Smudged/Blurry Pics

[DisneyExplorer]

hi everyone!!

i have a Panasonic DMC-LX1 camera. great digital camera but it takes alot of smudged/blurred pictures. very fraustrating!!

any suggestions would be grand!

d

 

[GrumpyOne]

I'll start with the obvious, have you tried a faster shutter speed?

Do you have an example? What settings are being used?

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Blurriness is usuall the result of camera movement during the picture (try a faster shutter speed, a tripod, or an image stabilizer), subject movement during the picture (try a faster shutter speed, use a flash, tell your subject to be still), or focus errors (focus more carefully, use a narrower aperture).

Smudges are usually the result of dust on the sensor (if you are using a camera with removable lenses) or gunk on your lens.

 

[DisneyExplorer]

I'll start with the obvious, have you tried a faster shutter speed?

Do you have an example? What settings are being used?

have a swatch

 

[SharonLowe]

Your shutter speed is too slow for the light levels and you are moving the camera. What settings are you using?

 

[DisneyExplorer]

Your shutter speed is too slow for the light levels and you are moving the camera. What settings are you using?

will find out! thank for help

 

[handicap18]

Looking at the EXIF data on the pics you posted, the shutter speed is WAY to slow for hand holding. 1.3 sec, 1/20th and 1/13th. ISO speed is 100 for all 3. For that time of day with that ISO you would need to have the flash go off or get a higher ISO like 400 or 800 (if the camera goes that high). Thats the biggest problem with the PnS camera's and using AUTO. It doesn't know what you want. Only what it see's. So there are times when you have to change modes so you can tell the camera what you want it to do. Either use a night mode option or change it to aperture priority and set the aperture to the smalllest number and change the ISO to 400 at least.

ETA: Looks like you did use aperture priority. You'll need to raise the ISO. 100 isn't fast enough to get you a good shutter speed.

 

[GrumpyOne]

DPReview only shows it able to go up to 400 but that's enough for you to get 1/13th of a sec to 1/40th or 1/50th. It'll look noisier at ISO 400 than it does at ISO 100 but you have to operate within your camera's limits. You've already dropped the aperture to 2.8, you're not going to go any wider.

 

[mabas9395]

I agree with ther shutter speed being the first thing. But also, try taking the picture by looking through the eye piece instead. Holding the camera out in front of you at arm's length is what everyone does, but it is one of the worst ways of holding the camera stable.

Try this link for some tips on hand holding.

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-hold-a-digital-camera/

 

[Anewman]

Looking at the EXIF data on the pics you posted, the shutter speed is WAY to slow for hand holding. 1.3 sec, 1/20th and 1/13th. ISO speed is 100 for all 3. For that time of day with that ISO you would need to have the flash go off or get a higher ISO like 400 or 800 (if the camera goes that high). Thats the biggest problem with the PnS camera's and using AUTO. It doesn't know what you want. Only what it see's. So there are times when you have to change modes so you can tell the camera what you want it to do. Either use a night mode option or change it to aperture priority and set the aperture to the smalllest number and change the ISO to 400 at least.

ETA: Looks like you did use aperture priority. You'll need to raise the ISO. 100 isn't fast enough to get you a good shutter speed.

Lets not forget that he LX1 does have a very capable IS system, I do agree with 1.3 seconds being way too slow but the others are very doable hand held IMO. I think you need to practice holding the camera a bit steadier when taking pictures, besides the Planet Hollywood shot(REALLY DARK) the others should not be that blurry unless you are a very UNsteady shooter.

I shot the following leaning against a wall but the camera(panasonic) was hand held.

I would not recommend shooting at ISO 400 with a Panasonic Camera(unless that is the ONLY option), I love their cameras but noise levels at that anything over 200 ISO are unacceptable. But with the good IS you should not have to shoot at those ISOs.

* File size: 119700 bytes
* File date: 2006:08:21 21:42:53
* Camera make: Panasonic
* Camera model: DMC-LZ3
* Date/Time: 2005:08:17 19:07:49
* Resolution: 800 x 533
* Flash used: No
* Focal length: 6.1mm (35mm equivalent: 37mm)
* Exposure time: 1.000 s
* Aperture: f/2.8
* ISO equiv.: 100
* Whitebalance: Auto
* Metering Mode: matrix
* Exposure: program (auto)

 

[DisneyExplorer]

thank you very much for your help!

 

[jann1033]

if you can turn the is on and off take a low light photo and see if it's working. you should see a real difference in the two
my test for IS photos shot at 1/10 sec shutter
on

off