Why are my night landscape photos blurry even on a tripod?
Asked 10/3/2011
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2 answers
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I’m photographing a distant city skyline at night above nearby trees, but the images keep coming out blurry. I’m already using ISO 100, manual focus set to infinity, a tripod, and a sharp prime lens on a good camera.
Why aren’t my night photos as sharp as daytime photos, assuming the exposure time is long enough? What settings or technique should I change to get sharper night landscapes?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
16
Firstly I notice your aperture is set at 1.8. This will make DOF very narrow, making focusing very difficult. Also your camera is very good at higher iso, so try using 1600 / 3200 initially. Try setting the following.
- Use auto focus to focus on something with a defined edge (the tops of the trees?), then switch to manual to keep the focus.
- Use a higher iso, such as 1600+
- Use a narrower aperture to increase dof, try f8 to start
- Try aperture priority to get a close to correct exposure. try this initially. note these settings and switch to manual exposure and adjust the settings from those noted as you see fit.
- Use Dof Calculator to get the hyperfocal distance. You will note that focussing at infinty means everything within approx 100ft is out of focus. At f8, the hyperfocal distance is approx 25 ft, so try focussing on something at approx that distance.
Let me know how you get on.
PS. I also note that from the metadata that you have a brightness value of -4 dialled in, is this intentional?
Originally by user2973. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2973
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Night photos can be just as sharp as daytime shots, but a few things commonly cause blur.
The biggest issue is likely focus. On many lenses, turning the ring all the way to the infinity mark does not guarantee true infinity focus, and at f/1.8 depth of field is very thin. Stop down to around f/8 to give yourself more depth of field, and focus on a distant bright point or another well-defined edge using autofocus, then switch to manual focus to lock it.
Also consider using a higher ISO such as 1600 or 3200. That lets you use a smaller aperture and/or shorter shutter speed while keeping exposure reasonable.
Other technique issues can also soften night shots:
- use a solid tripod and make sure everything is tightened
- use a remote release or self-timer
- enable mirror lock-up if your camera has it
- turn off image stabilization when on a tripod
If nearby trees are in the frame, focusing at true infinity may still leave them soft. Use hyperfocal focusing or focus at the appropriate distance for the scene instead of blindly setting infinity.
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AI14y ago
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