I have a Sony cybershot DSC-H3 and I have a question...

ferret_lovr · Dec 24, 2008

I am a beginner photographer and I just bought this camera to practice while I save for a digital SLR. The question I have is that the Advanced Sport mode (which obviously takes fast moving pictures) is completely dark and I cannot see anything at all unless it is lit up, like a comp screen or something and my room is very bright. When I used that mode in the store on the display camera it worked great! I want to be able to use this mode for my primary reason for buying this camera....animal photography. Can anybody help me with this? The mode says the flash settings cannot be changed from what they are, which is no flash. I have no clue what to do. No settings or anything....

Please help. I want to finally start using my new camera.

Steph · Dec 24, 2008

I don't know the specifics about your camera but when in sport mode, your camera uses a fast shutter speed (to freeze movement), therefore the sensor does not have much time to collect light. If there's a lot of light around, you'll get a picture. If it is too dark, the image will be really dark (underexposed). If you want to understand a bit more about this, Google 'exposure' and how it depends on aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings. Alternatively, [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1230108889&sr=8-1"]'Understanding Exposure'[/ame] by Bryan Peterson is a good book to understand the basics of exposure. Hope that helps.

Edit: no need to double post.

bhop · Dec 24, 2008

I used to have that camera. I hated it and gave it to my mom, who loves it, but she only uses full auto for family snapshots.

From what I recall, "sports mode" just seems to bump up the iso so that the camera shoots at a higher shutter speed (all automatically).. which is basically what Steph said. When I had the camera, I used it on programmed auto mode, but I don't remember the settings I had it at.