manual? how much manual?
RSutton1223 said:
I have been searching the forums and can not find the answers I am looking for.
What settings are you guys using to get good action shots that are not blurred? I have a Canon Powershot A620, so manual settings are available. We are taking a trip this week and I want to make sure the shots are decent and not the typical..."that smear is me doing a drop!" pics.
If you have the ability to manual aperture, ISO, and shutter speed you will be able to do a lot, And I believe you can. Your A 620 is a lot like my wife's A 710 IS which I mess with a bit. You could set your mode to TV then set your shutter to something like 1/250 or 1/500 and let the camera do the rest and see what you get, play with the shutter speeds up and down a little too in TV. Get too high in shutter and you may get a more grainy shot as the camera compensates auto for a high shutter depending on your light. Then try the AV mode and set your aperture to around 4.0 and see what you get. I think you may have better luck in TV mode doing action though. Low light, maybe try the flash turned on. Just my .02 cents.
I am no pro at this, but I have used a small handfull of point and shoot sure shot canon's the last 5 years. I currently have the G7, and am quite happy with the quality of shots.
Some pictures:
The snow shot was taken at 2000 shutter speed, 6.3 aperture and 200 ISO hand held in freezing cold weather with guys racing a GS course hauling azz by me.
......the waterfall picture, 1/500 shutter speed..... this shot at a different angle is featured in the newest Dirt Rag and Bike issues in the Turner ads. It took a heck of a lot for me to pull off the picture that you will see in the ads. Both of these pictures taken with my G7.
Then a close up was taken by a friend, low light under a canopy of trees with a Rebel XT, just enough blur to show movement and action can be a real good thing. 1/200 shutter, aperture 5.6 with a flash.
Then the last picture is a ski base jumper, the run in on snow was at about 40 mph., 35 degree pitch point the skiis straight down a shoveled runway to the jump......I was underneath 450 feet below with my G7, zoomed in a bit, 1/500 shutter. Hand held waiting for the psycho to launch off the cliff at speed. Too see the sequence is nuts, here he is 1/2 way through his front flip before pulling his chute 2 seconds later.......I like my feet on the ground....!!!!!!
And finally a fire scene, late night.....shutter at 6 seconds long, ISO 80, and aperture 4.5.
Just a few examples of what shutter speed and playing with settings can do for you.