Hi All the experts here, i m just a normal guy using digital camera. Sometimes, when i snap a photo at nite or indoor, i have to off the flash so that i can take the photo in better view without the flash.

But, if i shake a bit my hand (most of the time it happens even i don feel like shaking my hand) but the photo came out just don't look nice. I knew we can use tripod for this, but any other tips?

Or is there any camera that can get rid of this problem?

Either use

a) Flash
b) Higher ISO
c) tripod

if your digicam hv higher iso setting (ISO200/400), set it... then use a faster shutter speed, starting with 1/10 seconds, 1/80, 1/100 and faster b4 the pix started getting dark... if not enough lite, and all you could set is around 1/10 seconds, then u must have tripod or steady hand... and your subject must be still... and as a last resort, if you can set flash power (full or not full), try it also...

that's my 2 cents... hope it's help...

Thanks. Didn't came across the ISO yet. But i think my camera have the options, will try it again soon. Flash - Might make the photo looks very dark at the background but the face can still look very clear. But sometimes, eg. i wanted to take a photo at the concert which is at far distance but already zoom in, so can see the face quite clearly, so when i used the flash, the quality just came out very weird.

And yea, thanks to you too. Ur informations is indeed informative. Just wondering my camera have the option to set the shutter speed.

And recommendations for any camera which u guys think is affortable and reasonable and yet the quality is nice?

Must have to take good night or dark shots

HIGH ISO + TRIPOD

+ Enable Noise reduction.

What camera are you using ?

and don forget... really good lens..

Bigger flash if yours is a DSLR

reminder..
high ISO can get alot of noise/grains

high iso + fast lens ...should help

steady hands + tripod or lean on a wall will help too

Jootat: Try slow sync mode with flash. Its usually hidden in the night potrait mode, or night snapshot. It'll flash but also open the shutter long enough to get backgrounds. A warning is that the background colors usually come out wrong. Solution is to 'gel' the flash (put transparent paper) to match the background then set the white balance for the background.

A nice cheap good camera? Look no further than the Canon A530. Its got a full manual mode and everything u need for RM600 (less). If u need to take lots of indoor shots w/o flash then get any Canon compact with IS(SD700 or stg, i think its called IXUS 800). Make sure u spend less than RM1.2k or u might as well save for a D40, which is more than double the camera.

"The Canon A530 was the best buy in photography in 2006."
kenrockwell.com

i bought 1 immediately and i so agree with him. =)

BTW, i recommend that U dun buy a new camera(maybe start saving for a D40). Learn ur camera well and it'll get u great shots. Its the photographer, not the camera.

I m using konica something something. Bought it 2 years ago with RM 800. But overall the camera is nice especially taking day time photos. Just have some problem taking indoor or at nite.

Hi, thanks for the advice. I think i agree with you. Once i have the budget then i will get a camera like D40.

You're welcome. For indoor shots with D40 u have high ISO which looks utterly disgusting with any compacts. ISO 1600 looks great, even 3200 is bearable. Still no VR or IS though. For that u'll have to get a new lens =P But all that is enough to give u the great shots u need indoors.

what is VR & IS?
and where u guys normally go for camera purchase?

VR = Vibration Reduction
IS = Image Stabilization

They are the same, VR is Nikon's trade name and IS is Canon's. Other companies call it differently.

That part i dunno, usually i'm too lazy to search and just buy what i think is a fair price.

Higher ISO and make sure u enuf battery ! Battery drain fast with flashes and all kind of light tat camera produce... !

unfortunately High ISO on a compact will give WAY too much noise and looks like crap.

if wana catch the subjects unaware for my nite candid shot, then there is no way unless i use high iso.

Thats true. But probably u'll throw away those pics unless its really spectacular.. oh well.. we poor people and our compacts.. so sifu sifu, pls donate some dSLR xD wakakaka

A few cheap methods that you can use for your techniques:

1. breathing technique, take a deep breath, slowly exhale while pressing the shutter button.

2. Support your elbow on some railings or push your hand near to the wall on the side.

3. Hold and press on to the shutter button, do not release until the pic is captured. Releasing it will cause the camera to shake.

4. Hold the camera close to your face. Use your face to support it, IE: using the small viewfinder rather than using the LCD screen.