Help my pictures blur at night D5000 Samples Included

[Provo]

First I apologize I did not know which section of the forum to post this thread on.
So here goes.

I decided to test out some nightshots with the D5000 using 55-200mm Lens in my courtyard, I did not want to use flash and I did not want to use a tripod I was hoping my results would've been alot better I played with scene mode, auto but my pictures came out all blurred so what am I doing wrong?

Someone had sugegsted to me to use a tripod, but what I really want to accomplish is let's say we decide to go to NYC and take some night pictures (portraits) in times square or down in Greenwich Village, I just want to aim at my fiance and take a shot would I be experiencing this blur problem? Seems like no matter what camera I use at night I can't take a decent picture withought this issue.

here are the test samples help me out please. I want to capture as much natural light withought flash

[whalebone]

Provo,
The images are most likely blured due to your hand shaking - 'camera shake'.
Some cameras have Image Stabilisation which helps this. At night however, camera shake is likely to occur. This is why people recommend a tripod a night.
If you look at your images, they may say the exposure time (right click on the file and goto properties). It's probably in the region of 0.5 - 2 seconds. This means that your hand cannot move for 2 seconds in order not to create blur.
When in NY, you could rely on natural light to get some nice night shots. With your fiance in the image however, you will probably find that you cannot see their face as they are in the dark. You therefore need to light them - with a flash. You could position them under a street light which may look pretty cool as it is in keeping with the ambient light, but again there may be blur.
Try throwing your camera into manual mode. Go out at night and set a long exposure time (2 seconds or so). See what your fiance looks like. Now turn on your flash. If you can look into your manual on how to turn-down the flash exposure (may be called something like flash exposure compensation) turn this down. Take a shot. Hopefully you will now see your fiance. If the effect is too much, increase the number of your aperture setting (increasing the number decreases the aperture). The effect of the flash should be reduced.
Hopefully you will see that the background (the night life) is still in keeping with the ambient light. This is because you had a long exposure time. This will still be blured, but because you used flash, anything hit by the light from your flash (hopefully just you fiance) should be sharp.
If the night life is too dark, increase the exposure time.
Hope this helps.

[mpascal]

Hi Provo, if you post the efix data of the photos, we can help. I believe your shutter speed may be too slow, but you can get better advice with the shooting data. And yes tripods work better, but what you are trying to achieve is possible.

Michael

[Provo]

The 1st pictures

File Info 1
File: DSC_0018.NEF, DSC_0018.JPG
Date Created: 11/1/2009 5:10:16 AM
Date Modified: 10/31/2009 7:25:30 PM
File Size: 9.67 MB, 1.68 MB
Image Size: L (4288 x 2848), M (3216 x 2136)
File Info 2
Date Shot: 10/31/2009 20:25:29.00
World Time: UTC-5, DST:OFF
Image Quality: Compressed RAW (12-bit), Jpeg Normal (8-bit)
Artist:
Copyright:
Image Comment:
Camera Info
Device: Nikon D5000
Lens: 55-200mm F/4-5.6G
Focal Length: 55mm
Focus Mode: AF-A
AF-Area Mode: Single
VR:
AF Fine Tune:
Exposure
Aperture: F/4.5
Shutter Speed: 1/2.5s
Scene Mode: Night Landscape
Exposure Comp.: 0EV
Exposure Tuning:
Metering: Matrix
ISO Sensitivity: Auto (ISO 800)
Flash
Flash Sync Mode:
Flash Mode:
Flash Exposure Comp.:
Colored Gel Filter:
Image Settings
White Balance: Auto, 0, 0
Color Space: sRGB
High ISO NR: ON (Normal)
Long Exposure NR: OFF
Active D-Lighting: Auto
Image Authentication:
Vignette Control:
Auto Distortion Control: OFF
Picture Control
Picture Control: [SD] STANDARD
Base:
Quick Adjust: -
Sharpening: Auto
Contrast: Active D-Lighting
Brightness: Active D-Lighting
Saturation: 0
Hue: 0
Filter Effects:
Toning:
GPS
Latitude:
Longitude:
Altitude:
Altitude Reference:
Heading:
UTC:
Map Datum:


and 2nd picture

File Info 1
File: DSC_0006.JPG
Date Created: 11/1/2009 5:10:13 AM
Date Modified: 10/31/2009 7:16:02 PM
File Size: 1.50 MB
Image Size: M (3216 x 2136)
File Info 2
Date Shot: 10/31/2009 20:16:01.50
World Time: UTC-5, DST:OFF
Image Quality: Jpeg Normal (8-bit)
Artist:
Copyright:
Image Comment:
Camera Info
Device: Nikon D5000
Lens: 55-200mm F/4-5.6G
Focal Length: 55mm
Focus Mode: AF-A
AF-Area Mode: Single
VR:
AF Fine Tune:
Exposure
Aperture: F/4.5
Shutter Speed: 1/2.5s
Scene Mode: Night Landscape
Exposure Comp.: 0EV
Exposure Tuning:
Metering: Matrix
ISO Sensitivity: Auto (ISO 800)
Flash
Flash Sync Mode:
Flash Mode:
Flash Exposure Comp.:
Colored Gel Filter:
Image Settings
White Balance: Auto, 0, 0
Color Space: sRGB
High ISO NR: ON (Normal)
Long Exposure NR: OFF
Active D-Lighting: Auto
Image Authentication:
Vignette Control:
Auto Distortion Control: OFF
Picture Control
Picture Control: [SD] STANDARD
Base:
Quick Adjust: -
Sharpening: Auto
Contrast: Active D-Lighting
Brightness: Active D-Lighting
Saturation: 0
Hue: 0
Filter Effects:
Toning:
GPS
Latitude:
Longitude:
Altitude:
Altitude Reference:
Heading:
UTC:
Map Datum:

[Nicole]

Yep, those shutter speeds would definitely lead to blurry photos. The minimum suggested shutter speed to avoid camera shake is 1/focal length, so that would be at least 1/50s if not faster.

So, since your ISO is already at 800, in order to get a good exposure you'll probably need to use a tripod, in which case you can drop your ISO down and use those slow shutter speeds (in excess of 1 second). But that does't really help with taking night portraits. For taking night portraits of your fiance, whalebone gave you some very good advice.

(Oh, and I'm just moving this over to the "Other Technique" area )