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How to repair blurry images (1 Viewer)

alicefred

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Hello friends..
I have a beginner point and shoot digital camera and really like the picture quality of still objects, but most of the pictures of fast moving objects are blurry. I know blurred images are one of the most common problems. It’s really very annoying when we take photos and many of them come up blurred. Can anyone recommend me good and easy to use software to repair the blurred photos and tips on how to avoid it in the future?
Any anti blur digital camera recommendations are also welcome.

Thanks..
 
Hello friends..
I have a beginner point and shoot digital camera and really like the picture quality of still objects, but most of the pictures of fast moving objects are blurry. I know blurred images are one of the most common problems. It’s really very annoying when we take photos and many of them come up blurred. Can anyone recommend me good and easy to use software to repair the blurred photos and tips on how to avoid it in the future?
Any anti blur digital camera recommendations are also welcome.
Thanks..

Can you give more info' on camera and settings you used ? Also can you post a couple of examples.
P&S obviously have limitations but generally the obvious is true i.e. the faster the subject is moving then the faster 'shutter speed' is necessary. If the camera allows it then increase the ISO-this enables faster speed but will result in more 'noise' to the photos......to my knowledge anything more than 400ISO on P&S will give problems.
Software will only do so much e.g. if you apply sharpening it should improve it. A very easy software which can be downloaded free is Photofiltre (watch the spelling)...it must be easy as I use it:-O
TECHNIQUE is vital-learn how to stand steady. Lean against something and hold camera firmly (not tight). The old sniper technique is to breath in-then out-hold slightly and 'squeeze' the shutter.....dont 'stab' the shutter.
 
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Hello friends..
I have a beginner point and shoot digital camera and really like the picture quality of still objects, but most of the pictures of fast moving objects are blurry. I know blurred images are one of the most common problems. It’s really very annoying when we take photos and many of them come up blurred. Can anyone recommend me good and easy to use software to repair the blurred photos and tips on how to avoid it in the future?
Any anti blur digital camera recommendations are also welcome.

Thanks..

A blurred photo will always stay blurred , no matter what you do .
So the best way to "repair" a blurred photo is to send it to the recycle bin and then go out and shoot another photo.
Time spent on trying to correct a blurred photo - is wasted time . Better to spend time on improving photography technique .
P&s cameras have their limitations - and you cannot always get the expected result . Fast moving objects require fast shutter speeds , a good AF tracking , possible high Iso and usually "fast" lenses .Many P&S do not have all these - and therefore lack the ability to catch such photos .
 
It depends on the amount of blur, as to whether its lost or not.

There's a line that once crossed, there's no bringing it back, but i've rescued images from a certain amount of blur with Focus Magic, which is a PS CS4 plug-in. Its an excellent bit of software, but despite its name, it cant perform miracles.
 
Hello friends..
I have a beginner point and shoot digital camera and really like the picture quality of still objects, but most of the pictures of fast moving objects are blurry. I know blurred images are one of the most common problems.

This may be stating the obvious, but no one seems to have mentioned "panning", a techique whereby one follows the subject in the centre of the viewfinder, pressing the shutter, with said highest possible shutter speed, as you move with the subject. But surely you are doing that anyway?

Adrian
 
Have you tried anything like google's free download of Picasa? I see that it can take a pic that is just a little blurry and make it acceptable but as mentioned above , there is only so much fixing that can be done afterward.
 
Again there a few things for any new photographer should learn. The number one is what are the limits to your camera and the software we use to correct our errors.

As stated P&S have limits but there are also a wide array of options on these newer models. Look for a setting like SPORTS or Kids and Pets. This will automatically set your camera to a faster shutter speed. NEVER SHOT a P&S in auto when photographing birds. Your body moves, the bird moves and the camera does not pan to follow movement.
I've known "professional photographers" who shoot AUTO on DSLR's only to be disappointed with the quality. These guys should already know that this doesn't work.

Another good point is that particular movements can lend to an awesome picture. Take for example a bird in flight. Seeing movement in the wings gives the viewer a sense that something is happening and that the bird is motion and not just a solid mass hanging in the air.
I've attached a sample of this to explain further.


Methods to correct blurred images:
- sharpening: this is good for soft images. This can occur because of quality lens used. P&S have optics that can zoom, which will lead to a soft quality image. For those who use DSLR the softness can be caused by longer lenses focused to a smaller F-stop and can also be caused by use of a Tripod. Please remember to TURN OFF all stabilization as with it on your images will be a disappointment. I've included a side by side image which was sharpened to bring out the details on an otherwise soften image. The image was taken with a Canon 5D Mark II mounted with a Sigma 150-500 set at the following: f7.1, 1/800, ISO 800 and was on a TRIPOD


Hope these help.
 

