IMO this shot was blown. Of several possibilities, how should I try to avoid this?

[tilling]

This was taken on a recent vacation. I handed my G1 to someone else. It was in aperture priority, I think 800 ISO, burst mode.
We actually got 3 shots and none of them really turned out. Exposure time ended up 1/6 [ed -- actually it was 1/20] of a second (this was already a stop underexposed). This and one other one came out blurry.
The last shot was less blurry, but two of us were blinking, so I didn't like that one either.

[At first I forgot to mention that this is shot at f/1.7 with the 20mm, so I cannot open up the aperture any.]

To me the obvious possibilities are:
1. Move up to 1600 ISO
2. Set EV to 2 or even more stops under
3. Get an Olympus with IBIS
4. Figure out a good way to use flash without the harshness: off-camera? bounce card?

You guys may know of some others. At least I hope you suggest some of the tradeoffs involved, and what's most likely to help for a picture like this.

Is there a shutter time rule for people photos at that distance? Knowing that might be a good start.

 

[jlabate]

What aperture?

 

[BillN]

A couple of suggestions
Use highest ISO that is acceptable and Shoot it in RAW then PP it in LightRoom or similar, you will have more latitude in RAW if you under expose

Move to a situation with more light, (on the subjects), maybe only a few feet away, but it will help

Obviously a tripod is not possible - but if the cam is rested on some kind of solid base it will help

(obviously use your widest aperture)

The Pany lenses on the G1 have IS - except the 20mm and below

Have you tried Auto ISO

You need approaching 1/100 if there is going to be even the slightest tremble - so set your cam to that and use Auto ISO plus RAW

There is also a "scene mode" for portraits plus Auto

Good luck

 

[~tc~]

Buy the panny 20/1.7 or PL 45/2.8 - stops is stops, better to get there with wider aperture than more ISO

 

[tilling]

What aperture?

This was shot with the 20mm at 1.7.

 

[zpierce]

As a G1 owner with that lens, in those conditions, I probably would have gone for the flash. The flash isn't bad, especially there where there's nothing immediately behind your subject to cast harsh shadows on. I would have not gone above 800 iso as that's what I consider the limit on the camera before it gets too bad to use. I would have tried manual with ISO 800 and a shutter of about 1/15 - 1/30 of a sec to let the background expose and then use the flash to freeze / fill the people.

Here's a couple where I did exactly that recently at my daughter's bowling birthday party. ISO 800, 1/15s, 20mm f1.7. It was a very dark bowling alley. Far from perfect, I think they're pretty decent, and without flash I would have had far worse than your picture as it was quite dark.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zachpierce/5205677778/" title="P1210087.jpg by zach.pierce, on Flickr"> View attachment 153296 "480" height="640" alt="P1210087.jpg" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zachpierce/5205079349/" title="P1210085.jpg by zach.pierce, on Flickr"> View attachment 153297 "640" height="480" alt="P1210085.jpg" /></a>

 

[tilling]

Are these using the unmodified G1 flash, or did you have an extra flash, or some kind of bouncer?

 

[hanzo]

For me, I'd try shooting with shutter priority and worry about the noise later. I can get decent pictures with 1/25 or 1/30, but anything longer are usually blurry
Or use the flash

 

[zpierce]

Oops, I just realized I had my new external flash in those shots. Here's a couple I took yesterday though with the on camera. Similar shutter / iso, on camera flash.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zachpierce/5207401017/" title="P1210247.jpg by zach.pierce, on Flickr"> View attachment 153301 "640" height="480" alt="P1210247.jpg" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zachpierce/5207999468/" title="P1210272.jpg by zach.pierce, on Flickr"> View attachment 153302 "480" height="640" alt="P1210272.jpg" /></a>

 

[Cerebus2]

This was taken on a recent vacation. I handed my G1 to someone else. [...]

To me the obvious possibilities are:
1. Move up to 1600 ISO
2. Set EV to 2 or even more stops under
3. Get an Olympus with IBIS
4. Figure out a good way to use flash without the harshness: off-camera? bounce card?

I find it best to simply pop the camera into iA mode before handing it to anyone else.

-- C

 

[phrenic]

I'd also be wary of handing it over in anything but iA mode,

 

[bebrox]

iA

I'd also be wary of handing it over in anything but iA mode,

Yes if I hand the camera to someone who has never used a DSLR type, I set it to iA or I set the shot up before hand.

 

[shoturtle]

I am not sure if the exif data is correct, but it has it that you were shooting at 248iso. That is awfully low for a night shot without a flash. You will be better off shooting at 800iso, that will give you 2 stops better low light performance. Bringing you form 1/20 to close to 1/60 sec with the panny. 1600iso would be much better. And IBIS would be a help also.

If do not want to use the flash because of flash wash, ev the flash down -2. And adjust for the exposure in pp if needed. It should do a good job of lessening the flash wash.

IBIS at 1600iso at 1/80 sec, 20mm at F2, no flash, hand held, cat was moving his head.

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

... I handed my G1 to someone else. It was in aperture priority, I think 800 ISO, ... shot at f/1.7 with the 20mm, ...

Wow. Wide-open, ISO 800 and still 1/6th shutterspeed.
Nothing to be done except either use flash (that is what its there for) or use a better photographer (steadier hands) to take more shots.

 

[Iconindustries]

Hey Ulfric, which fella is you?:smile:

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

? I'm not in the pic...

 

[~tc~]

This was shot with the 20mm at 1.7.

Wow. It must have been DARK in there!

 

[tilling]

Wow. It must have been DARK in there!

I double-checked, and you're right. It was actually 1/20.

 

[tilling]

I am not sure if the exif data is correct, but it has it that you were shooting at 248iso.

The figure "248iso" seems to be a mistake caused by shrinking the picture. The original says 800iso.

If do not want to use the flash because of flash wash, ev the flash down -2. And adjust for the exposure in pp if needed. It should do a good job of lessening the flash wash.

IBIS at 1600iso at 1/80 sec, 20mm at F2, no flash, hand held, cat was moving his head.

How do you "ev the flash down"? Can you do that with the G1's own flash, or does that require a fancy external TTL flash?

Thanks for the pic, it's good to see you can do that!