Why Is This Photo Blurry?

For some reason, just about all my photos, regardless of camera, are
blurry, especially night shots. I can't figure out what is causing it.
Here is a photo that I took yesterday, using a Canon 20 mm singlet set
to f/5.0 and using the on-camera flash of my Canon 20D:

http://shutter13.pictures.aol.com/da...Y0pkbU0300.jpg

Pooua wrote

For some reason, just about all my photos, regardless of camera, are
blurry, especially night shots. I can't figure out what is causing it.
Here is a photo that I took yesterday, using a Canon 20 mm singlet set
to f/5.0 and using the on-camera flash of my Canon 20D:

Are you using Manual or Auto-focus ? Is your Dioptric adjuster
correctly set for your eyes ?

Chris

On 2007-09-28 01:21:50 -0700, Pooua said:

For some reason, just about all my photos, regardless of camera, are
blurry, especially night shots. I can't figure out what is causing it.
Here is a photo that I took yesterday, using a Canon 20 mm singlet set
to f/5.0 and using the on-camera flash of my Canon 20D:

http://shutter13.pictures.aol.com/da...Y0pkbU0300.jpg

I'm


I'm not seeing motion blur (camera shake), just an overall lack of sharpness.
--
Cease then to grieve for your private afflictions, and address
yourselves instead to the safety of the republic

Is the lens dirty of did you use a "non authorized" cloth to clean the lens?
If yes (cleaning), you have perhaps destroyed the quality of the lens.

Jean-Luc Ernst
www.digigrey.com


"Pooua" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
For some reason, just about all my photos, regardless of camera, are
blurry, especially night shots. I can't figure out what is causing it.
Here is a photo that I took yesterday, using a Canon 20 mm singlet set
to f/5.0 and using the on-camera flash of my Canon 20D:

http://shutter13.pictures.aol.com/da...Y0pkbU0300.jpg

Obviously we can't see the other photos you are talking about, so I will
deal with the one you posted.

What was the shutter speed?

What was the shooting mode used? Aperture priority as you mentioned f/5?


"Pooua" wrote in message
ups.com...
For some reason, just about all my photos, regardless of camera, are
blurry, especially night shots. I can't figure out what is causing it.
Here is a photo that I took yesterday, using a Canon 20 mm singlet set
to f/5.0 and using the on-camera flash of my Canon 20D:

http://shutter13.pictures.aol.com/da...Y0pkbU0300.jpg

On Sep 28, 12:58 pm, "Ali" wrote:
Obviously we can't see the other photos you are talking about, so I will
deal with the one you posted.

What was the shutter speed?

What was the shooting mode used? Aperture priority as you mentioned f/5?

Shutter speed was 1/8 sec, aperture priority, f/5, internal flash, ISO
400, 20 mm

There's your problem.

1) 1/8 is usually too slow to hand hold without getting motion blur of the
camera. Hence the blurry photo.

2) Another thing worth noting is that your camera will work very differently
with flash depending on the shooting mode you use. In AV, TV and M modes,
the camera will fire the flash as a fill flash (to light the foreground),
but will still expose the whole frame (including the background) normally,
as it would if you didn't use flash. Hence the slow shutter speed. If you
are using the on camera flash as the main light source, you should really
use P mode. In P mode, it will set a high shutter speed so that you can
hand hold the camera.

A bit out of date, but a fantastic article to read:
http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/



"Pooua" wrote in message
oups.com...

Shutter speed was 1/8 sec, aperture priority, f/5, internal flash, ISO
400, 20 mm

"Pooua" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Sep 28, 12:58 pm, "Ali" wrote:
Obviously we can't see the other photos you are talking about, so I will
deal with the one you posted.

What was the shutter speed?

What was the shooting mode used? Aperture priority as you mentioned f/5?

Shutter speed was 1/8 sec, aperture priority, f/5, internal flash, ISO
400, 20 mm


Unless you are using a tripod, the shutter speed seems more than a little
too long. I try to keep the shutter speed no slower than 1/60 unless the
lens focal length leads me to beleive that
1/(focal length) yields a shorter time.
Jim

On Sep 28, 2:35 pm, "Ali" wrote:
There's your problem.

1) 1/8 is usually too slow to hand hold without getting motion blur of the
camera. Hence the blurry photo.

Telling me that the shutter speed is too slow isn't really all that
helpful. I wasn't adjusting shutter speed (the camera was); I was
adjusting aperture and flash. But, what you said next is helpful.

2) Another thing worth noting is that your camera will work very differently
with flash depending on the shooting mode you use. In AV, TV and M modes,
the camera will fire the flash as a fill flash (to light the foreground),
but will still expose the whole frame (including the background) normally,
as it would if you didn't use flash. Hence the slow shutter speed.

That was the missing information that I needed. Thank you!

If you
are using the on camera flash as the main light source, you should really
use P mode. In P mode, it will set a high shutter speed so that you can
hand hold the camera.

Very helpful.

A bit out of date, but a fantastic article to read:http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

Thanks, that's useful.

On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 02:18:31 -0700, Pooua wrote:

On Sep 28, 2:35 pm, "Ali" wrote:
There's your problem.

1) 1/8 is usually too slow to hand hold without getting motion blur of the
camera. Hence the blurry photo.

Telling me that the shutter speed is too slow isn't really all that
helpful. I wasn't adjusting shutter speed (the camera was); I was
adjusting aperture and flash. But, what you said next is helpful.


The information was correct. Regardless of what you set yourself, you
are in charge of the camera. It is your job to notice what settings
the camera is using (and know whether they will work), or set them
yourself. And to know the limits of your equipment and how to get the
best out of it.


Cameras cannot think. They just do specific programs that make sure
there is enough light for the image. It doesn't care if the image
stays sharp.

To get the most out of your camera, you need to understand aperature,
shutter speed, depth of field, etc. You can get some good books or
look online. It will really make a huge difference in your
photography.

I know somebody who refuses to learn the technical aspects of
exposure, and she is is hit and miss with great photos. Her
composition is great, but she only gets great photos in great
lighting. She is consistently surprised with bright blurry images.