone recommended to me here, I tried to take the same shot using various settings to see the differences in the outcome. It helped me figure out which settings worked the best for me. Here's are two examples:

Decent shot

Noisy

Overexposed

Decent

Overexposed

I started a thread asking for help, I'll see if I can find it for you. ETA, don't think my thread would help as much as this one: This thread might be helpful:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1438001

 

[Amy]

Ok, I should have been paying the bills online, but my butterfly bushes are in bloom, and I just HAD to get out there and take some shots! Here ya go! (I also posted these on the "August Assignment - Animals" thread, so if they look familiar, that's why)

I can't figure out why the background came out black. There was a Christmas tree behind my butterfly bush; maybe because I did the "no-no" of shooting in bright sunlight?? Whatever the reason, I really liked the way it came out:

Canon S3 IS, Program mode, 1/500, F4.0, ISO 100

Same flower, diff. butterfly:

Canon S3 IS, Program mode, 1/60, F3.5, ISO 100

I had filled up my bird feeders this morning and since I was standing so still taking a zillion butterfly pictures, this little guy decided to come for an afternoon snack and he didn't notice me at first:

Canon S3 IS, Program mode, 1.40, F3.5, ISO 100

Then he heard my dog sniffing around, so he retreated to a tree:

Canon S3 IS, Program mode, 1.25, F3.5, ISO 200

 

[meliahz]

Pea-n-Me: Thanks for responding I was using Auto for all of my pictures. Here's some of them:

Focused on me (in white) and my sister (in yellow)

Focused on the tree in the background (these are my cousins):

Early evening shot that is very dark (this is my cousin dancing hula):

Any tips are GREATLY appreciated. I'm also gonna check out the link you posted.

Amy: I LOVE you butterfly pics!!!

 

[madge]

Pea-n-Me: Thanks for responding I was using Auto for all of my pictures. Here's some of them:

Focused on me (in white) and my sister (in yellow)

Focused on the tree in the background (these are my cousins):

Early evening shot that is very dark (this is my cousin dancing hula):

Any tips are GREATLY appreciated. I'm also gonna check out the link you posted.

Amy: I LOVE you butterfly pics!!!

Occasionally, I'll get a picture like the one in the middle. drives me crazy when that happens - not sure what causes it, but I wish I did. I'd like to avoid doing it again. LOL.

I didn't think the one on top looked bad? Maybe it's just my computer?

I take a lot of pictures with my S3 and while some are great - I'd say as many are duds. LOL.

 

[Amy]

Pea-n-Me: Thanks for responding I was using Auto for all of my pictures. Here's some of them:

Focused on me (in white) and my sister (in yellow)

Focused on the tree in the background (these are my cousins):

Early evening shot that is very dark (this is my cousin dancing hula):

Any tips are GREATLY appreciated. I'm also gonna check out the link you posted.

Amy: I LOVE you butterfly pics!!!

Ok, I'll take a stab at it.

I'm with Madge on the first one - it doesn't look bad to me. Maybe because you're wearing a white shirt so it looks so much brighter when the flash hits it?

The 2nd one -that happens to me a lot, too. What I think happened on yours: You know the green focusing box you see in the viewfinder? That's right smack in the middle of the picture. Look at what's in the center of your picture? The plants behind your cousins! I have the problem of thinking that the camera is focusing on whatever the LINES on the green box are on, but it's really looking at what's INSIDE the lines. Does that make sense?

As for the 3rd shot - I think it looks great. The flash didn't over- or under-expose your cousin, and she's the focus of the picture. Now, if you wanted the background to be a little brighter, you could NOT use the flash, and then the entire picture would be evenly exposed. But since it's early evening, you'd probably end up with a really low shutter speed and it would be blurry. For more options, you can't shoot in Auto mode. You'd need to switch to Program mode where you can play with the exposure. And that is the right word: PLAY. You could meter off the background, which would expose the background properly; but you'd still need to use the flash and a faster shutter speed to stop the action, so you'd also need to tone down the flash. There are so many diff. things you can adjust when you shoot in Program mode! You'd be trying so many diff. settings, and then you'd end up missing the entire hula dance!

There IS a setting on the S3 called Night Snapshot: the flash goes off, but the shutter stays open a little bit longer so that the background won't be so dark. But since your cousin is dancing, it wouldn't work; you need somebody who's standing still (like taking a picture of someone standing in front of Cinderella's castle at night).

 

[meliahz]

Amy: What you said make TOTAL sense . . . but what do I do for group pics? Which face do I focus on? Any ideas?

Madge: Thank you for responding

 

[Amy]

Well, for group shots, I'd suggest using AV Mode - Aperture Priority - and setting the aperture as high as it'll go. This would allow for greater depth of field, i.e., more of the picture will be in focus from front to back. Good to use if you've got a large group.

