Help with picture blurness, please

[Jammers]

Hi, I know there are many posts on this topic but somehow, I'm still not getting right (still getting many blurred pictures).

The picture was taken at mid morning but under a canopy of trees - so sunlight wasn't fantastic. I'd use the AV mode for this shot using a 200mm lens (fully extended). I'd set the aperture at f/6.3 and ISO at 400
The EXIF selected by my camera:
exposure: 1/50s
Exp bias: -2/3

Based on a post I'd read earlier, the shutter speed need to be at 1/ focus_length or faster.
Obviously, in this case, I've underexposed the picture.

Questions:
1) Is my understanding about shutter speed correct? If so, why did my camera (Cannon 500D) choose a setting that underexposed my picture?
2) What settings would you have used to shoot the same picture (note: composition was not my priority for this shot)

Thanks for your advice!

[kencaleno]

Tripod
Av Mode
F11
self-timer
ISO lowest

[RichardTaylor]

"Based on a post I'd read earlier, the shutter speed need to be at 1/ focus_length or faster."


Were you using a tripod or was IS used?
If not then I would not shoot at anything below 1/300 of a second, for this camera/lens combination.

The pic doesn't look underexposed on my monitor.
How does the histogram look?

I most likely would not have used any exposure compensation, especially if the highlights were not blowing out and shot at an ISO to give me 1/300 (if hand holding) at an aperture of around F8.

If there wasn't enough light I would mast likely have used a tripod to allow me to shoot at a slower shutter speed.

[OsmosisStudios]

1/50s at 200mm is far too long of a shutter speed. You need 1/200 or so. Even with IS, if the branch is moving, IS is useless.

[Jammers]

Many thanks for your kind advice

I've used AV mode for this shot, so I didn't have control over the shutter speed. Go manual with this?

Ken, why would f/11 work is this case? I was trying to get a deeper depth of field for this shot. Also why would you also choose a low ISO in the absence of clear sunlight?

unfortunately, I do not yet have a tripod.

[Sterling]

1) Is my understanding about shutter speed correct? If so, why did my camera (Cannon 500D) choose a setting that underexposed my picture?

The picture appears to be underexposed by only the -2/3 of exposure bias that you added for some reason. In Av mode, the camera chose a shutter speed that would produce a properly exposed shot based on your input of f/6.3. Unfortunately, this resulted in a shutter speed too slow to allow you avoid camera shake. I agree with Osmosis that you probably need a speed of around 1/300 to get a sharp shot with a 200mm lens. To get that shutter speed you would need to be at about f/2.8 which is likely lower than your lens will go (unless it's a very expensive one).

So you have a few options:
1) Get a tripod so it won't matter how slow the shutter speed is. This will likely produce the best photo.
2) Raise the ISO enough to get a shutter speed of 1/300 at your chosen aperture.
3) Add more light.
4) Or just go home and realize that some photos are impossible to get with the equipment on hand.

why would f/11 work is this case? I was trying to get a deeper depth of field for this shot. Also why would you also choose a low ISO in the absence of clear sunlight?

Do you mean you trying to get a shallower depth of field? As in, you want the background out of focus? If so, then yes, f/6.3 will provide that better than f/11 which will keep much more in focus. You always want to use the lowest ISO possible to produce a photo with the lowest possible sensor noise. If you had used a tripod you could easily have lowered the ISO and the resulting very slow shutter speed would've worked just fine.

[anton_dubai]

Originally Posted by kencaleno

Tripod
Av Mode
F11
self-timer
ISO lowest

+ manual zoom?

[RichardTaylor]

@Jammers

When using long lenses, and hand held, I usually go shutter priority as it doesn't matter how good your composition and exposure is if the picture is blurry due to camera shake. I just make sure my ISO is high enough to give me an aperture to give me a bit of DOF.

I mostly use aperture priority when DOF is paramount and then it will usually be wide open or close to wide open. However I still make sure my shutter speed is high enough to prevent camera shake.

Example:

Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/400) (IS on)
Aperture: f/5.6 (Wide open)
Focal Length: 400 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV


I normally only use manual under extreme lighting situations where they metering system can't cope although I do dial in some exposure compensation from time to time..
Example:

Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Exposure: 15
Aperture: f/14.0
Focal Length: 12 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire

[Jammers]

Thanks all for your kind advice! It certainly helped!