Newbie Problems

[LightStalker]

Hi all,

I recently bought a Panasonic FZ7 and am still learning how to use it. I can manage through outdoors but when it comes to indoors or nightshots i'm really terrible at it. Are there any tips that may help with taking a better shot? i'm not photoshop savy. right now my current settings for indoors are ISO 100, whitebalance +0.7. any advice?

Thanks & Regards

 

[justarius]

Hi all,

I recently bought a Panasonic FZ7 and am still learning how to use it. I can manage through outdoors but when it comes to indoors or nightshots i'm really terrible at it. Are there any tips that may help with taking a better shot? i'm not photoshop savy. right now my current settings for indoors are ISO 100, whitebalance +0.7. any advice?

Thanks & Regards

wht's wrong with your indoor shots? Too shaky? Everything flashed white? Try upping ISO and opening up the aperture to reduce shakiness... best is to use tripod for night shots; otherwise learn how to brace your elbows against your chest and keep them tucked in during shooting (like when going range like that). Trying experimenting with rear shutter for indoor shots to preserve the ambience lighting....

 

[LightStalker]

I've set the aperture to about f8 with a ISO of 800 and the LCD went black. I tried increasing the white balance all the way and i can only lightly see the shape. I tried lowering the ISO to about 200 and put the shutter speed at 1/10. aperture was down to about f4 and things were better but shaky, i wasnt using a tripod and i try not to because i dont always carry one with me. what shoud i do?

 

[ExplorerZ]

I've set the aperture to about f8 with a ISO of 800 and the LCD went black. I tried increasing the white balance all the way and i can only lightly see the shape. I tried lowering the ISO to about 200 and put the shutter speed at 1/10. aperture was down to about f4 and things were better but shaky, i wasnt using a tripod and i try not to because i dont always carry one with me. what shoud i do?

gosh f8... i guess you gotta learn more about aperture. try using f2.8 or 3.3 if you used zoom. you need to read up about white balace as well... it is to adjust the color cast not the brightness.

my conclusion, read more about photography and basic control of camera, from what i think you have mistook f8 as faster than f2.8,white balance as EV compensation, ISO 200 is more sensitive than ISO 800 :sweat:

 

[LightStalker]

gosh f8... i guess you gotta learn more about aperture. try using f2.8 or 3.3 if you used zoom. you need to read up about white balace as well... it is to adjust the color cast not the brightness.

my conclusion, read more about photography and basic control of camera, from what i think you have mistook f8 as faster than f2.8,white balance as EV compensation, ISO 200 is more sensitive than ISO 800 :sweat:

Thanks for your advice, i think i've grasp the concept of aperture. i did a read up on aperture and realized that what it affects is the size of the opening of the lens to determine the amount of light hitting the sensors. I've got the thing upside down. If i were to use f2.8, will i be able to get a better picture with ISO 100 or ISO 400? Will it effect the shutterspeed? Where can i read up on White Balance and EV Compensation? HELP !! :faint:

 

[westwest1]

ISO 100 for less noisy pics...

Gosh... do some search on the internet...

 

[raptor84]

Generealrly if you need higher shutter speeds to freeze action then use igher ISO's Keep in mind panasonic's noise control is far form ideal so you will have to live with lower detail shots.

If you are shooting still objects or scerny at night then use a tripod and as low an ISO as possible.

 

[justarius]

I've set the aperture to about f8 with a ISO of 800 and the LCD went black. I tried increasing the white balance all the way and i can only lightly see the shape. I tried lowering the ISO to about 200 and put the shutter speed at 1/10. aperture was down to about f4 and things were better but shaky, i wasnt using a tripod and i try not to because i dont always carry one with me. what shoud i do?

you using full manual ah? Use the histogram to help you to gauge the exposure... it seems as if your black LCD is caused by gross underexposure (not surprising given your f8). In cases where you are not sure, the camera's auto mode is your friend... (but you need to read up some more too). And in anycase, nothing beats a tripod for taking night pics, so you might want to think about that...

 

[LightStalker]

ISO 100 for less noisy pics...

Gosh... do some search on the internet...

Not very helpful are u?

 

[LightStalker]

Hi guys,
So i took all of ur advise and just realise that good photography isn't as easy as it seems. I used to use a cybershot and everything was so simple. AF all the way. With MF now, i see how hard it is to become a pro.. a long way ahead of me.. hahaha..
I've just taken some pictures tonight.. do anyone know how to upload them?

Thanks & Regards

 

[quantize]

Not very helpful are u?