Now for the middle shot of your cousins where they're standing side-by-side, the same distance from the camera: you'd need to put the green focusing box over one of their faces so the camera would focus on her; hold the shutter button half-way down to "lock in" that focus setting, and then move the camera to frame the photo the way you want it.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I agree with Amy and Madge. In the second picture, I wonder if the camera couldn't decide between focusing on the tree (which is quite clear ) or the faces? I think I would have moved over a bit so that tree wasn't there, then depressed the shutter halfway to focus, and seen how it came out that way. First and third shots look ok. You might have had better luck with a tripod or other firm surface since it seemed a little dark outside.

Have you had any time to just go out and play with the various settings? If not, try it and have fun!

 

[meliahz]

Looks like I'll be playing with my camera settings this afternoon. I'll let you guys know how they come out. Thanks for all the advice!!!

I LOVE the DISboards!

 

[TwingleMum]

How cumbersome is the S3??? I had a small P & S digital camera that fit in my pocket. I wasn't happy with its performance. I want to upgrade and I am considering the S3 or S5. I will use it for WDW vacations and family events. Can you take it around WDW easily ~ on the rides etc...

 

[yrdlyprincess]

Sorry I don't have the camera but I may be looking to buy it, the pcitures that I see here are great! Just so I am sure that I will be looking at the right camera right now it's selling for about 325.00-350.00 is that right??? Is it digital or film? If digital for 11 days @ Disney how large of a memory card do you suggest? Thanks so much for everyones help!

 

[cathy0124]

Here are some from a wedding I went to this weekend. It was in New Braunfels TX at a restored Power Plant on the Comal river...really neat place!

 

[tiff13]

anyone have tips for pics in the mountains? I've played a bit with different settings but my colours aren't really as "strong" as I'd like. The sun seems to fog them, if that makes any sense.

 

[Amy]

How cumbersome is the S3??? I had a small P & S digital camera that fit in my pocket. I wasn't happy with its performance. I want to upgrade and I am considering the S3 or S5. I will use it for WDW vacations and family events. Can you take it around WDW easily ~ on the rides etc...

The S3 will NOT fit in your pocket. On the other hand, it's not as bulky as a digital SLR. I had my S3 at WDW in June, and it wasn't too bad. I had a messenger-type tote bag for my normal stuff and it was large enough that I could stash my S3 (in its camera case) inside it, too. I had no problem shoving my tote bag under my feet on Rock n Roller coaster or Exp. Everest (I think those rides have the least "storage" space).

 

[S. C.]

Went to a graduation party yesterday & my pics turned out just OK!

I just checked the settings on my camera & it was set at the lowest quality. GRRRRR....I don't know how or when i accidently set it at that. I just reset it for the highest quality.

 

[bethbuchall]

Went to a graduation party yesterday & my pics turned out just OK!

I just checked the settings on my camera & it was set at the lowest quality. GRRRRR....I don't know how or when i accidently set it at that. I just reset it for the highest quality.

I did something similar at a family reunion. I somehow had the ISO set to 800, and I was out in bright sunlight. I was confused as to why it was picking such high shutter speeds, but I didn't think quite enough about it. About half-way through the day, I realized my error. All those photos are so grainy. I was very disappointed in myself. But now I'll hopefully remember to check those things.

 

[micki7337]

After months of lurking on these pages looking at all the wonderful photos taken with the Canon S3 IS, I broke down and bought one for myself. Actually, they didn't have the S3 so I got the S5. Now I have to figure everything out by next Friday when we leave for WDW.

Can anyone give me some quick pointers on the areas I should focus (no pun intended!) with the few short days before we go? I'm looking to take just great pictures of my friends/family. We had 4 digital camera that are just okay. No pictures that jump off the page and make you go Wow! The pictures that have been posted on this thread have been WOWs!

I've read the basic camera user guide. Now I'm on to the big book. How did you teach yourself how to use it and how long did it take?

Thanks!

Margie

 

[hjd0411]

Hi everyone - I haven't been by here for a while - gee, hasn't the family grown!!

I've got a couple of photos to add- I have posted the bird on the "Animals" thread, so sorry for those who have already seen it. I am quite proud of it, though, because the colours just jump right out.

I am also having the trouble of having the background of photos in focus, and the subject blurry, so I will try your tips of focusing on what is inside the green box.

Getting in as much practice as I can, which is difficult here in winter! (Although not as cold as some of you get in winter.)

So..
This is the Rainbow Lorikeet which was in my backyard a couple of days ago. They love the bottle brush flowers, and fly in and out of the tree all day. As we have a really bad drought at the moment (we have had no significant rainfall for at least 6-7 years - ie our dams are nearly empty ), it is amazing that there are flowers at all!

This is my dog Charlotte (see my avatar.. ). Not a great shot because of the chair, but it does show her lovely face and eyes. Shame I chopped off her ears!!

The last one is me just playing around - my laptop keyboard in macro or super macro - I can't remember, but it looks kind of cool..

Sorry - lots of photos! Thanks for looking.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Love the bird photo, Heather. And of course Charlotte looks beautiful, too!

micki, you will probably be fine on some of the auto settings. Just keep it simple until you get to know the camera better. It took me all winter and spring to finally feel comfortable with it, but others seem to have better luck than I did in a shorter time. Have a nice trip!