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Question: How do I make less grainy pictures!?
I have a Canon S51S!. I want to know how I can take clear, non grainy/noisy photos when I change the ISO speed!. It seems the pictures come out clear when I put it on 'Auto ISO' in auto mode!. But when I change it to 'Auto High ISO', or manually make it higher or lower than about 200 then they get grainy!. very grainy!. When I take darlk photos Im forced to make the shutter longer and lower the aperature number and increase the ISO speed!. This causes my pictures to be grainy!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
From experience with my S3is (predecessor to your S5) I'd say you can push ISO to 800 without too much noise!.
However, if you're shooting in very low light - which it sounds like you are - you're compounding the problem because you're just inviting noise in shadowed and darker areas!.
also, if you're using the Auto (green box) mode on an S5is STOP IT immediately!
Go to Program mode, hit the function button and see all the settings and features you've been missing - things that are not even available to you in Auto!. Later on you can learn to use Tv, Av & M!.
You have one of the best "super compacts" ever made!.
Yes, it has a very small sensor when compared to a dSLR!. But you can do some really outstanding photography with it!.
Visit my Flickr page to see some pretty good stuff I've done with my own S3is - http://www!.flickr!.com/grimitz - there's also a lot of stuff there from my other cameras!.
Oh! One other thing: be sure you're shooting at the highest possible file size and resolution your camera is capable of (last line of the Functions menu - choose "L" (for Large) and the small "s" (for Superfine)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Hi-ISO will always boost your ISO by one EV over the normal programmed exposure!. This means, you will always have a bit more noise in the Hi-ISO setting than the normal "Auto" setting!. If your normal exposure would have been at ISO 200, for instance, it will force the camera to use ISO 400!.
Unfortunately, this is a well known problem with small sensor cameras and there is not much you can do about it in the camera!. Just accept that you are going to have some noise in your low light photos!.
It can also become a problem as you zoom that superzoom way out, as this will effectively reduce the aperture (to a smaller size - higher number) and pass less light to the sensor!. Using AUTO will force a bit higher ISO when you zoom and using Hi-ISO will, of course, only make matters worse!.
You might look into a program like Noise Ninja, which you can search for on the internet!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Actually what you are getting is noise !.!.!. increasing the ISO actually involves increasing the "gain" on the output of the sensor, much like turning up the volume on a sound system !.!.!. if the sound system is inexpensive and you have to turn it up all the way, you get clipping and other distortions in the sound !.!.!. the same thing can happen with the image data that comes from your sensor !.!.!. the smaller the sensor, the more susceptible the output is to noise at high ISO's Putting your camera in "auto-ISO" runs the risk of the camera choosing the high ISO due to the lighting situation!.
With P&S cameras, the only way to guarantee relatively noiseless images, is to set your camera to the lowest ISO your camera has available and use a tripod if necessary!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
dSLR usually deal better at higher ISO (but not always!. The latest issue of Popular Photography rated the Sony camera not so well on higher ISO performance)!.
This was shot at ISO 3,200 with Canon 5D and Canon 135 mm f 2 (at f 3!.5 at 1/350)!. I am sure it's the combination of the camera and this lens!.
http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.
The new Canon XSi rated quite highly on high ISO, by the way!. (It goes up to 1,600)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com