I agree with westwest and I think you really need to read up on your own before asking people to spoon feed you with answers.

 

[Zaknafein]

i think u are still rather confused....
shutter speed, aperture are all manual exposure settings.

it has nothing to do with AF or MF.
dun be confused just becos of the words "Auto" and "manual"

af = auto focus, which means camera determines the distance to the subject automatically
mf = manual focus, the direct opposite of AF, the photographer adjust the focusing distance himself.

to upload pics, 1 of the way is to register with a webhost, upload ur pics on the webhost account, then post the links here. hope i have been helpful.

 

[Zaknafein]

Thanks for your advice, i think i've grasp the concept of aperture. i did a read up on aperture and realized that what it affects is the size of the opening of the lens to determine the amount of light hitting the sensors. I've got the thing upside down. If i were to use f2.8, will i be able to get a better picture with ISO 100 or ISO 400? Will it effect the shutterspeed? Where can i read up on White Balance and EV Compensation? HELP !! :faint:

first u need to understand how a bigger aperture can affect the way ur pic turns out.
the same goes for shutter speed and ISO. if u have grasp the concept, u wouldnt be asking the above question in bold.....

if u were talking about indoors, generally there would be insufficient light. hence, opening ur aperture bigger would allow more light hitting the sensor. whether its a "better picture with ISO 100 or ISO 400" would have to depends on the actual lighting condition and only u, the photographer, would know. so if the picture still turns out dark after using the biggest aperture, are u going to use ISO 100 or 400? ill let u answer back ur own question

 

[LightStalker]

I agree with westwest and I think you really need to read up on your own before asking people to spoon feed you with answers.

No offence but i happened to post this in the newbies corner. The reason why i'm asking all this is because i dont understand the books. My english isn't A1 that's why i came here for help.

 

[LightStalker]

i think u are still rather confused....
shutter speed, aperture are all manual exposure settings.

it has nothing to do with AF or MF.
dun be confused just becos of the words "Auto" and "manual"

af = auto focus, which means camera determines the distance to the subject automatically
mf = manual focus, the direct opposite of AF, the photographer adjust the focusing distance himself.

to upload pics, 1 of the way is to register with a webhost, upload ur pics on the webhost account, then post the links here. hope i have been helpful.

Haha.. i understand wat AF and MF means la..
Do you have a webhost account? Is it expensive?

 

[LightStalker]

first u need to understand how a bigger aperture can affect the way ur pic turns out.
the same goes for shutter speed and ISO. if u have grasp the concept, u wouldnt be asking the above question in bold.....

if u were talking about indoors, generally there would be insufficient light. hence, opening ur aperture bigger would allow more light hitting the sensor. whether its a "better picture with ISO 100 or ISO 400" would have to depends on the actual lighting condition and only u, the photographer, would know. so if the picture still turns out dark after using the biggest aperture, are u going to use ISO 100 or 400? ill let u answer back ur own question

Wow ! This is what i was looking for ! And yes, i did mention up there that i was taking indoors, reason i'm asking about the ISO is that i'm using a 6M camera, and when i print them out on 4R's they dont show much difference. So if that is the case, i might as well go for the ISO 400 which give me a much faster shutter speed !
Thanks alot Zaknafein

 

[genegoh]

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm

I learnt a lot from this site. Hope you do too.

 

[LightStalker]

Hi guys, do you guys use a 1gb sd card or 2 gb? i just got myself a kingston ultimate 1gb sd for photo shots, at the largest size, 6M, i get about 360 shots. I'm using a normal panasonic fz7 710mah battery. Last night after listening to your advise, i went out to take some experimental photos and realise that the number of shots finished faster than my battery(without flash). Could be due to the reason that the battery is brand new. Do you think it's better that i get a 2gb card and a spare battery in case? i never go for outdoor photo taking before and i am afraid that either one (card or battery) will run out faster than the other. What do you advise? While walking around with ur camera do you usually leave it on and take a shot at something nice? i plan to go out and take some shots outdoors this weekend...
Thanks for all your help and support for my problems above !!

 

[LightStalker]

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm

I learnt a lot from this site. Hope you do too.

WOW This is really detailed !! Thanks alot gene ! i just added this to my favorites. Will spend time reading this one!

 

[genegoh]

Hmm.. that's funny... my batteries usually run out before the SD card. You took 360 shots with one battery charge? Woah...
I went for a trip to Beijing with my family and I think I didn't even use up 75% of the 1GB card.