Fast Shutter Speed

[photo568]

How can I get a fast shutter speed on my point and shoot.

It has no manual mode, shutter or aperture priority.

photo568

[Jim Bryant]

You can't. P & S cameras does all your thinking for you. I call them PhD cameras. No offense, but most professionals call them Press here Dummy cameras

Originally Posted by photo568

How can I get a fast shutter speed on my point and shoot.

It has no manual mode, shutter or aperture priority.

photo568

[mstark70]

The only thing some of them offer is a "sports mode" for shooting but it depends on how basic a model you have. Most offer no control other then just press here as Jim said above. Sorry!

[dhart]

I was at a basketball game with a P&S (all they would allow) and it had a manual mode, so I used that. However, the focus speed was way, way to slow, so I ended up locking the focus (by pressing the button half way) where I thought the action was going to be. Most of the time, I pre-focused on the basket. It helped tremendously, and many shots I did get I would not have if I hadn't done that. So, I am not sure if your question was about the shutter speed or perhaps the focus speed, but if you are stuck with a P&S in a fast sport situation, pre-focusing will mean the difference between getting the shot and not. (It's probably good practice no matter what type of camera you have!) HTH, even if it wasn't exactly what you were asking.

[photo568]

My camera is a Sony DSC-W130.

I did mean the shutter speed not the focus speed.

My camera has no sports mode.

[Wooglah]

Steve's digicams website says "Auto, Program AE, plus 10 Scene modes ", and later on "Auto, Easy Shooting, Program Auto, Movie, High Sensitivity, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Smile Shutter ", where shutter speed in Program Auto can be 1-1/6000 sec.

Since I only use M, I have no idea can this program mode help you achieve desired results, but other than that I dont see what there is to be done. Problem is that your camera is meant to be used more as a fashion accessorie than real camera. It is usable for small web pictures for blogs and facebook galleries, snapshots and that kind of stuff, but you can not be very creative without manual settings... Tough luck...

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by Wooglah

Steve's digicams website says "Auto, Program AE, plus 10 Scene modes ", and later on "Auto, Easy Shooting, Program Auto, Movie, High Sensitivity, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Smile Shutter ", where shutter speed in Program Auto can be 1-1/6000 sec.

Since I only use M, I have no idea can this program mode help you achieve desired results, but other than that I dont see what there is to be done. Problem is that your camera is meant to be used more as a fashion accessorie than real camera. It is usable for small web pictures for blogs and facebook galleries, snapshots and that kind of stuff, but you can not be very creative without manual settings... Tough luck...

I beg to differ-This is from the first chapter of my book: "Mastering your Point and shoot Digital Camera":

1. The First thing you need to know……


Let’s determine the difference between a “Snapshot” and a Photographic Image: If you let the camera do all the work automatically, ( PHD - “Press here, Dummy” )This is taking a photo,
On the other hand, when you take control of how the camera sees the subject, this is making a photo - Being creative. So, if you really want to be creative with your digital camera, the first thing you need to know is: “ Where is the “All-Reset” button?” When you find it, (It will probably be a menu selection) put it in the off position, and you can start being creative. This button, or control, if left on, automatically resets the camera to “AUTO” each time you turn the camera on.
Your camera is not just a point & shoot machine, but a very creative box of tricks, once you learn how. The next thing you need to do is to familiarise yourself with all the little controls your camera has-
Read your camera manual so you learn what all the buttons and menus mean and do. Don’t read your manual from cover to cover, like a novel. Go get some “post-it” flags and use them on the tops of pages. Use different colours for different categories.-Say red for all pages about exposure, green for all pages about focusing etc. This way you can better learn what you need to know about your camera-spend some time with your manual, so your camera operations become second nature to you-let your camera become an extension of your hand and eye.

Further along....

Concerning Exposure
While we are in the realms of exposure, here’s an experiment:
Get a piece of white paper and a piece of black paper ( A4 sheets) take separate photo of each sheet, in the same lighting conditions, using the camera’s meter on P setting - Surprise, Surprise! They both came out mid-grey. This is because the camera’s meter averages out the scene, giving an average exposure for the scene at 18%grey. This is okay for the average scene, but if you are viewing a high contrast scene, you will lose detail in both the highlights and the shadows. If you use the spot meter on your subject, your subject will come out fine. Your camera will have a 5 stop exposure compensation facility in0.3 or 0.5 increments: from +2; to -2,(See Above- “Calibrating your camera” )
where zero is average 18% grey and -2 will give detail on black, and +2 will give detail on white - on a grey scale.


Calibrate your camera for exposure.

1. Set camera mode to “P/P shift”, Use Matrix/evaluative metering-(Scene should contain all tones)
First………………………………....Set Exposure compensation to + 1.0 - take a shot
Next ………………………………...............”...............” ………” to + 0.7 - take a shot
Next……………………………….................” ………… “……. “ to + 0.3 - take a shot
Next……………………………….................” ………… “………”.to 0.0 - take a shot
Next……………………………….................” ………… “……….” to - 0.3 - take a shot
Next……………………………….................”................ ”...........” to - 0.7 - take a shot
Next……………………………….................”................ ”...........” to - 1.0 - take a shot

You will have either 5 or 7 shots, (Depending on whether you use 1/3 or ½ increments) from + 1.0 to - 1.0 study these for one with detail in shadow and highlight areas, without blown highlights

Set exposure compensation to the best shot reading.
Once set up, this will be pretty accurate. (Note: +2 and - 2 Are Extremes, and rarely used so I have not included them)

This is baseline, so if shot looks too dark or light, in certain conditions, just adjust exposure compensation to suit.

3. From Auto-pilot to creative genius

Now we get down to the nitty-gritty - coming off of auto-pilot and getting creative with exact subject matter.

The outdoor portrait

a) Position your subject so that the light comes from 45 degrees to his/her face. If the day is overcast you will have no problems, but if the sun is shining brightly, your model will very likely squint, and you do not want this to happen if you are going to make a flattering image.
b) Using an assistant, get them to hold a white sheet, or translucent diffuser if you have one, between the sun and your model. To bounce light up into the subject’s face, get them to hold a white reflector, or white sheet of paper in their hands, but out of the frame, to fill in any facial shadows. If it’s sunny set your white balance to sunny, if overcast set to cloudy ( asking for more light). If in doubt use the pre-set Portrait Programme of your camera.
c) Set metering to spot, take a reading from your model’s face.

d) Hold your camera vertical, and take your shot.


Action photography

Action photography isn’t easy with digital cameras, due to the time taken from pressing the button to recording the picture on the memory card- known as shutter-lag. This can be overcome to some extent by pressing the button halfway down, pre-setting exposure and focus-then wait for the moment (-at the height of a swing’s momentum, -when a high-jumper, or basketball player reaches the peak of activity, etc.,) then press the button down fully to take the picture. The other thing is to practice “panning”- press button halfway down as before focussing on where the subject is going to be when you take your photo- then as subject approaches, you follow the subject by swinging your body in the same direction, pressing the button in mid-swing, but following through. This will take a bit of practice getting used to, but the end result will be a sharp rendition of the subject against a blurred background-giving the illusion of speed. Or blur the subject to imply speed. You can also use continuous shot mode.


Regards, Ken

[Wooglah]

Hey, that's great, thanx for correcting me. OP will be happy to read this.