Canon SD850 IS taking blurry images

[nsxviper]

I just got this camera about a month ago and it seems to work fine except when I take pictures indoors. The images become blurry with the slightest shake. My hands naturally shake so it's the reason why I went for IS. My IS setting is on as continous. I know for my indoor shots, I don't need to use flash. But when I don't use it, I see the red camera shaking icon on the bottom left. So everytime I take a picture without flash, I get a blurry image. I read that the cause of the red icon is that my iso setting is low and/or I don't have flash on. Even with the auto iso setting and flash off, I still get blurry images. I don't like how the auto setting makes the ISO to about 200 which produces noise in my pictures. Even during the daytime, the ISO used is 200. I could be wrong on this issue. But I would like someone to at least tell me what I'm doing wrong in using this camera. I would like to take a lot of indoor shots without having to use flash. Does compact fluorescent lights provide inadequate lighting? I have those in every room in the house.

Btw, I used to own the A570IS. It takes indoor pictures fine without flash and it isn't blurry. I do see the red shaking icon as well. My iso setting on this camera was auto.

I'm concerned because I need to use my camera for class, since I need to take a lot of indoor pictures of anatomy and physiology models. And I need to take pictures of microscope slides, I can't afford to have blurry pictures.

[ooverdrive]

The red icon says the camera needs flash.,you dn't let the flash work and hence get blurry pictures...the problem here is low light and slow shutter speed..the remedy is flash/a table top tripod/self timer in a solid surface..okay pls post some of ur blurry ones here and let others help you.

[David Metsky]

Turn the camera into Manual mode, set the ISO yourself, and then use the flash when needed. Tiny cameras with tiny optics tend to need more light to take pictures - it's the trade-off you make for most ultracompacts.

If this is really a problem and you can't use a flash, look at the Fuji F-40. But even with that camera, learning to set the ISO and White Balance will produce better pictures.

[JLV]

With my SD850 I usually need to us ISO 400 and a flash to get a good picture. In smaller rooms I can use ISO 100 or 200. I have taken good photos indoors with available light. For this the shutter speed is very slow. If can not hold the camera very still, use a tripod.

[nsxviper]

Here's an example of what I was talking about. I was thinking if the problem is with the lighting in my room. I wanted to know if CFLs are the cause of this. The lighting compared to the my room and the lab room at school are different. My room looks bright but when I used the camera, it doesn't.

SD850 IS with flash, ISO 200
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/SD850ISWithFlash2.jpg

SD850 IS without flash, ISO 200
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/SD850ISWithoutflash.jpg

Here are examples of the pictures I have to take at school. I was using my A570 IS at the time, but I don't have it with me anymore. A tripod is out of the question. The last picture is a microscope picture so I have to put the lens where the eyepiece is at in order to take it and it isn't easy to do so. I will have my lab class on thursday, so I'll let you guys know how that went.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/a570isNOFLASH.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/a570noflash2.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/a570noflash3.jpg

[JLV]

I tried to get the exif info from the photo taken in your room without a flash. Unfortunately, it was unavailable. Just from looking at it, I think it was taken at slow shutter speed, less than 1/20 of a second. Maybe you can check the exif and see what the shutter speed was.

[David Metsky]

Did you try that no-flash shot with ISO at 400? That should boost the shutter speed fast enough to eliminate some of the blur. I agree, it simply looks like without flash your camera is keeping the shutter open too long for you to hold it still.

[IIIV]

Hi. Since you're taking pics indoors, try:


putting the White Balance to Tungsten

and adjusting the Exposure


Click here (http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Canon-PowerShot-SD850IS-Digital-Camera-Review-15274/Control-Options.htm) if you're not sure how to adjust those settings.

Good luck! :)

[nsxviper]

Alright so I figured out the problem with my house and school. Those CFL's in my house don't provide adequate lighting in room. I'm pretty much fine with that, I don't really take pictures inside my house unless I need to sell something on ebay. But at school, it took most of the pictures fine. I left the setting on Flash Off, Tungsten, and Auto Iso. I tried using AWB but for some reason the camera kept adjusting the white balance all the time, it kept showing different colors. Also, when I took pictures under the microscope it display a yellowish color instead of a normal white balance. Try comparing the two microscope pictures. I'm fine with the tungsten bluish tint but not the yellowish one. Maybe I just I have to mess around with the white balance to get the setting I want.

Normal picture, there was some blurriness off to the side because the microscope wasn't that great.
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/goodshot.jpg

Yellowish, it's supposed to be pale pinkish like the above picture.
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/yellowish.jpg

But I have another problem, why is it that when I take a picture close up the pictures turn out to be blurry? How do you take close up pictures of something small without making it look blurry? I think the three pictures I took were a little close.

The three pictures that came out blurry for me.
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/sample2.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/sample3.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/sample.jpg

Blurry Close up
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/nsx_viper/blurrycloseup.jpg

[David Metsky]

In that last shot the camera isn't focusing on the subject, that's why things are blurry. Either you are are too close to the subject (and should use macro mode) or the focus locked on something else.

[IIIV]

What David says... If you're gonna take close up (up to 1.6 feet away) pics, put your camera to Macro Mode.

[nsxviper]

Thank you, this solves most of my problems now. How about if I want to take pictures dark indoor places like at a concert or club. What settings would be best for quality?

[David Metsky]

Thank you, this solves most of my problems now. How about if I want to take pictures dark indoor places like at a concert or club. What settings would be best for quality?
If you are too far away for the flash to work (more then 10 feet) then you are mostly out of luck. This camera isn't going to be very good in low light areas. Put it in manual mode, set the ISO to 200 or possibly 400, and hope for the best.