Shooting in Low-Light Conditions

To obtain sharp, accurate images, the shutter button must be pressed halfway to allow the camera to meter and focus. When focus has been achieved, the camera may beep or show a light indicator next to the viewfinder. At that point, the shutter should be depressed fully to take the picture. In low light situations it may be more difficult for the camera to focus. There are a number of features designed for overcoming low light photographs. Not all cameras offer the features outlined below, depending on the model you may have all or only some of the features listed below.

There are basically two reasons why you may have grain or blurring in your images:

1. The subject is out of focus.

2. The camera is not being held still enough for the shutter speed.

3. For grain, a high ISO is being used, or the image quality set on the camera is low.

It may be difficult to auto focus or see subjects in the LCD panel in low light conditions such as the following:

1. Very low-contrast subjects.

2. Overlapping nearby and distant objects.

3. Very bright subjects in the center.

4. Subjects moving very fast.

5. When taking pictures out of the camera's focusing range.

Camera shaking will produce an overlapping or blurred image. For clearer images, hold the camera firmly not to cause camera shaking. Here are some tips for taking better photos with less camera shaking:

1. For maximum stability, hold the camera firmly well over the grip and keep your right elbow lightly pressed against your body.

2. Support the lens or the camera body with your left hand from below.

3. Look into the optical viewfinder as if pressing your forehead to the camera.

4. Do not stand straight, but with one foot stepping forward for taking better balance of your body.

5. Lean against a wall.

6. Put the camera on a fixed object like a table.

7. Use a tripod.

8. Increase the ISO to obtain a faster shutter speed.

Move the zoom control towards wide-angle. If you move the zoom control towards tele-angle, camera-shaking will more easily occur. Faster shutter speeds will produce better images. Slower shutter speeds may produce more camera-shaking.

Below are some of the modes offered on some models to assist with low light shooting.

The NIGHT SCENE mode, allows you to capture human subjects against the backdrop of an evening sky or night scene. The flash is directed at the person and the shutter speed is slow, so the person and the background can be beautifully shot. You would use the NIGHT SCENE mode when you would like an image with more of an artistic touch. For impressive sunset or nightlife shots, the camera properly exposes the background and uses slow-sync flash for the subject.

The NIGHT SNAPSHOT mode, allows you to take snapshots of people against twilight or night backgrounds by reducing the effects of camera shake even without using a tripod. You might use this setting when shooting family and friends at a party or a campfire to get natural-looking pictures with brighter backgrounds and subjects lit by flash.