Just Bought Canon T2i - Issues with subject blur

Blue18AG

Hi! I just bought the Canon Rebel T2i from Best Buy this past Saturday. This is my first DSLR and my main wants for this camera were a pretty, clear picture (which I think the T2i has) and the ability to capture photos of my constantly moving dogs and our first baby.

Last night I played around with Sports mode by having my husband move around and so forth to see how the pictures would turn out...they were blurry. We were in the kitchen (night time) with all of the lights on so I don't know if this is considered "low lighting".

The second ones we took were of the dogs jumping up for treats and they too turned out blurry, but in the camera's defense we were shooting in the living room (no lights on) with only the kitchen lights on in the background.

So I'm a little concerned and disappointed at the cameras ability to capture moving objects. Is it me or the camera? Should I have spent the extra money and bought the T3i? I'm still within the 14 day return period so I could return it if I need to.

Is the T2i supposed to be a good choice for shooting sports and moving objects? I wonder if I made the right choice buying the T2i. I knew I wanted something better than the T3, but not as fancy and expensive as the T3i. I figured the T2i was a good mid-level DSLR for a newbie. Help! - Abigail

HavToNo

The T2i and the T3i are nearly identical in regards to picture quality and features. Taking fast action shots inside your house at night is almost imposible without a really expensive lens. I have the T2i and I'm very happy with it. I'm sure Moose will have some good advice for you.

Blue18AG

Thank you @HavToNo for your advice =). I always second guess my choices when buying new things and then tend to dwell over the decision once I find something about the product I don't like.

I didn't know if perhaps the blurry images with Sports mode was an issue/downfall with the T2i (since I see a lot of posts about it) or if it's a common problem with DSLR's of this nature when not using a fancy lens and creative settings.

I guess what I need is...(1) confirmation that I did or didn't choose the best camera for my wants/needs and (2) how to easily fix the issue if I keep the T2i.

BTW, Moose please explain stuff simple...I'm so knew to this DSLR stuff that it's not even funny. My last camera was purchased in 2005 and was a 6 megapixel Canon Powershot =).

HavToNo

For indoor use I set it on P mode(Program) and push the flash button on the side of the camera to pop up the flash and I generally get good pictures. The flash is only good for 1/200 sec witch is fast enough for most indoor shooting. You could also set it on TV(shutter priority) and set the shutter speed to 1/200 sec with the flash up.(use the little dial beside the shutter button and you will see the shutter speed change on the display screen) This will force the camera to shoot at 1/200 sec.

Moose

Howdy @Blue18AG - Okie dokie, let's dive right in and answer your questions. First, don't exchange the T2i for a more expensive T3i, unless there are some features that you're dying to use. Both cameras will give you the same results, when shooting indoors (low-light) with the 18-55mm kit lens.

The poor low-light performance falls squarely on the maximum aperture range (f/3.5 to f/5.6) for the kit lens. This is the equivalent to wearing dark tinted sun glasses indoors.

Say you have 20/20 vision. You put on dark shades and go running around outside. You would have no problem moving about as fast as possible. Now the moment you go indoors or the sun sets, your ability to move around is greatly reduced.

It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your eyes, it just means that the glasses you're wearing are too dark for the amount of available light.

This is what happens when you use a lens that can't go any lower than f/3.5. Lower aperture f-numbers are critical towards capturing moving subjects indoors (low-light).

When I say lower aperture f-numbers, I'm referring to "bright" lenses that can obtain an aperture between f/1.2 and f/2.8.

The most affordable indoor lens is the "nifty fifty" Canon 50mm f/1.8. For around $100 bucks, you'll have a lens that will allow you to obtain faster shutter speeds at lower ISO's. This equals sharper subjects (less blur) and reduced image noise (grain).

In addition to a "bright" lens, you might also think about adding an external flash. An external flash will allow you to bounce light off a ceiling rather than directly at your subject. By bouncing the flash, you're spreading the light evenly throughout the room giving you much more natural looking shots indoors.

The Canon 270EX (see here) is a fantastic starter speedlite, which is both compact, affordable and syncs beautifully with the T2i. Just slide it on to the hot-shoe on top of your camera and let it go to work.

Hope that helps and happy shooting! :)

Blue18AG

Oh, I am so happy to hear from you Moose! I was inches from returning the camera for the T3i thinking it was an issue with the camera. Glad it's me instead =). I will look in to the "nifty fifty". Once I put that lens on the camera, can I leave it on there and shoot whatever I want or should I only put it on when taking inside pics?

Also, what camera bag do you suggest? I returned the one that I orinally bought (Lowepro)...it was a triangle shape where you placed the camera in the bag lense first. My husband thought this would be bad for the camera so I returned it. Is there a right and wrong way to store (position wise) a camera? Also, when taking the camera out of the bag, is there a right/wrong area to pick it up from? For example, is it bad for the camera to pick it up and out of the bag from the lense? I don't want a huge bag as we will be carrying a diaper bag with us everywhere we go after July.

I think I am going to sign up for an Intro to Photography class near me so I can learn all this stuff =).

PBked

Hi @Blue18AG - Camera bags come in all shapes and sizes don't they? Some come with very efficient padding and some don't. Lowepro is a good make. Check out the 160 AW (see here).

It will hold your T2i with lens attached very snugly in a horizontal position. It has a front zipped pocket and an elasticated pocket at each end. One feature I like is that it also has a concealed bad weather cover which completely covers the whole bag making it absolutely watertight.
In case you are wondering, I don't work for Lowepro. Regards - PBked

Moose

@Blue18AG - Yes, you can leave that lens on for outdoor and indoor shooting. Once you have the lens, try out the following settings...

1. Enable Aperture priority (Av on the mode dial)
2. Adjust the aperture (rotate the small command dial) between f/1.8 to f/2.8 for individual portraits, food, products, flowers and anything else where you want to single out the subject against a blurry background. Set the aperture between f/4 to f/5.6 when capturing groups of people and f/8 to f/11 for shooting landscapes.

In regards to bags and the durability of the T2i...I wouldn't worry too much about placing the camera pointed down into a bag. Caselogic offers some nice gunslinger bags which provide a "hammock" of sorts to suspend the camera and lens from resting on the bottom of the case. I've got a write-up on some of the bags here if you're interested.

My wife and I had our first child back in July so I know all about diaper bags. To travel as light as possible, you might think about finding a diaper bag that's large enough to hold your T2i. My wife found one with a padded middle compartment that holds and protects the camera just fine. Happy shooting! :)