Shooting in Low Light

Lynnzora · Jun 10, 2009

I was practicing shooting in low light today. Everything came back so blurry... Even when using the off camera flash... Humm I have the off camera flash actually on the top of the camera slot and have even tried tilting it in different directions. Absolutely NO sharp images.

Any advice? I was told to look into getting gels for color correction, and some other things... ANy other advise. Shooting in low light is something that I would like to master. Your help is appreciated... :hug::

Lynnzora · Jun 10, 2009

Did I mention that I also have a fast lens too. A 50mm 1.4... What to do... What to do??? Help! :meh:

Sherman Banks · Jun 10, 2009

Lynnzora said:
I was practicing shooting in low light today. Everything came back so blurry... Even when using the off camera flash... Humm I have the off camera flash actually on the top of the camera slot and have even tried tilting it in different directions. Absolutely NO sharp images. Any advice? I was told to look into getting gels for color correction, and some other things... ANy other advise. Shooting in low light is something that I would like to master. Your help is appreciated... :hug::

You have some images with EXIF data? It sounds like motion blur from a slow shutter, and to compensate you need to boost the flash power to increase shutter speed. There is also the usual aperture/ISO adjustments you can make, but if you're shutter still isn't fast enough, add more light/power. If you're shooting something that isn't sitting still, try to get your shutter speed set to your camera/flash max sync speed (which is usually around 1/200th) and adjust your other settings to work around that.

Gels are going to be necessary when you're mixing different light sources (tungsten and flash, etc) but it actually take some power from your flash so that won't help your images come out sharp.

Hope this helps!

dxqcanada · Jun 10, 2009

Low light normally equates to low shutter speed.

Lower shutter speeds require stabilizing the camera.
Some camera's have IS/VR ... image stabilization to compensate for camera shake. If the shutter speed is exceptionally low then even those mechanisms will not compensate. At this point you need to put the camera on something or use a tripod/monopod.

Do you recall what the shutter speed was ?

dxqcanada · Jun 10, 2009

If you are shooting with a flash in any Auto mode, the camera should have raised the shutter speed ... were you shooting in Manual exposure or some other particular modes enabled ?

KmH · Jun 10, 2009

What camera? What flash unit? What shooting mode?

You need to set up the camera for slow sync, on the rear curtain.

Which camera you were using determines the highest shutter speed you can use without resorting to FP sync mode.

Which flash unit you were using determines what flash options are available. If you don't have the right flash the FP sync mode I mentioned may not even be available.

If you want much more help than that tell us what equipment you were using and post images that have the EXIF data intact so we can see the camera settings and can tell if the blur is camera shake, subject motion from front curtain sync or just plain old oof images.

kundalini · Jun 10, 2009

Sounds like shutter speed to me. Even with a f/1.4, you still have to consider shutter speed with low light situations.

Boost ISO, increase flash output (even on TTL...), tripod..... EV Comp / FV Comp.....

We need photos! :lol:

bigtwinky · Jun 10, 2009

need more info on what you were doing as well as some pictures to get a better idea of the issue

Lynnzora · Jun 10, 2009

KmH said:
What camera? What flash unit? What shooting mode?

You need to set up the camera for slow sync, on the rear curtain.

Which camera you were using determines the highest shutter speed you can use without resorting to FP sync mode.

Which flash unit you were using determines what flash options are available. If you don't have the right flash the FP sync mode I mentioned may not even be available.

If you want much more help than that tell us what equipment you were using and post images that have the EXIF data intact so we can see the camera settings and can tell if the blur is camera shake, subject motion from front curtain sync or just plain old oof images.

Pentax K20d
50mm 1.4
I had it resting on something so I don't think it was motion blur. I think that it's too dark inside.

I have a Bower SF829TW... for the flash. I put it on top of the camera usually. It really hasn't made a difference.

The camera is on auto... So yes you would think that it would automatically adjust...??

dxqcanada · Jun 10, 2009

Blurry means ... incorrect focus (lighting too low for AF) or subject is moving (as opposed to camera).

Lynnzora · Jun 10, 2009

dxqcanada · Jun 10, 2009

At 1/3s ... any movement by the subject will cause blur.

At f/1.8 the background would be out of focus.

Use the flash to expose the subject.
Change aperture to control flash exposure ... and use shutter speed to expose the background.