Camera Advice

Tefral

Im looking for some camera advice.

firstly i would like to point out im by no means a photographer but i do enjoy taking photos. Bascially im looking for advice on a camera that would be good at taking night time photos and photos or car shows where there is lots of flashing lights etc.

I have a cheap 8mp camera and its great for day time photos but the minute i switch it to night mode the photos are always blurred like i move my hand, which i dont. if i leave it on automatic then it doesnt take a good photo at all.

so i would need some peoples advice. i dont mind buying something thats 550-600 or less...

thanks in advance

SkepticOne

Maybe something like an Olympus e-520 which has image stabilisation built in. The basic package should come in at your price range. Also consider buying a lens with a wider aperture than the standard, though this will set you back. The combination of image stabilisation and a fast lens should allow you to take night time photos without pushing the iso too high.

CabanSail

Maybe keep the Camera you have & use a Tripod when on Night Mode.

SkepticOne

I was getting a little carried away with equipment and technical aspects. A tripod as suggested is probably better unless handheld shots are a necessity.

Ricky91t

Alternatively for 354.965 (or near that)
You can get a 350D with 4gb card 18-55 lense shipped to your door!

link:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CANON-REBEL-XT-EOS-350D-CAMERA-LENS-4GB-6-BONUS-SLV_W0QQitemZ110280234112QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110280234112&_trkparms=72%3A1121|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1308&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

CabanSail

I do not think that getting a DSLR is the answer to many peoples problems. For most people a good Bridge Camera is more than is required & a decent compact will be fine.

I would be like a Motor Forum advising everyone to buy Sports Cars.

The problem here is that on 'Night Mode' the program will probably be choosing longer shutter speeds & so there is blur. Some sort of stability will probably solve the problem. An entry level DSLR will still have the same issues. If the OP wants to progress their photography furtther then some better equipment should be considered.

Ricky91t

Well the fact that isnt much more that a Bridge camera it will produce much better quaility and if you have an issue with a dlsr you can buy a lens that will sort it(For taking car shots you'd want a wideangle)Where as a bridge your only option is too get a crap converter thing off ebay

The fact he calls it a cheap compact probably means even though he will get better images with a tripod they will be no whee near as good as a Dslr image

ThOnda

The pictures are blurred by motion - even the motion when you press the trigger. Try lying the camera on something (a rail, a bench, holding it against something (wall, sign post, lamp) or to test it get some of the cheapest tripods e.g. this one.
The image quality in low light conditions for compact cameras is very similar - bad. The improvement would be going for camera with larger sensor - digital SLR as was suggested by ricky91t.

Arkana

A 'larger sensor' would not solve the 'bad light' problem though it would increase the resolution. But we simply need 'more light', that is, the shutter speed must not be under 1/30 second if you take pictures by hand and we have to enlarge the aperture and/or set the ISO higher. A tripod is a good solution only if the tripod is good. There are a lot of cheap ones, and many of them are crap, because wind and vibration (walking people) is transferred to the camera by a bad tripod. A DSLR with full manual controls is here the solution. Set on automatic with shutter priority, 1/30 or better 1/60 second, set ISO to 1600 AND use a good tripod (for this you need 75 - 100 Euros) and up you go.

AnCatDubh

I think much (if not all) of what is being suggested above has merit even though some of it is conflicting.

OP - to get a handle on what the night problem is, try the following;

find a night / low light scene you want to take.
find a steady surface to sit your camera on.
set timer on your camera.
press the shutter release and wait for the camera to do its thing.

Does this give you a clear or blur'd image?

If clear, then you are into steadiness issues and the tripod option is a good way to steady your camera before taking a shot.

If blur'd then it may be that your camera is hopeless at focusing in low light (i had one of these which was fine during the day but night or low light was disastrous). You could try manual focus and low aperture if your camera allows for manual control but in my experience a camera that doesn't like low light is probably not going to improve much.

If its hopeless in low light then you may as well be pee'in again the wind as trying to get a nice shot in such conditions (neither a pleasant experience ). So if the latter, then i'd opt for a camera replacement (assuming its something that you'd really want to do) - you may still need a tripod as even the most minute movement (including your own breathing) can upset the image.

