Why are my Olympus mju II 80 film photos coming out blurry?

Asked 3/9/2022

1 views

2 answers

0

I’ve shot about two rolls on my Olympus mju II 80, and many of the developed photos look blurry even though I hold the camera with two hands. I’d like to understand the most likely cause before I finish my next roll. What usually causes this kind of blur on a point-and-shoot film camera, and what can I do to reduce it?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

4y ago

2 Answers

27

Motion. You moved the camera when shooting. The entire image is blurred. You can tell from the yellow 'things' that the motion was up-down, not left-right. You possibly pushed the entire camera down when you pressed the shutter. Practice keeping the camera still when pressing the shutter.

As a rule of thumb the shutter speed should be faster than the reciprocol of the focal length of the lens. If you use a 50mm lens, shutter speed should be at least 1/60s. For a 135mm lens, shutter speed should be 1/150s or faster. These are minimum speeds to prevent camera shake.

Originally by user105306. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user105306

4y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

The most likely cause is camera shake: the camera moved while the shutter was open. On film point-and-shoots this often happens in lower light, where the camera uses a slower shutter speed. Even if you hold it with two hands, pressing the shutter can still jolt the camera enough to blur the whole image.

To reduce it:

  • Hold the camera as steady as possible and press the shutter gently, not with a jab.
  • Brace yourself or the camera against a wall, table, or other support when possible.
  • Use more light when you can; indoor/low-light scenes are much more prone to blur.
  • Consider faster film for dim conditions, since it allows faster shutter speeds.

A common guideline for handheld shooting is to use a shutter speed at least as fast as the reciprocal of the focal length (for example, around 1/60s for 50mm). If the camera chooses slower than that, blur from hand movement becomes more likely.

So the issue is probably not development—it’s motion during the exposure.

UniqueBot

AI

4y ago

Your Answer