Getting better,advice?

[autodave]

I have been trying to figure out my new camera (Canon Rebel XS),the quality of pic' s have been improving but still seem like they should be better.They seem grainy.I just started shooting in RAW and only adjusting the brightness and white balance.The sharpness does not seem to do much.Any advice?
Here are a few examples:

 

[Brett9917]

Sharpness will only increase the grainy look. It looks to me like your ISO is a little high. A high ISO allows you to get those high shutter speeds that freezes the image, but you will also get that grainy look. Depending on what software you are using, it might have a noise reduction feature.

 

[Reefers Digest]

Agreed re: high ISO.

You can put her on manual mode and lower the ISO while opening up the aperture and/or decreasing the shutter speed. You'll likely need a tripod if you're not using one already.

If you want to fix what you currently have, there should be noise reduction sliders in whatever editing program you're using. In my case, when using Lightroom 3, I often just play around with noise reduction>luminance to smooth out some of the grain.

 

[BlueCorn]

If you're shooting in RAW mode, the sharpness (or any image adjustment) setting doesn't do anything. Those settings only impact jpg images.

 

[autodave]

Thank you for all the advice,I will work on it tonite.I am learning...slowly

 

[returnofsid]

Graininess is usually caused by an ISO setting, that's too high.

According to the EXIF Data, you're shooting with an ISO of 1600. That's WAY too high. Bring your ISO down to 400 or lower. This will require more light, so you'll need either a slower shutter speed, or a wider aperture (lower Fstop) It looks like your aperture was set at F9. You should be able to open up your aperture a bit more. Even less expensive lenses will usually allow you to open your aperture up to at least 5.8, which will allow a lot more light than F9. This will allow you to keep a fairly fast shutter speed, for taking pics of fish, that won't hold still.

Right now, you're probably shooting in Auto mode, in which case the camera is picking what it thinks are the most appropriate settings. In this case, the camera is wrong. Shoot in Manual Mode or AP Mode, IMO Manual Mode, as it will allow you completely control of all settings.

 

[autodave]

Here are some new pic's with all of your advice.These were shot in Manual mode/Av-5.6/400 ISO.I am pleased the way they turned out,I did get alot of blurry pic's,but understand that is give and take.

 

[returnofsid]

Speed up your shutter, to avoid the blurriness, when taking pictures of moving fish. Your shutter speed, on these photos, is 1/25, which is pretty darn slow. The blurry results may also be the result of you not hold still. At this slow of a shutter speed, you need to be able to hold VERY STILL, or use a tripod.

In Manual mode, use a faster shutter speed and open your aperture up a little. Your current aperture is 5.7, on the above shots. Go for a lower number, which is a wider aperture. This will allow more light, which will compensate for the lower light of a faster shutter speed.

 

[autodave]

Speed up your shutter, to avoid the blurriness, when taking pictures of moving fish. Your shutter speed, on these photos, is 1/25, which is pretty darn slow. The blurry results may also be the result of you not hold still. At this slow of a shutter speed, you need to be able to hold VERY STILL, or use a tripod.

In Manual mode, use a faster shutter speed and open your aperture up a little. Your current aperture is 5.7, on the above shots. Go for a lower number, which is a wider aperture. This will allow more light, which will compensate for the lower light of a faster shutter speed.

Dang your good!Thanks- I will keep trying

 

[autodave]

Well,I feel these are better,using a faster shutter speed -1/80 to 1/100 with an Av of 5.6.I guess the only problem I was having is that the Av won't go any lower than 5.6.?

 

[Brett9917]

I am not sure what lens you are using, but if you can afford to zoom out, most lenses will open the aperture when they zoom out.

 

[Patrick Cox]

Well,I feel these are better,using a faster shutter speed -1/80 to 1/100 with an Av of 5.6.I guess the only problem I was having is that the Av won't go any lower than 5.6.?

Time for faster glass.