Need Help With Night Time Shots: I love taking pictures of our mud trucks at our parties. I always have a problem capturing the trucks at night though. The shots always come out...

JessieW85 Loc: Kansas

I love taking pictures of our mud trucks at our parties. I always have a problem capturing the trucks at night though. The shots always come out extremely blurry, black and/or have a ton of dust particles from the flash. How do I get a good night time shot of the trucks going through the mud? Here's the kind of pix I always get when trying to do night time shots.

Particles from flash

Too dark to see

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

Welcome to UHH. What kind of camera and lens are you using?

JessieW85 Loc: Kansas

Unfortunately at the moment, I do not own any lenses for my camera. My camera is a Canon PowerShot S5 IS. I'm not even sure what type of lenses I can buy for this camera.

historian65 Loc: Holtville, Callifornia

I learned from the old Modern Photography Magazine back in the late 1970's that a basic rule of thumb when doing 35mm photography was that at ASA 400, you set your camera for 1/30th second at f1.9 and you will get on your film exactly what your eye can see at night. I would go with that as a beginning and generally set the camera at 1/60th and sset the lens at whatever the widest aperature was and snap away...got some very good shots that way. Good luck!

camerabuff58 Loc: Ontario, Canada,

Given the extent of dust stirred up from the trucks,it is no doubt you have a problem when using flash.
My only suggestion is to have the general area lit up by artificial lighting other than your flash, this might enable you to take a shot without your flash and cut down on the visible dust that you are encountering.
That is all I could think of to help you.

JessieW85 wrote:

I love taking pictures of our mud trucks at our parties. I always have a problem capturing the trucks at night though. The shots always come out extremely blurry, black and/or have a ton of dust particles from the flash. How do I get a good night time shot of the trucks going through the mud? Here's the kind of pix I always get when trying to do night time shots.

EoS_User Loc: Oshawa, Ontario Canada

I just looked at the manual for your camera the Canon PowerShot S5 IS. It looks like this camera has no interchangable lens capability. It has a built in flash which is usually too weak to illuminate this type of scene. Your options may be to obtain a compatible flash for the hot shoe and try that. Dust in the air may still be a problem. Other that that play with AV TV or M modes to set shutter and aperture values. With low lighting you will need a tripod to get better shots. However moving vehicles in low light will be hard to get without blurring.

Fotomann Loc: Toronto, Ontario Canada

Maybe not what you looking for but some accessories for the s5is here?
http://www.raynox.co.jp/english/digital/S2is/index.htm

Amazon shows...
Canon Powershot S5 IS S3 IS Ultimate 15 Piece lens Kit Package Includes 0.20X Super Wide Angle Fisheye lens, 2.2X HD Telephoto Lens, 5PC Pro Macro Lens Set, 3PC UV, PL, FLD Filter Set, Tube Adapter Included...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VA9YXU/ref=asc_df_B003VA9YXU1991041?smid=A1P9QRDRYY6FXL&tag=nextagusmp0357683-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B003VA9YXU

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

JessieW85 wrote:

I love taking pictures of our mud trucks at our parties. I always have a problem capturing the trucks at night though. The shots always come out extremely blurry, black and/or have a ton of dust particles from the flash. How do I get a good night time shot of the trucks going through the mud? Here's the kind of pix I always get when trying to do night time shots.

I lightened it up a bit for ya

Action, at night, the S5is is the wrong tool

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

JessieW85 wrote:

I love taking pictures of our mud trucks at our parties. I always have a problem capturing the trucks at night though.

Just a thought - - many drivers at night time may become irritated by camera flashes messing with their night vision.

I agree with the previous posters comments that the S5-IS is not the right tool for the job. If you have any control over the ISO - then set that as high as you can stand with respect to graininess. If no direct control - then use the 'night photo' setting. And again - recommend timing your shots so that any flash you DO use will hit the back of the drivers head - not the front.