Trouble with shutter speed leading to too dark or too bright

[a1157814a]

Sometimes I want my camera to have a quick shutter speed in order to catch a quick action, but then pictures come out too dark.

Other times, I want my camera to have a long exposure for whatever the reason, then the pictures come out almost washed out with brightness.

How can I fix this problem while leaving alone the shutter speed?

 

[AlexColeman]

Set it to either corresponding mode, then adjust, it will show you whether or not it will work, then just shoot. RTFM.

 

[a1157814a]

Set it to either corresponding mode, then adjust, it will show you whether or not it will work, then just shoot. RTFM.

what do you mean by that, can you explain further please

 

[AlexColeman]

Set it to shutter mode. Then select the shutter speed you want. Then it will show your speed and whether or not it is viable. BTW RTFM.

 

[mrodgers]

It takes more than adjusting one setting. You have Aperture, Shutter, and ISO that work in relation to each other to create the exposure. When you adjust one, you must adjust one of others or both.

Aperture and Shutter both let light into the camera. Aperture lets in quantity and Shutter lets light in for an amount of time. If you want more time (long exposure), you must let in less light (close the aperture.) Opposite if you want to stop action/movement. You have a quicker shutter, so you need to let in more light by opening the aperture.

ISO is the sensitivity. You can increase/decrease if you have a certain aperture and shutter you want.


It's difficult to understand at first. It was for me. Then one day, it hit me in the head like a brick and I went, "Doh!" Once that happens, it is the simplest concept you will come across in the hobby of photography.

 

[AlexColeman]

Yeah, but for the simpleton, he can just set it to one of the modes, then select whatever speed or aperture he wants.

 

[tsaraleksi]

mrodgers really nailed it when he said that eventually it will all click and make sense. The key is to realize that every setting impacts another setting, nothing can be changed in a vacuum. If you think of exposure as E, your shutter speed as S, aperture as A and ISO as I, then S+A+I=E. If you want E to remain constant, then if you change any one of those variables, the other variables have to change. If you want E to change, then change one while holding the others constant. Setting it to aperture priority is a good way to try this for yourself-- set it to an aperture, see what speed it gives you. Change the shutter speed, see what speed it gives you. Change it the other way, etc etc.

 

[a1157814a]

Without getting too complicated, does longer exposure time produce sharper pictures?

 

[tsaraleksi]

No, in no case would a slower shutter speed produce sharper pictures. When you are handholding the camera, any shutter faster than 1/200ish will get you sharp pictures assuming that what you are photographing isn't moving, and getting faster or slower will not change the sharpness. If you are photographing fast moving stuff, 1/500 or faster is usually recommended, but if you are still getting blurring then you need a faster speed.

 

[a1157814a]

then how could i get sharp images?

 

[tsaraleksi]

Focus correctly, use a shutter speed short enough to overcome handshake and subject movement. Just to make sure this is crystalline: shutter speeds are a fraction, so faster speed=bigger numbers, slower speed=smaller number (ie 1/30 is slower than 1/60 and lets in twice as much light. 1/125 is faster than 1/60 and lets in half as much light). Every three clicks on your camera (ie starting at 1/30 then going to 1/40, 1/50, 1/60), of either aperture or shutter speed, doubles or halves the amount of light coming into the camera.

 

[samal]

with all due respect to OP, I would have to second Alex here, RTFM, "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson is an excellent book

I came back to photography after 20 years hiatus (P&S family and vacation snapshotting aside) with some understanding of all the aspects how shutter, aperture and ISO work, but still made sure I read the book and practiced before I started shooting