Dissapointed, but what did I do wrong?

[onyx39]

Went on an MG run around the M25 as a passenger for charity last night, took my EOS300D with me, and had the perfect opportunity to take some stunning pictures.. But I blew it.. but why?

I had the camera set to 1/10 and had to hold my camera up over the window (roof was down) as the window would not open correctly. Anyone able to offer tips to what I should have done?

[Mutley]

onyx39 said:

Went on an MG run around the M25 as a passenger for charity last night, took my EOS300D with me, and had the perfect opportunity to take some stunning pictures.. But I blew it.. but why?

I had the camera set to 1/10 and had to hold my camera up over the window (roof was down) as the window would not open correctly. Anyone able to offer tips to what I should have done?

Good effort
ISO setting? Personally I'd use 400 - 800 for night time to start, faster "film"
Not being able to drop the window, and therefore having to hold above the window would give 'hand-shake' and also wind buffeting, if the window could've been down then the windscreen would be doing its job, as would bracing against the door

[K12beano]

Er - assuming you wanted a clear crisp shot of the vehicle, or just some gentle effect of movement of the vehicle tooling down the road....the answer's in the question:

onyx39 said:

............ but why?

I had the camera set to 1/10 and had to hold my camera ........

....and then your exposure could do with some consideration.

I'll stop there, because that's probably the main issues.

[Crafty_]

I would say 1/10th was too slow. First shot shows obvious shake.
If the cars were moving at a different speed to the vehicle you were in you would of probably had to pan.

[onyx39]

ok... so next time, ensure that I can put the window down, up the shutter and film speed and I should be good to go then?

[GeraldSmith]

Personally I never go handheld less that 1/60 and in a moving car that wouldn't work. Ramp up the ISO perhaps, or accept that a moving subject at night from a moving vehicle is never going to give anything worthwhile, not enough light to make it happen.

[Simpo Two]

In such low light I fear you'll struggle to get anything decent - you'd need a DSLR from the current generation for much better low light performance, say ISO 1600+, and a fast lens on the front - obvious contender being a 50mm f1.8.

[flat-planedCrank]

As others have said, 1/10th was probably too slow - even supporting the camera with good hand-holding technique wouldn't, at that speed, yielded sharp results. So with the camera held outstretched I'd say you didn't do badly at 1/10th!

[RobDickinson]

I'm guessing you were in Tv mode?

1/10th and it looks like the camera hit the max aperture and the 300d doesnt have auto ISO or you maxed that out too (800, 1600?).

Answer is faster lens, tripod or faster shutter, and or IS lens.

[onyx39]

RobDickinson said:

I'm guessing you were in Tv mode?
.

Still getting to grips with it, hence the reason for posting!

Cheers all!

[RobDickinson]

Tv is not bad but you do have to keep an eye on the metering.

If it cant open the lens up any more then you need to bump the ISO, if your out of ISO then you need to shorten the shutter speed !

[Simpo Two]

My quick way to get the fastest possible shutter speed (and an exposure that works) without thinking too hard is to set it to aperture priority exposure, open the aperture to max, hoof the ISO up as far as you can take the noise (maybe 800 on a camera that vintage), then the shutter speed will be as fast as it can be - and hopefully it will be adequate.


But in this context, you will be out of straws

[JDRoest]

Exif data is showing 100ISO. On a dark night, might as well ramp up to 1600ISO and be done with it - you are just not going to avoid noise. You might also want to shoot in raw for these types of shots so you can correct colour balance later (eg street lighting), plus you get a bit more range with exposure (you can push it 1 stop in processing). Also, the 300Ds ability to make a jpeg is not as good as your computer, so the raw image converted by your machine will look a bit better. Finally, as Rob says, set to Av mode next time, and shoot it wide open. That way the camera is always giving you the fastest shutter possible (if that's what you want). Otherwise lay in about 1/30-1/50 for the motion shot.

Anything lower than 1/30 and people will think you have Parkinsons.

[RobDickinson]

ISO 100? Brave!

ISO 400 would have given you 1/40th, so perhaps ISO 800 at 1/40th would have been a better starting exposure.