The one that ricky suggests looks on the face of it to be smashing value - darn fine camera for the money. This still mightn't resolve your problem but it will be far more capable - to get what you are anticipating may involve getting a better lens for the camera which is more suited to low light situations which you could spend as much as the camera to get but it would be a starting point.

Hope that helps.

Arkana

AnCatDubh wrote: »

...
press the shutter release and wait for the camera to do its thing.
...
Hope that helps.

Well, I think especially this idea would not help at all. If you do not understand WHAT is causing the particular problem, you would not find out this way. And only understanding the problem gives you the possibility to solve it for sure.
If 'the camera is doing it's thing' you might have a success or not. But this is no solution at all.
I really can refer to what I have already said above.

sineadw

You see - this is the problem with asking advice on a forum - you're likely to get as many conflicting responses as you get responses :P

Basically it depends on where you want to go and what you want to do with your camera. If you're simply wondering how to cut out blur and you'd then be very happy with your shots (and for a whole lot of people this would be what they're asking) then I'd 100% go with what an cat dubh said; you may already have a perfectly capable camera that just needs a tripod or using it with the timer to be happy with your shots. Can you borrow a tripod somewhere? If the camera is on night mode then its keeping the shutter open a lot longer to compensate for low light, and the slightest movement can ruin a shot. Try it out and see if this solves your issue.

If you'd like better shots and want something that's flexible and not too expensive, then a bridge camera is probably best. They have huge zoom ranges and you never have to worry about changing (or buying!) lenses. Some of the newer models have fantastic image quality.

If you're thinking of getting into creative, higher level photography then an entry level DSLR might suit you best. They have great control over what you capture, you generally get a better quality of image (although less money doesn't always mean less quality) and they're more or less infinitely upgradeable - you might stick with teh kit lens for a bit and then get a few better ones and then get a better body and so on - BUT.... This is by far te most expensive option. The kit lens on the above mentioned model is fine enough, but the zoom capabilities on a bridge are a LOT better. Basically, the bridge will give you a good all round camera straight away for your bucks but the DSLR will give you a better long term investment if you're serious about photography.

If you try the tripod and timer test and its still just not cutting it for you, I suggest you go into a few specialist camera shops (not the likes of Dixons et al), try some different models in your hand and get a second and third and fourth opinion on what you really need. As Cabansail said, there's no point buying a ferrari when an audi estate is what you really need*

*I know NOTHING about cars - is there an A8 estate?

Arkana

sineadw wrote: »

...
If you're thinking of getting into creative, higher level photography then an entry level DSLR might suit you best. They have great control over what you capture, you generally get a better quality of image (although less money doesn't always mean less quality) and they're more or less infinitely upgradeable - you might stick with teh kit lens for a bit and then get a few better ones and then get a better body and so on - BUT.... This is by far te most expensive option. The kit lens on the above mentioned model is fine enough, but the zoom capabilities on a bridge are a LOT better. Basically, the bridge will give you a good all round camera straight away for your bucks but the DSLR will give you a better long term investment if you're serious about photography...

Unfortunately even this is not quite true. DSLRs are not 'infinitely upgradeable'. Not in general - though there are very few models which are. In the past, with the analogue cameras, there have been loads of cameras that were upgradeable (i.e. Nikon and Minolta XM, partially XE1 and XD7 as well), but digital cameras are rarely 'upgradeable', but what you can do is buy additional equipment - in the sense of the definition this is 'adding features' but not 'upgrading' (this would be inserting part INTO the camera to enhance the performance). You can add certain system equipment, like measuring instruments, flashes and lenses or adapters - but that's it mostly. Nikon has still very few upgradable options, but this is VERY limited.
Nonetheless, we agree to each other: If you are serious with photography, an SLR, whether analogue or digital, is always a good investment - and be it only because of the extreme variablity of different settings and programs and the one up to three dozens of different lenses (and fully manual control!)...
To people who try to work professionally with their cameras, I would recommend either Nikon (the classical brand for professionals) or Minolta/Sony. In the latter case, try to get either an 'old' Minolta 7D or the new Sony alpha 700 and put (if you REALLY want good optical results!!!) Carl Zeiss lenses onto them. Best tools you can get... now you only have to learn how to work with them properly...:D