Help nighshots d5000 all of them have blur

[Dominantly]

A couple examples. No real meaning to them other then I was checking to see how the camera would perform with a higher ISO and being shot handheld with lights in the shot and motion.

 

[dhilberg]

Yea you'll need to use a faster lens and a higher ISO, there's no way around it. Unless you use a tripod. You should use a shorter focal length also, as someone else mentioned.

Also, the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D (or the 50mm f/1.4D) won't autofocus on the D5000. I would look at the 35mm f/1.8 AF-S or the 50mm f/1.4 AF-S. The 50mm is excellent. The 35mm is good too, but has quite a bit of distortion. It's fairly inexpensive though.

 

[Dominantly]

I have found using the 50mm that I use manual focus 60% of the time anyways. It's such a fun lens to use at 1.4-2.0, I find myself using the manual focus to bring out different focal points of the subject, the AF just wont let you do.

 

[KenL]

As has already been said, your problem is camera shake. With practice you might be able to hand hold as low as 1/20th of a second, but rule of thumb says to have a shutter speed equal to your focal length. So at 55mm you need 1/55th and so on.

Sometimes a tripod is a pain....carrying it, setting it up, not forgetting to bring it.....
but a tripod is the only way you will get good shots in poor lighting. A cheap, lightweight tripod won't help too much either.

If you get a Nikon VR (Vibration Reduction) lens you will be able to hand hold down to 1/15th with some practice.

Exposure Time = 1/6"
F Number = F2
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Focal Length = 35mm

 

[PatrickHMS]

Everyone is focused on lens issues, which will solve the exposure issue. But if you look carefully, these original photos are more than just underexposed.

Until the camera is held still and shot is focused properly the same original problem will still be a problem in a better exposed photograph, no matter WHAT glass is on the camera body.

I can take my D80 or even my "lowly" (as some here seem to feel that they are) D40 and kit lens and get clear, in focus shots of what OP is trying to photograph here.

Look at the unfocused areas of the original photo, how will a faster lens help the focus?

Look at the blur, like the double image in the details around the window panes, how will a faster lens help OP hold his camera still?

Am I the only one here who sees in the OP that the camera is not focused properly, and that there is movement of the camera while the shutter is open?

What good does it do him to buy a better lens until OP learns how to operate the camera properly?

 

[KenL]

An open shutter with the camera moving is referred to as "camera shake".

 

[ErectedGryphon]

Until the OP learns to shoot properly, using any lens will not give him the results he wants.

Correct the shooting technique, THEN worry about what lens to use.

Am I wrong?

:thumbup: :thumbup: You are not wrong.

 

[Dominantly]

Yes he has to know first how to shoot the scene before he can expect to take clear shots (no matter what the subject is).
What I think people have mentioned and discussed here is ways to further your equipment capabilities to allow you to take much better shots of the scenes you described and displayed (IE Walking around at night and shooting the cityscape handheld).
Some people refuse to believe that the technology has anything to do with enhancing someones shooting capability, but it does.

I would say to the OP to test out some of the advice of the people who posted here and try using some of the settings described. Once you start getting good results, then try out some of the other suggestions, maybe rent a 50mm lens for fun ($25 a weekend here for example), and see what that does for you.