frustration with my camera

livinginoz

i am using a canon S2 IS, and having a really hard time with my exposure/aperature lately. no matter what i do, i end up with such a slow shutter speed that i can barely hand hold it. if i put it on a large aperature, say 3.5, i get a shutter speed of maybe 1/10 or so. so if i switch to a set shutter speed, at least 1/60, then the photo is too dark. even auto seems to be screwed up. i have it here in my office, where the light is plenty enough for shooting without flash, and it's trying to use about 1/8 sec and f2.7. i have the film speed set at auto, white balance is set for the conditions. what am i missing?

i am trying to do some shots with the subject in focus and background blurred, but even on portrait with 12x, it doesn't work. it's either not in focus or the background is the same sharpness as the subject.

some days i really miss my old SLR.......

Richard

livinginoz wrote:

i am using a canon S2 IS, and having a really hard time with my exposure/aperature lately. no matter what i do, i end up with such a slow shutter speed that i can barely hand hold it. if i put it on a large aperature, say 3.5, i get a shutter speed of maybe 1/10 or so. so if i switch to a set shutter speed, at least 1/60, then the photo is too dark. even auto seems to be screwed up. i have it here in my office, where the light is plenty enough for shooting without flash, and it's trying to use about 1/8 sec and f2.7. i have the film speed set at auto, white balance is set for the conditions. what am i missing?

....

Hmm...I haven't used that camera, but I have used the Canon A75. On that one, Auto ISO really doesn't do anything useful if you are shooting in any of the non-automatic modes. You need to specifically raise the ISO to get a faster speed. From the symptoms you describe, I suspect you may have the same problem.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

wxwax

I think if you're zoomed out at 12x you lose a lot of light. Since you're trying to shoot indoors, this may be the problem with both the shutter speed and the autofocus. Or if it's all out of focus, poerhaps you're getting too close to your subject with the lens at 12x.

Netgarden

are you sure you didn't accidently set your Exposure compensation too dark?
I found this:
The light metering can be selected between Evaluative, Center-Weighted and Spot (center or AF point). I find Spot and Center-Weighted modes useful when taking pictures of people at distances where the flash doesn't reach in backlight. In Evaluative metering mode, the faces might turn out underexposed, unless you dial some exposure compensation.
In this review:
http://www.epinions.com/content_186736479876

I also shoot in Manual sometimes because ev/A mode will choose a way too slow shutterspeed. Then I lighten a little in PSP by using the histogram and also brightness effects. [same prob sometimes on the 20D]