Photo Blur

[AUZambo]

I know this is somewhat off-topic, but something else for you to be aware of when you shoot is holding the camera straight. The horizon isn't quite horizontal.

I have this problem all the time....maybe one of my legs is longer than the other.

 

[Mike_E]

1: An old sock and a needle and thread with aquarium gravel. Used as a bean bag and is cheap enough to throw away when you are done. If you are only going to be out a day or so - or it will be dry, you can use real beans too, they're under a buck.

2: A 'Wal-Mart special' tripod. Around $30 and though not as disposable you won't cry about it if it doesn't make it back. Works pretty well too and is light. There is also a rifle stand that looks like a monopod except that it just has a padded rest that looks like a C on it's back. Works great for resting your lens on if you are moving fast. It's around $10.

Tripods are worth the effort IMHO.

mike

 

[thebledhrcfan]

you can also get a tripod from a trusted dealer on ebay, just make sure you know how tall it is and if the height and stability is worth the money

 

[Sw1tchFX]

You can't fix camera shake in post production-period.

The D80 has an on-demand viewfinder grid. Using that, there's really no excuse for having tilted horizons anymore.

Tripods (at least the good ones) are bulky and heavy. Boo hoo, it would have fixed this photo. I hate carrying a tripod around as much as the next guy, but if i can use it, i do, for sharper images everytime.

 

[Mike_E]

And if you are carrying a tripod, you get a pass when somebody walks up with a camera that's 5 times as expensive as yours.

i.e. "My camera is so great that it almost takes the shot itself", "Oh, that's nice. I find that it's easier to be good than to have to rely on the camera being good." "I have Image Stabilization!" "Oh, that's nice, I don't need it."

:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

mike


p.s. again, a cheap one is light and loads better than one you won't carry. If you will carry an expensive one then by all means get it.

 

[EOS_JD]

No fix in PS for this. Sharpening may help but it's not an answer to it.

Tripod or IS may help.....

 

[RacePhoto]

Both will work fine. The cheapest, lightest tripod, will be better than hand held, and then consider throwing it under the seat in the car, just in case. If it gets broken or lost, so what?

Bean bags, (generic term for our purposes, large old sock will work fine) can be filled with something light like packing peanuts, and they will still do fine. Lighter than gravel or beans, won't pick up water or moisture. You can hang it anywhere, on the outside, on your belt... with a snap ring, so it doesn't take up backpack space.

If I was going to make one of these, I'd go to rummage sales (trunk sales, yard sales, whatever they call them where you are) and buy a bunch of Beanie Babies. Slice them open and take out the beads. I know this seems like murder to some people, but they are a nice weight, plastic and also moisture resistant.

You don't need a big bag or sock, just enough to pad the camera and be able to level it on a tree stump, rock, car hood, bench or whatever.

I use a glove much of the time, which means not carrying anything like the above, but a "bean bag" is a useful tool for backpacking or travel without a tripod.

I have two tripods, magnetic camera mount, and a monopod in the car, all the time! I carry a mini tripod in the bag. Still I end up using a glove under the camera much of the time, which serves a dual purpose.

1: An old sock and a needle and thread with aquarium gravel. Used as a bean bag and is cheap enough to throw away when you are done. If you are only going to be out a day or so - or it will be dry, you can use real beans too, they're under a buck.

2: A 'Wal-Mart special' tripod. Around $30 and though not as disposable you won't cry about it if it doesn't make it back. Works pretty well too and is light. There is also a rifle stand that looks like a monopod except that it just has a padded rest that looks like a C on it's back. Works great for resting your lens on if you are moving fast. It's around $10.

Tripods are worth the effort IMHO.

mike

 

[Remi M.]

There are a few ways to sharpen in photoshop, but sometimes it's just too blury.
I use smart sharpen and combination of unsharp mask.

Next time your out shooting try raising the ISO. And try to keep in mind what shutter speed will result in camera shake blur. I go by a simple rule. I try to keep the shutter speed faster than the lens size by the crop factor of x1.6. So if I'm shooting with a 50mm I will try to keep the shutter speed at 1/90s or faster.

 

[WingedPower]

Well, if you want a filtering program that counters handshake/motion blur during photography:

http://www.focusmagic.com/

Good luck!

 

[benjikan]

I often use "Blur" as an effect. I love mixing sharp and blurry elements in some of the images I produce. It adds an ethereal ambiance to the images.

