Please help with my Panasonic Lumix

[Lisa x]

Hello everyone! I'm new to the photography section but not the disboards, there are some amazing photographs here that make me jealous that I have never got any that are anywhere near as nice as yours!

I was hoping someone might be able to help me understand where I am going wrong!

I have a panasonic lumix dmc-fz28 and when photographing fireworks, I turn it to the illuminations setting but all of the pictures end up blurred and not very good at all. Also the night shots are not too good either on the night settings! I have searched the internet for help before coming here but not really getting anywhere!

I really appreciate your help and thank you in advance

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hi! I think your title may be confusing as your camera is not a dSLR.

But regardless, have you tried using a tripod and a two second timer for your fireworks? What about your nighttime shots?

This thread from last week may be helpful as it discusses some of the same issues.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2918434&referrerid=70088

 

[Lisa x]

Thank you for posting that link, it was very helpful and answered what I needed to know. There was also a link in there to a guide from amazon which I am going to buy!

I will amend the title, shows I'm not 100% on the camera my husband purchased! For what it's worth, we went to a very well known camera store in the UK and specified exactly what we wanted from a camera, we had no budget, we just wanted something that we could use as non professionals and get decent pictures from, we weren't even expecting outstanding professional like shots! Our main shots that we stressed we wanted were night time and fireworks, we were assured this would be just what we need as first timers but I'm disappointed, they never mentioned tripods etc!

Nevermind.....I will just read that manual and try and figure it out!

 

[photo_chick]

Your camera can get those shots but like with any camera, it's all in knowing how to use it. Learn the basics of shutter speed, aperture, ISO and how they work together to make the exposure. Then you'll know what settings to use when (on any camera) and how to get the shots you want.

 

[bazzanoid]

You'll definitely get the results you want out of it, and as Danielle says, it's all about knowing how to use it - it's a brilliant camera but only as good as the way the photo is being shot. As soon as you turn the scene mode to anything to do with night shots (apart from night portrait) then you'll need rock-steady hands, or a tripod or something similar to rest the camera on. The shutter is slowed down (left open for longer) to allow more light in, and this means any movements of the camera blur the image the sensor sees.

Here's a good way to illustrate it - at night, with a window open, put the camera in Starry Sky scene mode, 15 second exposure, and take a photo holding the camera with your hands. Now take the same photo but resting it on the windowsill (not too close to the edge!!!), hands off it. Compare the two...

To give you an idea of what it can do, and by no means am i a pro photographer, here's some night shots taken with my TZ:

Fantasmic:

A deliberate shutter speed slowdown to get the maximum effect from the fire heat haze:

Read the manual, read the book you've ordered, and most importantly, play around with the camera!

 

[Lisa x]

Photo_chick and bazzanoid - thank you so much I feel a lot better about the camera now!

Bazzanoid, them photos are brilliant especially the epcot one with the countries lit up and reflecting in the water, I am definitely going to try what you said tonight with the window ledge and with holding the camera!

Lots of reading up for me, I need to get shots like them!