Which setting is best?

[cazzie]

I have just purchased the Fuji S5700 and I was wondering when shooting night shots which mode would be best:

Night Mode
Aperture Setting Mode
Shutter Setting Mode
Program Mode

I have been playing around and when I use the night mode the pictures seem really grainy so I was wondering if it would be best to use one of the other modes on the camera. I do have a monopod which should help but I am getting myself confused on all the different settings.

Thanks

 

[YEKCIM]

I have just purchased the Fuji S5700 and I was wondering when shooting night shots which mode would be best:

Night Mode
Aperture Setting Mode
Shutter Setting Mode
Program Mode

I have been playing around and when I use the night mode the pictures seem really grainy so I was wondering if it would be best to use one of the other modes on the camera. I do have a monopod which should help but I am getting myself confused on all the different settings.

Thanks

First off, I'd suggest using the lowest possible ISO; I'll bet the night mode bumps your ISO up to the max, which is why you are getting noise in the image. The S5700 is *not* one of the large-sensor Fuji's so the image noise at higher ISO's will not be the equal of the larger sensor Fuji's. Try using a lower ISO (maybe 200 or 400), and aperture preferred auto, with the lens wide open (lowest f-number) and see what happens. Keep in mind that you'll need to have a fast enough shutter speed to minimize camera motion. The monopod will help some, too, although a tripod would be best, if it's possible to carry one. One of the nice things about digital, of course, is the ability to experiment with throwaway shots to be sure you know the capabilities of your gear, before you shoot stuff that really matters.

~YEKCIM

 

[Master Mason]

Night mode is just someoneone's best guess at what settings you would need for a night photo.

aperture allows you to control the aperture, and usually the ISO, and the camera picks the shutter speed.

Shutter would allow you to pick the shutter speed and usually ISO and the camera picks the aperture

Program typically means the camera will pick everything, but you can chose ISO and flash or no flash.

Once you learn how ISO, Shutter Speed, and Apeture combine to form a photo, you will be able to do a better job than the night mode, because you have more control of what is happening.

The grain is coming from the camera picking a higher ISO.

What type of shots are you trying to get at night? Is is something like a dark parade, or is it a building where you can use a long exposure?

 

[DVC Jen]

Like everyone else said - it isn't a matter of which is a better setting, but which setting will help you get what you want.

If depth of field (shallow or deep) is your primary concern go with aperature priority. If you are shooting something where you need a fast shutter speed, go with shutter priority.

I switch back and forth between those two primarily - but I am aslo beginning to use manual more and more - especially if I remember to drag my tripod along.

 

[cazzie]

Thanks, I have just been practising night shots in the garden as I am hoping to get a few good night shots when we go in September (which is something I have never had yet). I have been trying different day & night shots using the aperture & shutter settings but at the moment it is all a bit confusing to see which is best. I have also had a go using the 'bracket' shot.

I couldn't afford an expensive camera so I bought this as it had 'night' & 'firework' settings hoping it would give me better night shots but because of the ISO being so high I am not so sure. It sounds like the program mode might be quite good as I can choose the ISO and hopefully the camera will do the rest.

I will keep playing.

 

[seashoreCM]

Fundamentally an automatic camera attempts to make the picture look like a picture taken in daylight, subject to reaching its limits of capability in terms of aperture, shutter speed, etc. Night mode is intended to allow the camera to set itself automatically but have a picture taken outdoors at night look like nighttime.

If your night mode does not allow you to override the ISO back down to say 400 or even 200, you will need to choose another mode to reduce the ISO and therefore reduce the graininess.

Note that changing only the ISO on an automatic camera will not lighten or darken the picture until and unless the camera runs up against its limitations with aperture and shutter speed.

I would say try one of the "normal automatic" modes, reduce the ISO, but also set the exposure compensation to minus 2 or minus 3. This prevents the camera from going too far with its automatic operation to make the night shot look like day. Exposure compensation takes the settings that the camera would automatically come up with and then deliberately lightens (+) or darkens (-) the picture beyond that.

Many point and shoot cameras do not have true manual controls but do have ways of forcing them up against their limitations that will also achieve things like night mode. Some cameras have separate settings for long shutter opening (automatic perhaps up to five seconds) versus not quite so long shutter opening (automatica perhaps up to one tenth of a second). You may still need a tripod but forcing the not quite so long shutter opening and also forcing the ISO down low, maybe to even 50, gets you the nighttime picture appearance without using the real night mode. Experiment.

Digital camera hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/digicam.htm

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I couldn't afford an expensive camera so I bought this as it had 'night' & 'firework' settings hoping it would give me better night shots but because of the ISO being so high I am not so sure. It sounds like the program mode might be quite good as I can choose the ISO and hopefully the camera will do the rest.

A good noise reduction program (like Noiseware) will help make your higher ISO pictures clearer. It does blur some fine detail, but smaller prints come out quite nice even if I've been forced to use the ISO400 or ISO800 on my Canon S3.

The Noiseware 'Community edition' is free, too!

 

[cazzie]

Thanks for the info and the links I am trying to read as much as I can so that I understand it all better.