Here is one sample..

http://anashcreation.com/thenashgallery/BenjaminKanarek/IMG_2166diff_clouds_b_w

 

[thanos]

G'day thankyou for the comments, just come back here after a while. Tripods, tripods, grids, VR (I want an 18-200!!!!), monopods, bean bags, ISO, yes all have been considered and in hindsight, one should have brought a small "disposablish" tripod or a monopod (am planning on geting one of thise walking stick hybrids).

Bean bags I have used before, however I just trusted fate when I framed this (Sw1tchFX, I have my grid on almost all time on the d80) as when I when I stated earlier, it was resting on my knee (thinkin about gettin an olympus now.....). Hence the crooked horizon, will fix it in post when I get my damn cs3 to work again.

The ISO was turned up, 800, you should have seen it in the flesh, really dark, but really vibrant sunset - brightness would have been a real issue if not for that and slow shutter.

I would have loved to bracket and produce a hdr, but alas.

And Sw1tchFX mate, I know all about weight. My biggest so far would have to be Milford Sound starting from Lake tekapo on the South Island of New Zealand. We went absolutely tropo and thought we could manage 2 weeks on our own with nothin (or everything we could carry around with us, no car except for the odd lift, just us and rucksacks), same sort of camp kit I would imagine Alex_B to have on his trip to lapland, although we needed 2 weeks of food on top. And I brought my manfrotto/bogen 190 tripod + lenses (first use of my uncles canon t90 [plug: now for sale]). This particualr trip to Moreton was a light stroll, takin it easy with a few mates, I was playin beach cricket at the time and just happened to look out at the sunset and had my camera near by. Didnt expect to take any photos, sport dulls the cultural senses .

I was attempting to use the photo as an example. It is by no means particularly good (and I have only just began to explore the nuances of photography), but the subtle blur due to slow shutter and knee balance was what first got me thinkin (and being sized down it is mroe difficult to see this). The aim of this paricular thread by my eyes was to check whether there was any post-production means to fix camera shake (even alittle). All the same I appreciate the constructive criticism and everyone who has directly attempted to answer my question.

Matt Keks

and Mike_E, down under, we call it "K-Mart"

 

[thanos]

and by the way we did manage...just.

 

[Andreal]

Hey another kiwi where do you go tramping man? I just got into photography and am looking at getting into some tramping/camping with mate to go out photographing...although that would involve getting some tramping/camping gear and most my cash atm goes into photography ...ahhh there is never enough money .

 

[thanos]

Kiwi, nah mate, true blue Queenslander, Australian.

Well I said 2 weeks, but that was spent at Milford Sound, we travelled alot in between, approx 2 weeks.

We started at Christchurch (got to land the plane somewhere), took a bus to lake tekapo where we camped aroun there for 3 nights, did abit of kayaking and went up to Mt Cook (walked most of the way). Then bussed and camped (1 night each) to Lake Pukaki, Wanaka, Cromwell (actually right near the Kawarau Gorge), finsihing at queenstown for a few days for some normality (and alittle skiing at Cadrona). Bussed to Te Anu, kayaked and stocked up then bussed to Milford Sound/Fiordland National Park. My uncle knew someone, sort of a ranger (never found out his offical denomination) who stayed with us for the most part around the sound, as its real tough to do what we did - we were able to get a permit to camp around the "tamer" parts of the sound, near Southland I think and explore where we could, no car, so alot of walking (even at night). I dont believe its possible to do such anymore, must go through registered operators now I think.

It was absolutely sensational, but being late winter it was bloody cold. Even though we werent all that far out, there were still seals and penguins (of the robin williams, rockhopper kind) all around us (with a few dolphins later). weren't allowed to fish though. Weather was really clear for the first part, was able to take some good shots.

We also did the overnight cruise right out to the open water which was fantastic. Afterwards bussed our way back to Wanaka and then followed the east coast back to Christchurch, stayed at a hotel , then flew home. Wish I could show some photos, but there in storage and dont have any digital.

And all on a shoestring may I add . GO Wallabies for the Bledisloe!!!

But anyway I'll stop jacking my own thread now.

 

[tedgtfan]

Well, if you want a filtering program that counters handshake/motion blur during photography:

http://www.focusmagic.com/

Good luck!

Thanks for the link. Great program, just downloaded :hail: