E-PL1 blurred photo advice

First of all let me just say that they are incredibly cute and the happiest babies I've ever seen!

Second, if you haven't read this thread yet about posting images https://www.mu-43.com/f77/how-post-images-forum-threads-316/ it is very helpful. Since you have the image in your gallery, you can use the "My Photos" section just below the "smilies" when you use the Advanced Reply method to edit your post and click on "Insert" and that way your photo will show up right here.

I'm going to wait and let someone else address your technical questions regarding the blurriness issue because there are a number of issues in question and I don't know much about the iAuto mode.

Hang in here...you'll get help, I promise!

 

It looks to me like the camera focused on the left foot bootie on the baby on the left. Depth of field was not enough for the babies' faces to be in focus.

The way I have my camera set up, I use the center point for autofocus. I would place the point over the subject's eye, lock focus and recompose. Another way would be to use face detection.

Hope this helps.

Antonio

 

I think Antonio (ajramirez) is right on the mark about what happened. The issue here is that invalido says he had the camera on iAuto...if you go into the gallery and click on EXIF it does give some info P4230402 - Mu-43 Gallery

It would be difficult, I believe, to have enough depth of field to allow the whole of these two little girls to be in focus at f/3.5 even though I know f stops and depth of field on the micro four thirds might not be the same as on a full sized camera.

Invalidopcode, you might find this thread helpful if you're not that familiar with "depth of field" https://www.mu-43.com/f35/dof-depth-field-499/. I don't want to write anymore because I'm not quite sure if you are knowledgeable about "DOF" or not. Basically certain f stops allow certain parts of the image in your field of view via the camera to be in focus. The larger the number the smaller the hole that lets the light in and the greater the depth of field.

There are quite a few very helpful threads in this forum regarding "how to", though not specific to any particular brand of camera. One that springs to mind is this Landscape/Portrait/Action/ Any Rule of Thumb? you might want to read through it and see if you find it helpful and if you have any questions from that thread be sure to ask away over there. Meanwhile, we're here for you, so please don't hesitate to ask for clarification, etc.

 

With IBIS at 14 mm, you can close 2 stops and get down to 1/15th a sec. easily. But then you would get subject motion blur. I think lighting was suboptimal to begin with. The babies might have been better lit by the window, closer and light coming 3/4 from face instead at 90° from camera. Then there's the focus point problem, IMO nothing beats centre point focus + lock, in spite of what marketing puppets are force feeding us as 'better' multi-point pseudo-intelligent focusing. Focus first on your subject, then frame. Don't let a machine decide what's important to you.

 

The main problem as I see it is the slow shutter 1/60 sec. Even with IBIS there is some camera shake here. Using the flash would help a lot. The kit lens os not optically fast at f/3.5 and you wouldn't want to go much above ISO 800.

A lens like the Panny 20mm f/1.7 would cope better in low light but the cheapest option is to turn on the flash.

 

I agree, gorgeous babies... and unfortunately front focused slightly. I'd go with either face detection or spot focus on the eyes.

Practice practice practice! :smile: be aware of where your natural light is coming from and position yourself and subjects to make the most of it.

Cheers

Brian

 

I disagree ; when you hover the magnifier over the foot in focus, you see the fabric is detailed to the pixel level, which is impossible to achieve if there is the slightest hint of camera shake. But there is subject motion L2R in the face of the right hand side girl, and your advices (faster lens, flash) would take care of that.

 

Basically, yes, you're right, that sums up the discussion.

Just one thing to consider : light hitting a surface decrease by an amount that's the square of the distance between light source and subject. That's a *huge* regression. But lighting is *not* affected by distance between camera and subject. You can be (almost) as far as you want from the subject provided said subject has got enough light. So you could (room size permitting) back off a bit and bring the focal to 25 ~ 35 for a more natural perspective (and avoid distorting the heads' shapes).

So next time, move your subject *closer* to the window (light source). You can easily win 2 stops by moving your subject 50 cm closer. Try for yourself !

Cheers,

Mauve

 

And you might want to experiment on one set scene trying out using the camera in Aperture priority mode, setting the ISO to Auto, using the center point, and seeing what combinations of shutter speed you get with which aperture. Sometimes it works out just right, sometimes you need to change things even if it is a static scene, let along a moving portrait of two little girls with their wiggling "piggies". Love that term, too.

You can easily change the aperture on the E-PL1 fast with that little plus minus button...and see how it will change the shutter speed, but keeping in mind your need for depth of field. I think that the more you just go out and use this camera, you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly but it does help to take some time to experiment to get to know it. For example some types of pictures are going to be more about moving objects - as in your two little girls when they start to run so that you can catch them, so you might use Shutter priority or put it on Scene mode for children and pets or sports...

 

Thanks invalidopcode and good luck - please let us know how it goes, too.

I'm not familiar with that software you're using. I use Aperture 3 (on a Mac), while many here use Lightroom, Lightzone, etc. Everyone tends to love their own. If you get interested in any check out the software forum. Meanwhile, happy shooting of those two darlings!

 

Ok, I thought this out and edited your image a bit. I can post the result of my ramblings here or to you directly if you wish to see what I came up to (obviously, I couldn't do much about the focus).

Basically, I corrected your WB for more natural flesh tones, and tweaked optical geometry to simulate a longer focal for improved perspectives.

So if you're interested to see it, let me know, I'll inline the edited image here.

 

This is more complex than it first appears.

The first point I note is that from the Exif the shutter speed and aperture were the same in each photo, 1/60th @ f3.5. Depth of field, both front and back seems the same so it is not a focusing issue and even f3.5 at 14mm should have had sufficient DOF provided focus was on the faces.

I think most of the blur is subject movement, I bet those little darlings were moving the whole time and 1/60th at close range won't freeze that. However, it also seems there is just a touch of camera shake as well, perhaps a sudden, involuntary jerk as the shutter was quickly pressed to capture the moment? IS is good but it doesn't perform miracles and we have to appreciate that lightweight :43: cameras lack the heft and bulk which gives DSLRs a bit of inertia when the button is pressed.

The decision to use natural light in preference to flash was a good one, it gives a much nicer soft illumination and more atmosphere. In my view it would have been worth the trade off to have increased the ISO from 800 to 1600 to get a faster shutter speed or, better still, next time set them up nearer a window to get more of that lovely light.

Also, practice pressing the shutter release. Make sure you are standing or kneeling in a stable position and well balanced. Concentrate on keeping your arms rigid and steady as you press the release - photographing with outstretched arms while viewing the screen is inherantly less stable than holding a DSLR to your eye. Hold your breath as you gently press the shutter release with the minimum pressure necessary and in marginal situations such as this hold that button down while you take a burst of frames - the more you have the better the chance of a sharp one, both from the point of view of camera and subject movement.

Despite the natural light version being disappointing you do have a lovely flash shot and plenty of opportunity to try again. Good luck. :smile:

 

Did you or have you tried the White Balance control on the camera? It can be a big help, and/or your post processing software should have a white balance correction...but next time try the camera's controls and see if you think it helps while you are looking through the viewfinder or at the LCD...if you haven't already.

I don't know anything about that software but it might behoove you to consider a different type. You could check out the Software forum and start a new thread or add to one...which ever is appropriate. Just a thought.

By the way, I love your description of the scene with your daughters!

 

I don't know anything about that software but it might behoove you to consider a different type.

Wow BB, I haven't seen that word used for years and years