I just can't take pictures in AV mode

[MKamran]

totally frustrated by the fact that almost all my pictures in AV mode with my 85mm lens are coming out blurred... why???? i am good at TV mode.
even if my babies are asleep and the flash it on i have a TTL HSS flash and i just got it and of course i am a beginner..... still my AV mode pictures suck big time.... NEED HELP please.

 

[astroNikon]

Can you post some pics with the EXIF data. I would assume the shutter speed is too slow and you are getting shake/motion blur from holding the camera.

Since you have a flash
you may want to experiment in Manual Mode.
You can set your aperture that you want, and the shutter speed that you want.
Then let the flash in TTL mode to get you a proper exposure.

 

[Buckster]

Two words: Shutter Speed.

Even with the babies asleep, if you try to hand-hold the camera and the shutter speed is too low, the imperceptible shake of your own hands and the camera when you push down the shutter button during the moment that the shutter is open is enough to blur the image.

The general rule of thumb is that you want your shutter speed to be at least equal to your focal length. So, if your focal length is 50mm, you want your shutter speed to be at LEAST 1/50th of a second. At 100mm, you want at LEAST 1/100th of a second, and so on.

And even then, you'll want to employ the breathing techniques, stance with elbows close to the body, feet wide apart, leaning on something if at all possible, and so on to get as steady as possible.

Even better - get that gear on a tripod or a bean bag or steady it on the edge of a dresser, or something.

 

[pgriz]

Av mode means that the camera is going to set the shutter speed based on the ambient light level. The camera programming ignores the flash in calculating the exposure required. Buckster got it right. If you don't want blurring due to a slow shutter, you need to do one of several things: increase the ambient so that there is enough light to get a shutter speed as Buckster mentioned above, or use manual mode in which YOU set the aperture and shutter speed. When you work with flash, you're dealing with two exposures - one for ambient controlled by shutter speed and aperture, and the flash exposure controlled by aperture and the flash power setting.

 

[soufiej]

All your shots taken in Av mode are blurred? Or, only specific aperture settings result in blur? I'll first ask the dumb question; you do know changing aperture will alter depth of field? Basically, the reason to use Av mode. Without any samples to see, are you saying the entire image is blurred? Or, you are not keeping the entire image sharp? Learning to use Av mode is learning how to manipulate depth of field. If your DOF is too shallow, you will have blur in those areas not within the sharp focus area of your lens.

Otherwise, since aperture and shutter speed are tied together in the exposure triangle, compare shots taken with the same or similar settings for both values when you are using Tv mode. You should , if all else is correct, see a relationship between the two values and shots taken in Tv mode with similar aperture settings (assuming similar ISO) should look very much the same when using a fixed focal length. If this isn't the case, then you might be experiencing the camera movement mentioned in the other posts. But IMO it does seem odd you could hold the camera steady using one mode but not the other if shutter speeds are similar.

I would guess you use Tv mode outdoors to capture moving objects. So the ambient lighting with your sleeping children would push the ISO waaaaaay higher. Or, if you've limited the ISO range, open the aperture significantly while holding the shutter open for longer time periods which may be pushing you to the limits of hand holding the camera. Check that shutter speed on those shots to see if you need additional support for the camera or additional practice holding the camera steady.

 

[wfooshee]

You need to pay attention to what the viewfinder is telling you about the shutter speed selected by the camera while shooting Av. Handheld, you don't want slower than 1/60, maybe 1/30 if your lens is wide enough. Not many people can handhold a 1/10 second shot.

If the speed being selected in Av is too low, then you can open the aperture to get more light (unless you're already wide open,) you can up the ISO and then deal with noise issues, you can use a tripod which will hold the camera still (but if your subject moves you'll still get motion blur,) or you can give up on ambient and use a flash.

If you use a flash, go to manual and get out of Av. The camera still picks a shutter speed based on not having a flash, so you'll be back to long exposures and motion blur, with a "correctly" exposed pop somewhere during the time the shutter was opened.

 

[bribrius]

wth is av mode?

 

[snerd]

wth is av mode?

Aperture Priority. On Canon.

 

[bribrius]

wth is av mode?

Aperture Priority. On Canon.

like a gun battery? Google Image Result for http upload.wikimedia.org wikipedia commons 1 1b British 64 Pounder Rifled Muzzle-Loaded RML Gun on Moncrieff disappearing mount at Scaur Hill Fort Bermuda.jpg

 

[imagemaker46]

Then don't. If it keeps happening over and over, try different settings. Reading the manual is a good start, but while you read, try changing things and see what happens.