Digital Camera Recommendation for Bus Photography
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dear cameras experts out there; i'm looking for a new compact size digital camera with the following functions - for Bus Photography - any models to recommend?:
- min 5mega-pix, compact size digital camera
- picture stabilisation function/ anti-camera shake: esp for night photography without camera tripod & flash. My current FUJIFILM F10 camera can capture images at night without tripod & flash, but very prone to blur pics due to slightest handshake (refer to pix below). any better ones currently in the mkt?
- almost instant shutter release
- can capture moving buses well in low light conditions without blurry shots, eg early morning at 7.30am or evening at 6.30pm
- can produce sharp and colourful photographs of buses
Below pix using FUJIFILM F10:
photographed using flash - the wordings for the bus signages can be seen clearly, but with a dark background.
photographed w/o flash at ISO1600 - with bright background; however, wordings for the bus signages cannot be seen at all (prob due to overexposure) - are there any ways to obtain a bright background and with the bus signages wordings be seen clearly?
photographed in the evening at ~6.30pm (blurry shots):
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the answer lies in white balance, mount-on indirect flash (pro equipment) or ambient light and no direct flashes watsoever, and suppressing any over-saturation of each of the RGB for night shots.
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give u example some of my night shots. u wun believe they were ugly previously.
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night shots on the road, it is unavoidable that orange neon lights mess up ur picture and making it very red. this is one example.
u have to remove the red colour urself, but combined with the need for steady hands at night, it is generally not enjoyable to take night shots actually without a tripod since u had to shoot like a marksman without shake (i dun anti-shake helps u noe)
, and even that may be heavy and difficult to deploy on grass or in point-and-shoot situations. 
day shots, if they turn out blurry due to a fast-moving bus, u can't help. a fast shutter speed cannot help a lot, u might not get enough light...... -
day pictures u have to find a way to reduce the reflections generated by the bus. not easy as well, since such situations dun happen often. 4 pics for ur reference...
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seems that this bus already began to move when you photographed.Originally posted by ^tamago^:give u example some of my night shots. u wun believe they were ugly previously.
but from my night photography experience, a slight movement of the bus would cause a blurry picture, but didn't happened in your case! -
A few situations that causes blurr images in pictures taken
(1) shaky hands, not stabilized camera (camera shake)
(2) image/ objects not in focus
(3) slow shutter (which may lead to point #1 since its prone to have camera shake)
(4) subject is in motion
In night photography it is always a challenge to freeze a moving subject since the shutter will be slower as compaired today photography. To allow a faster shutter means the image will be underexposed and appear dark but you will be able to freeze it. Now newer compact digital cameras comes with better ISO settings to capture sharper images in the dark. Noise at any level can still be removed with photo editing software. -
if u go to John 3:16, they will ask you to buy fujifilm F31
it has a anti-shake function
and good for nigt shots -
You may want to provide TS with any information on shutter lag although i know compact digital cameras have seen tremendous improvement in various settings since the earlier days of their kind. If TS wants a cam that is shutter lag proof he will have to go for a DSLR.Originally posted by TehJarVu:if u go to John 3:16, they will ask you to buy fujifilm F31
it has a anti-shake function
and good for nigt shots
I have not used the Canon S3 IS but i have read reviews that shutter lag wasn't much of a problem with this compact cam. -
i only know how to point and shootOriginally posted by Farmerseed:You may want to provide TS with any information on shutter lag although i know compact digital cameras have seen tremendous improvement in various settings since the earlier days of their kind. If TS wants a cam that is shutter lag proof he will have to go for a DSLR.
I have not used the Canon S3 IS but i have read reviews that shutter lag wasn't much of a problem with this compact cam. 
(me just bought the fujifilm F31 after much research...) -
No lah, depends on if you want to invest more on better equipment so that you can point even more and shootOriginally posted by TehJarVu:i only know how to point and shoot
(me just bought the fujifilm F31 after much research...)
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would always prefer not to. it is a challenge to find the right spot and timing. and get a tripod to mount.Originally posted by Farmerseed:Noise at any level can still be removed with photo editing software. -
Well, speaking of bus photography, I saw one young chap at the NUS bus stop outside the Computer Center last week, taking photos of 95 and 151.
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not me.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Well, speaking of bus photography, I saw one young chap at the NUS bus stop outside the Computer Center last week, taking photos of 95 and 151. -
yeh lor but its not a classroom and we cannot restrict anyone who does that. I guess we are in the same campOriginally posted by ^tamago^:would always prefer not to. it is a challenge to find the right spot and timing. and get a tripod to mount. -
No lah that chap taking photo of pretty girls in and boaring the the bus lahOriginally posted by LazerLordz:Well, speaking of bus photography, I saw one young chap at the NUS bus stop outside the Computer Center last week, taking photos of 95 and 151. -
stooper izzit?Originally posted by ^tamago^:not me. -
hmm... I've also been reading more abt the functions of F31. but i wonder in what ways are F31 better than my current one - Finepix F10 model? coz i'm thinking whether to trade in for F31?Originally posted by TehJarVu:i only know how to point and shoot
(me just bought the fujifilm F31 after much research...) -
F31 takes nice night photos. but let's just say tripod is essential for decent night photography, or u need pretty steady hands and some luck.Originally posted by SBS3688Y:hmm... I've also been reading more abt the functions of F31. but i wonder in what ways are F31 better than my current one - Finepix F10 model? coz i'm thinking whether to trade in for F31?
for some samples, click here. -
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hi tamago,
have u tried photo the night buses from opp the road instead? i think the lampost lights when taken from the opposite may enhance your photos, more lights cover the body of the bus. -
next time lor.Originally posted by SBS3688Y:hi tamago,
have u tried photo the night buses from opp the road instead? i think the lampost lights when taken from the opposite may enhance your photos, more lights cover the body of the bus.
i dun like lamppost lights, make the picture so orangey. -
btw were u using tripod for your 3 photos?
my exp when photographing night buses are i got no time to set up tripod at such short notice. coz i wouldn't know the bus would stop at which point, would it be blocked by nearby lamppost or other obstructions or not. Hence I always rely on my hands not to shake too much, and using my FUJIFILM F10 Natural Light function set at ISO1600. but still most of pix appear a little blur due to handshake. sigh.
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no i squat on the ground, rest elbows on legs and aim, like how u use a M-16.Originally posted by SBS3688Y:btw were us using tripods for your 3 photos?
my exp when photographing night buses are i got no time to set up tripod at such short notice. coz i wouldn't know the bus would stop at which point, would it be blocked by nearby lamppost or other obstructions or not. Hence I always rely on my hands not to shake too much, and using my FUJIFILM F10 Natural Light function set at ISO1600. but still most of pix appear a little blur due to handshake. sigh.
for me if i can lower the ISO i will. if can go 400 i will go 400.
i dun have the habit of bringing a tripod ard all the time, and it takes effort to camp at strategic points, and u're less mobile.
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uncle can show us ur night photos?Originally posted by TehJarVu:if u go to John 3:16, they will ask you to buy fujifilm F31
it has a anti-shake function
and good for nigt shots