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For those who use DSLR the softness can be caused by longer lenses focused to a smaller F-stop and can also be caused by use of a Tripod. Please remember to TURN OFF all stabilization as with it on your images will be a disappointment.
If you are saying that I.S. should be turned off when using a tripod then this depends on the lens you are using - many Canon I.S. systems are tripod sensing and it is beneficial to keep the I.S. turned ON as a secondary I.S. mode kicks in and helps with mirror slap, shutter and tripod vibrations.
 
I guess we are both right. Here is some further interesting information pertaining to using an IS motor on Canon cameras.

What about IS and tripods ?

A: There are some rumors about there that state that the IS gets damaged when activated on a tripod. This is obviously just nonsense. This is what you can read in the manual: "Do not set the image stabilizer switch to 'I' when using the camera on a tripod. Doing so may cause the image stabilizer to act erratically. Turn the image stabilizer off before using the camera on a tripod.". Further more this is only true for the following lenses:

EF 28-135 mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS
EF 75-300 mm f/4-5.6 USM IS
EF 300 mm f/4 USM L IS
EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 USM L IS

Here is the explanation from Chuck Westfall (Canon USA):

"The IS mechanism operates by correcting shake. When there is no shake, or when the level of shake is below the threshold of the system's detection capability, use of the IS feature may actually *add* unwanted blur to the photograph, therefore you should shut it off in this situation. Remember that the IS lens group is normally locked into place. When the IS function is active, the IS lens group is unlocked so it can be moved by the electromagnetic coil surrounding the elements. When there's not enough motion for the IS system to detect, the result can sometimes be a sort of electronic 'feedback loop,' somewhat analogous to the ringing noise of an audio feedback loop we're all familiar with. As a result, the IS lens group might move while the lens is on a tripod, unless the IS function is switched off and the IS lens group is locked into place."

In 2000 Canon released the next generation IS professional lenses. These lenses feature a "tripod-detection" mode which means that there is no problem using IS on a tripod. Even more than that - IS will correct vibrations caused by the mirror operations of the camera. So far the feature is available on the following lenses.

EF 300 mm f/2.8 USM L IS
EF 400 mm f/2.8 USM L IS
EF 400 mm f/4 USM DO IS
EF 500 mm f/4 USM L IS
EF 600 mm f/4 USM L IS
The new

Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8 USM L IS
... is the first IS incarnation with an improved IS effectiveness of up to (officially) 3 f-stops
 
You are just confirming what I have already said 'many Canon I.S. systems are tripod sensing' - I purposely did not say that all are tripod sensing because I knew that some of the older I.S. versions were not tripod sensing.

Your original post made no reference to any tripod sensing I.S. systems whatsoever but just indicated that I.S. should be turned off and this sweeping statement is clearly not the case.

Further to your post, The latest generation of Canon I.S. lenses are now at 4 stops effectiveness.

For information I shoot the 300/2.8 (mostly with converters) and always leave I.S. turned on.

Further to Chuck Westfall's statement which I was fully aware of, according to the digital picture review of the 300/2.8 I.S. these tripod sensing lenses have a secondary I.S. mode that kicks in when on a tripod. "The IS version on this lens is tripod-sensing. The Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens knows that a tripod is being used when vibrations go below a certain level. Keep IS turned on when mounting this lens on a tripod to take advantage of the secondary IS mode - reducing mirror slap, shutter and tripod vibrations."
 
Fast moving objects require fast shutter speeds , a good AF tracking , possible high Iso and usually "fast" lenses .Many P&S do not have all these - and therefore lack the ability to catch such photos .
I'd agree that AF tracking would usually be an issue, but I would have thought the other 3 wouldn't be a problem for most point and shoots, not those will long enough focal lengths for bird photography anyway.

Lots of them go up to 3200 ISO - the results will be grainy, but that's different from blurry. Lots are at least f5.6, if not f3.5 at maximum zoom, which is often over 600mm equivalent, and can go well over 1/2000.

I think the issue here is likely to be too much reliance on default settings. Until alicefred tells us what camera it is, and shows us a sample, we don't have much to go on, don't even know for sure if the problem is motion blur or just bad focusing.
 
My answer was only to help alicefred understand some camera limitations. I did not mean or intend to get others all wound up. I agree with pschute that until we see some images we could get into all sorts of discussions which may or may not be helpful to original questions.
 
My answer was only to help alicefred understand some camera limitations. I did not mean or intend to get others all wound up. I agree with pschute that until we see some images we could get into all sorts of discussions which may or may not be helpful to original questions.
No Problems from me Laura - for what it is worth I agree with just about everything you said in your original post, there was some good advice to the OP.
 
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