Silly Camera? No silly user! Please help!

[Munki2004]

Hi Everyone,

I hope that there is someone out there that can help me!

I have a sony A200 DSLR and although I've had it a little over a year I still have a lot to learn about what each button/function does!

Last autumn I stupidly lost my battery charger and being unable to replace with a genuine sony one I purchased a compatible one online. It seemed to work ok but the battery wouldn't last as long as before. I had also noticed that my photos weren't coming out as well as before (I've not used auto since the first month of having it) and the photos were only coming out well (ie none blurry) with auto mode or one of the presets. So I reset my camera to it's default settings. Which made no change, was hoping I stupidly change something. I have now found my original charger, but the photos are still coming out blurry etc.

I went on a one day course last year and the tutor kindly changed a setting I'm 95% positive it was to do with the shutter/aperture priority and although I've played around with it that doesn't seem to have helped either.

Could it be something else within my settings that the tutor may have changed as it was when I first started to use my camera properly or could the none sony charger have done something?

Or is it possible to get worst at taking photos?

Any advice will be grately appreciated!

Thanks,

DSLR Noob

[Bluenoser]

Well, I'm not going to comment on the settings as I don't know the camers, however your battery charger isn't going to affect how your camera performs in that regard. Either the batteries are charged enough to run the camera or they're not.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[Munki2004]

Thanks, I thought the same as did my other half...it's just a coincidence the photos weren't the way they did at the same time as using a different charger thats all....

[lputman]

Posting a sample might be helpful.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Munki2004

...Or is it possible to get worst at taking photos?...

Oh, definitely. I've been doing it.

When it comes to sharpness, there are a LOT of different factors that can affect the sharpness of an image. Your battery probably isn't one of them.

But I would recommend researching how the stabilization in your camera works, if it has in-body stabilization, and if you might have it accidentally turned off or set into a panning mode or something.

Secondly, check your handholding technique.

Thirdly, check your shutter speed, to make sure it's high enough to eliminate blur from camera shake or from subject motion. The rule of thumb without stabilization is that the shutter speed should be 1/focal_length or faster, so if you're shooting with a 50mm lens, you want to be at 1/50s or faster.

Fourthly, check your autofocus points, and which ones you're using. Sometimes the camera will focus on something other than your subject.

Fifthly, check your aperture settings. If you're shooting at the maximum aperture of your lens, you may want to try stopping down a little, as that often increases the sharpness of a lens. f/8 is a good thing.

Sixthly, check what kind of in-camera processing you're using. You may be able to increase the sharpening, or you can add sharpening to your post-processing routine.

All of those things can affect the sharpness of a photo.

Your most likely culprit, though, is shutter speed.

[Munki2004]

I think that you're right...I've found a page via this site and I have played around with the shutter speed, however it still seems to be blurring all the pictures I try to take of my dog...which didn't happen before (last year). Even when she's completely still. I have the 'Supser Steady Shot' on permantly as I do have terrible hand shake :-) I think its going to be a case of trial and error for a little while...maybe it's my cameras way of tellilng me that I need to learn more about it!?! lol

Thanks for the response...I've been getting a little worried that it's just me and not the settings on my camera.