I'm using my old Canon A80 powershot. Next week, i has been assigned by my company to capture photos for our Company Annual Dinner.


Time: At night
Location: A hotel, Beside Swimming pool Area
Events: Award giving, Games, lucky draw, Eating~ etc


Now I want to make sure i can did a good job for this event, that's why I need advice on How can i capture good photos at night using my digital camera....

I know the easiest way to make sure a photo is not blur is using AUTO- FLASH ON. but the photo will look SUCKSS.. all pimples so obvious..oily face... n with black background. I usually prefer not using any flash.

But without flash... photo tends to get blur.. either my hand shake..or people MOVE..(especially during games)

High ISO...making photos look very noisy. Night mode..made people look very orange, and will also blur...

Any advice on using Powershot for night photos? D only thing i can do is..finding good composition for photos. but if the photo blur. everything will b useless.

EXPERT pls share with me ur technique (*DONT ASK ME TO BUY A DSLR CAMERA or other new camera. PLS)

get a tripod. if the cam supports sync flash, that could work too. lower the strength of your flash. photoshop.

get a tripod to minimize vibration and get better pic without flash

http://www.schoolofphotography.com/night/night.html

Tripod is a must, and since you're using a digital camera, don't be ashamed to take as many shots as possible. If you don't have enough memory, bring a laptop or an external storage to copy out the photos and continue taking as many photos as you need.

Avoid zooming in as it will further increase camera shake

Using higher ISO is another trick so that your shots wont turn out blurry... be advised of the noise level though

Be sure to use "Night Mode" @ "Twilight Mode" if your camera has it...

I guess the only place where you can use a tripod is during award presentation, bcos the other activities you mentioned, you need to be running all over the place. You mentioned the venue is beside swimming pool area. How is the lighting over there? Very dark like night club or is there enough light to actually see what you are eating? If it is very dark, then you are screwed!!! J/K

For activities that involve running around, try to pre-focus on a spot that you think your subject is gonna be in. Then shoot them when they get into your killzone err.. i mean your pre-focussed area. Remember to compensate for shutter lag.

ISO around 100-200. Use 400 if you reeeealy must. Try to use force flash, bcos sometimes when the scene is not too dark, the camera will set the shutter to 1 second with NO flash and BAM, your picture is blur.

Disclaimer: I'm still trying to learn how to shoot in dark areas, so take these advice with a kilo of salt.

i wud say bring a tripod if possible....if reli cannot...

set it to force flash while using Tv mode for 1/15 shuttle speed do not even zoom
however, the shuttle speed depends on ur subject...
and how steady ur hands can b
this method helps me alot instead of using a slow-sync or twilight mode
which wil drag for 1 second exposure
u gain full control of the shuttle


all in all...if u cant b bothered or u get frust by all the different methods
just shoot in P mode wit the force flash...
easy + no blur + no orangy


for A80
ISO200 is sufficient...
400 is too noisy...too much detail lost..
gud luck
shoot freeli


photoshooting is art

Thanks for all the advices.

I'll prepare a few settings ready for next week.

1) TV: 1/15 s Iso 200 .... I test...it seems still too dark.need to Photoshop

2) M: 1/5 s Iso 200 + Low flash...

3) Nightmode with flash on.

4) Tripod.. still looking around for Cheap n convenient light tripod. I paiseh to bring tripod le. If can really dont hope to bring.

By the way. My A80 seems to have some problem.. few months ago.. My photos captured..seem to become PINK STRIPES.. so i bring to Repair.. after 2 weeks. Repaired..without need to pay.

But i notice another problem, after the repair. i think my camera has difficulty focusing objects.. if without Zooming. the camera is almost impossible to auto focus...(No GREEN BOX coming out)... i have to at least zoom in Slightly.. to make the Green box easier to appear. I scare that night all my photos will be blur due to unable to focus..instead of hand shaking.