Settings advice pleeeease

[soap435]

So I've been lent a half decent camera for a couple of weeks, and thus far am loving it. It's a Fuji Finepix 6500 something or other, if that matters.
I'm currently going around taking pictures of everything I see 50-something times over with different settings in an effort to produce something professional looking, but I'm starting to struggle.
I'll use these two pictures as an example:

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/soap435/DSCF3568.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/soap435/DSCF3575.jpg

I like the blurred effect of the first picture but wanted to get more of a freeze frame effect in the second. Trouble is, getting enough light in to make the picture worth looking at...

So, what do?

[Oxygen Thief]

faster ISO or larger aperture will get more light in to the shot for the same exposure time.

[Raddog]

You've just discovered the biggest issue in photography, light v shutter speed.

Fast shutter speed captures movement but needs loads of light

Slow shutter speed works in low light but blurs movement

Then there's Bigger Aperture compensating & slower shutterspeed etc etc etc

[cosmo]

Try shining a 1 million candlelight torch on it :P

[soap435]

faster ISO or larger aperture will get more light in to the shot for the same exposure time.

Does larger aperture mean higher or lower f-number? I'm still confused with the relationship between those numbers and the depth of field thing.

I tried the ISO at 100, 800 and 3200, and as it gets higher the picture just seems to over saturated (I'm not sure if thats even the right word). Wish I'd kept more pictures and notes about the settings now!!

[Oxygen Thief]

Lower f number = larger aperture = more light for a given exposure time.

ISO 200 needs half the light as ISO 100 for the same exposure time but there will be less detail.

[soap435]

Lower f number = larger aperture = more light for a given exposure time.

ISO 200 needs half the light as ISO 100 for the same exposure time but there will be less detail.

I'm going to write that down and put it in my camera bag!!!

[spungletrumpet]

Wish I'd kept more pictures and notes about the settings now!!

There is a lot of data contained in your photos, put there by the camera.
Google 'exif data' - your picture viewing software will probably have a way of displaying it.

For example, I can tell from the data in your first image that it was taken on a Fuji S6500fd, ISO400, 1/8 second exposure, 7.2 aperture. Lots more data is contained in the image.

It means you don't have to worry about writing down the settings.

[Oxygen Thief]

There is a lot of data contained in your photos, put there by the camera.
Google 'exif data' - your picture viewing software will probably have a way of displaying it.

For example, I can tell from the data in your first image that it was taken on a Fuji S6500fd, ISO400, 1/8 second exposure, 7.2 aperture. Lots more data is contained in the image.

It means you don't have to worry about writing down the settings.

...and the second image settings mate? I can't see them on this computer, just the type of camera is showing for me.

[foz101]

Both pics were taken using shutter priority. Try using Aperture priority, opening it as wide as poss (f2.8 is widest at 28mm on the 6500 i think) then setting the ISO to 400. It'll use the fastest shutter speed possible for a normally exposed photo. If it's too slow, set the ISO to 800. And 1600 if it's still bad. You'll notice the shutter speed get lower as you do.

Have a look at 'how to' guides to photography online, or even just read wikipedia about f-stops and ISO. It'll help you understand.

[foz101]

Pic 2 Exif:

Camera Make: FUJIFILM
Camera Model: FinePix S6500fd
Image Date: 2006:03:07 00:06:39
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 21.6mm (35mm equivalent: 102mm)
CCD Width: 7.69mm
Exposure Time: 0.0016 s (1/640)
Aperture: f/3.8
ISO equiv: 800
Exposure Bias: -2.00
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: shutter priority (semi-auto)

[spungletrumpet]

Second image = ISO800, 1/640 second, F3.86

Edit: Foz beat me to it :)

[Oxygen Thief]

Exposure Bias: -2.00

Isn't that underexposing by 2 points ?

[dangerous dave]

yup

[nickweb]

I also use the fuji 6500fd, might be interesting to see comparisons between our shots

[soap435]

There is a lot of data contained in your photos, put there by the camera.
Google 'exif data' - your picture viewing software will probably have a way of displaying it.

For example, I can tell from the data in your first image that it was taken on a Fuji S6500fd, ISO400, 1/8 second exposure, 7.2 aperture. Lots more data is contained in the image.

It means you don't have to worry about writing down the settings.

Dude I can't thank you enough, you have just opened up a whole new world of things for me to play with!!