Camera Labs

Hi, just getting used to my d3100. as well as learning the manual modes etc I took a picture of my young lad sleeping in 'children sleeping' mode which is without the flash and it came out very blurry and seemed to have a long exposure / shutter speed! Any views as I could not change any of the settings hence the guide mode. thanks.

just because you chose the correct mode doesnt mean guaranteed sharp images. What are the other settings used by the camera? How much light was there available? Does your lens have VR and was this turned on?

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- Wout -
Lowepro Nova 200 AW filled with Nikon D90 + MB-D80
18-70 DX, 70-300 VR, 35 1.8 DX, SB-700

Guide mode will get you started, but ultimately you won't need it as you get more familiar with your camera.

For sleeping children, when (I assume) the light is low, you will probably need high ISO and a wide aperture (close to the lense's maximum). Even then, there are light levels that are a challenge even for the D3100.

Should the light levels be very low and the child is sleeping soundly, a tripod will remove the blur, and you should even be able to lower your ISO a bit.

Keep experimenting! The best way to get familiar is to take a lot of photos. It's a digital camera after all, the they're made for that!

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HCC
Nikon DSLRs, film cameras from Leica to Linhof

I'm back...

I agree with Hilary, I personally think that boosting your ISO would be your best bet (Assuming that your lens is already wide open and VR is turned on). It all really depends on what the light conditions are like, the more light the easier it should be as the camera could use a faster shutter speed which would reduce blur. If you do decide to use a tripod, be sure to turn off the VR function on your lens. Sometimes when the camera is on a steady surface it will pick up what it thinks is motion, it will try to eliminate it and it will blur your image.

-Evan

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams