Picture help, please

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm in the process of playing around with my new camera and it's settings (S3). These were taken in a dark bowling alley using a flash and no tripod. The first shot was taken in "night mode" on the dial; the second was taken in "auto" but I increased the ISO to "high" (the only option in auto).

Picture #1 has a lot better color and less noise than picture #2. I know the shutter was open longer on #1. Can someone help explain to me what else is at play here? Did aperture increase also on night mode? If this same shot was taken completely manually, what settings would you use to get the best effect?

Thanks for any insight you can offer and helping me understand.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Looking at the EXIF information (information about the picture embedded in the photo), I see the following differences:

1) The first photo was taken about 23 minutes before the second photo.

2) While the aperture for the two photos was the same, the exposure times were very different. It looks like the first photo was a 1 second exposure and the second was a 1/6 second exposure.

3) The focal length of the second photo was slightly smaller (more wide angle).

4) The focal plan resolution appears to be higher in the first.

I think that the only interesting data here is #2. The second photo relied almost completely on the flash for illumination. The first photo relied on a combination of flash illumination and a long exposure time. In other words, the second shot was just a plain flash shot but the second combined a brief flash with a longer exposure.

I'm not sure how to manually make an S3 do that. With a Canon SLR, you turn on the flash and put the camera in aperture priority (AV) mode to get that effect.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks, Mark. I guess I'm trying to figure out if it's generally better to use the night mode instead of increasing the ISO. I guess the slower shutter speed makes it preferable, at least under circumstances like these. I was surprised to see such a big difference between the shots. I do have an AV priority button. I think I may have used it once or twice that same night, will have to check.

 

[kbnovak]

Pea-n-Me,

Another observation is that using the auto mode, the camera based it's exposure on the flash reflected from the bright area in the lower left of the frame, resulting in the underexposed background. Also, the background is a great distance from the camera which would require a powerful flash to illuminate.

Kevin

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks, Kevin.

I was just reading through the manual and I see that I could have done a couple of things differently for picture #2. 1) try it as I did, but without the flash; 2) let the auto setting pick the ISO, instead I put it in "high" ISO which created even more noise (though not blurriness like predicted in the manual); and I also could have put it in one of the other modes and manually adjusted the ISO to a different, more specific speed.

I'll try it again.

This is good. I'm learning. Appreciate the help.

 

[tinksdad]

Another thing to try is to balance the ambient light (background) for the shutter and then use your flash to stop the action and iluminate the foreground. You will have to go to manual to do that, but it can give you some interesting shots. Since the flash is so short the shutter time has no real effect on the background and the lower shutter speed will pick up the light and give the photo balance. You can then control the amount of light of the flash with your aperture so you don't over expose the foreground.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks, tinksdad. Another thing I hadn't thought of.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Also (S2 here), try using Slow Synch, which, in the S2, is in the menu, second item down in the first tab. I think that will do similar to your 1st here, a lower powered flash but with a bit longer exposure time.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks, Dan. I saw you mentioned that on another thread the other day and had never heard of it. Of course, I then saw it in my manual when I was looking for something else so I'll have to spend some time reading about it and trying it out. I know you've gotten many beautiful shots with your S2.

OT, hope Marie is well, and DD too with little DGB. : But I was wondering about Doc? Is he ok? I thought I might have read somewhere otherwise, but I was hoping not.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Marie is well, Linda, thanks, as is Natalie. She is starting to get big. Due late April.

Doc is great too, in his 3rd complete remission at the moment. He has an adriomyacin treatment once a month, with very close heart monitoring. He takes some other med that somewhat protects his heart from the adrio. He needs an echocardio next visit. Three years in March since his diagnosis, and while doing years here, nine years in February for Marie.

Hope you are well too, please pass on an hello to all the special ladies on your thread.