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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> My camera is sensitive
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 03/14/2006 05:45:54 PM · #1
My camera is fairly new to me, and I'm figuring stuff out with it. But I always have trouble beign stable...yes I know tripods work..but we don't always have that option or there not with us at the moment. Is there another way to fix this..
 03/14/2006 05:51:12 PM · #2
You can try a few ways, but generally speaking, a faster shutter speed is what you need.

- try higher ISO speeds (ISO800 for your camera)
- use shutter priority and use the fastest that you can get away with
- use the largest aperture your camera has

Of course, holding the camera nearer to your face/body also helps a lot. Also try these:

- use self-timer (can set 2 seconds?)
- hold your breath when you press the shutter release button
- hold the shutter button down for multiple consecutive shots (the middle ones usually turn out fine)
 03/14/2006 05:57:14 PM · #3
I was going to say exactly the same thing as crayon, but with one small difference.

On P&S cameras especially, ISO is an absolute last resort.

On my camera, I'm not satisfied with results at ISO 400 and I've got shots that I don't like at ISO 200.

Another thing that a lot of people like to use is a simple bean bag. These can be made or purchased. Flax seeds also work, but I understand that chunkier beans work better. You might even want to try using chick peas.

Attach a couple of loops of material or a plastic clip of some sort to your bean bag and attach it to your camera bag and you get a really portable solution that can be used instead of a tripod if you are out and about.
 03/14/2006 06:00:59 PM · #4
Originally posted by eschelar:
On P&S cameras especially, ISO is an absolute last resort. On my camera, I'm not satisfied with results at ISO 400 and I've got shots that I don't like at ISO 200.


Oops, yes, eschelar is right on this, I forgot to mention that the higher ISO you use, you get more loss of details, and noisier too. But well, use it as a last resort since getting a shot is better than none, lol.

Originally posted by eschelar:
Another thing that a lot of people like to use is a simple bean bag.


I've heard about using a bean bag on several occasions. Can someone please post a picture of how it looks like, and what beans should be used? soy beans? wont they rot or something? thanks
 03/14/2006 06:05:50 PM · #5
Place the camera on a stable surface (ie, wall, tree, signpost). You may get weird looks but not a blurry picture. Using the neck strap and holding the camera taut away from your neck will help stabilize.
 03/14/2006 06:06:41 PM · #6
Originally posted by crayon:
I've heard about using a bean bag on several occasions. Can someone please post a picture of how it looks like, and what beans should be used? soy beans? wont they rot or something? thanks

A little pouch of rice works very well
 03/14/2006 06:06:49 PM · #7
Originally posted by eschelar:

Another thing that a lot of people like to use is a simple bean bag. These can be made or purchased. Flax seeds also work, but I understand that chunkier beans work better. You might even want to try using chick peas.


Beanie babies will also work :)
 03/14/2006 06:13:05 PM · #8
thank you everyone...the bean bag is kinda making sense...how exacltly would I use it? sorry :) :) thanks
 03/14/2006 06:17:45 PM · #9
Originally posted by adriamarie:
thank you everyone...the bean bag is kinda making sense...how exacltly would I use it? sorry :) :) thanks

they are for resting your camera on whatever horizontal surface you can find. Helps to wriggle it level and in position and keep it steady.
 03/14/2006 06:21:04 PM · #10
awww so simple...thanks..maybe i should head to bed..i should have figured that one out :)
 03/14/2006 06:56:11 PM · #11
...and when you get hungry and desperate, you can open it up and EAT IT, hehe :p
 03/15/2006 05:12:36 AM · #12
lol ewwwww
 03/15/2006 06:02:47 AM · #13
For larger cameras, they are also handy when you place the camera on a surface, and need something to support the lens.

The beans themsevles should not rot unless they get wet. Save lots of silica Gel packets and keep them in your camera bags. This is good policy all around. I have 4-5 packets in each pocket of my backpack... of course I don't have a camera pack yet, that's just for books and it's a bit leaky... especially in the pockets. Helps control mold in humid environments too.

As far as the beans rotting is concerned, use Conventional beans, not organic beans. Most beans have eggs of various bugs, usually weevils and worms, sometimes beetles that were implanted under the skin of the bean at earlier stages in growth and are no longer visible.

Conventional beans get sprayed and usually irradiated (most often done at borders for imported products, but this can happen to in-country stuff too), which generally kills the eggs off.

Organic beans generally have a shelf-life of anywhere from 1-5 years because of this. When beans meet with a little moisture, you can get molding and the insect population will stir to life too.

At least with Conventional beans, half of your problems are lessened.

The theoretical shelf-life of properly stored beans is nearly unlimited. You can get beans to sprout/grow as many as 25 years later.

Back when I was managing the Bulk Foods department at the store I worked at, I recommended that people test beans for sproutability before eating them. Anything less than 80% is probably more than 2 years old. I wouldn't say this is a factor in bean bags though.

I would guess that the more round the beans are, the more likely they are to be less stable. I would choose more oblong beans, with less smooth surfaces. I'd probably start with a Pinto bean or old, gnarly Kidney beans (some batches are really rough). I might even try chick peas too. Lentils are worth a try too. They tend to be a bit more fragile though and they might disintegrate if handled roughly significantly more quickly than Pinto beans. My guess is that Pinto is the best bet though.

Make 3 bags of different sizes if you have a DSLR. You never know...

I would say change the bags every 2 years.

03/15/2006 06:26:03 AM · #14
Here's mine. Fleece sock filled with rice. Works great for me.

03/15/2006 06:31:23 AM · #15
Originally posted by greatandsmall:
Here's mine. Fleece sock filled with rice. Works great for me.



That looks good for fending off muggers, too.
 03/15/2006 06:49:38 AM · #16
Originally posted by AJAger:


That looks good for fending off muggers, too.


LOL!

Edit: PS, I've always been told that it's best to slowly exhale when pressing the shutter. The tension involved with holding your breath is supposed to cause more shake.

Message edited by author 2006-03-15 11:52:50.
 03/15/2006 07:08:33 AM · #17
Originally posted by crayon:
...Also try these:...

- hold your breath when you press the shutter release button...


I would exhale while pressing the shutter button (best to use a remote at slower shutter speeds).

This is a nice, lightweight tripod substitute, I always keep in my pack.
 03/15/2006 07:41:40 AM · #18
Good suggestions here. I like that gadget zeuszen pointed out :-)
I might add a couple of things:
I have 2 mini tripods that fit in my camera bag, so I always have them with. I also like a monopod. Mine is telescopic, you can adjust it to different hights and has a belt attachment you can put on the end, which is kinda neat. You can set it to the right hight, stick the clip on your belt, or top of your pants, and then there is a neck strap, so it is pretty stable, but very mobile. It moves with you. When folded down fully, it is about 12 inches or so, fits easily in my little backpack that I carry my camera stuff around in, so it is always with me too.
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