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Beginner OM 10 photos blury?
- Thread starter jgouldth
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There are quite a few possibilities. Maybe you didn't focus correctly on the subject. Maybe the shutter speed wasn't high enough to freeze 'camera shake' (the slight movement of your hands and therefore the camera while the photo is being taken). Maybe the shutter speed wasn't high enough to freeze the movement of the subject (assuming it was moving). Maybe there's some technical problem with your camera or lens. This article was written for digital photographers, but most of it applies to film:
https://www.michaelfrye.com/2018/10/31/five-causes-of-blurry-photos/
If you'd like to post some scans, that might give us a better idea of what might have gone wrong. Your OM 10 sets the shutter speed automatically, depending on the light level, the film ISO and the aperture you have set. If you've been shooting in dim (e.g. indoor) light with low ISO film or with the aperture stopped down to f/11 or something, the camera may not be able to set a high enough shutter speed for sharp handheld photos. Try some shots outdoors in good light with ISO 400 film, middle apertures and careful focusing. Try some shots on a tripod if you have one. Try different lenses if you have more than one.
https://www.michaelfrye.com/2018/10/31/five-causes-of-blurry-photos/
If you'd like to post some scans, that might give us a better idea of what might have gone wrong. Your OM 10 sets the shutter speed automatically, depending on the light level, the film ISO and the aperture you have set. If you've been shooting in dim (e.g. indoor) light with low ISO film or with the aperture stopped down to f/11 or something, the camera may not be able to set a high enough shutter speed for sharp handheld photos. Try some shots outdoors in good light with ISO 400 film, middle apertures and careful focusing. Try some shots on a tripod if you have one. Try different lenses if you have more than one.
Mr Badger
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With the OM 10 camera the aperture is set by the photographer and the camera then chooses the shutter speed. Without seeing one or two examples of the photos you've taken I can't be certain, but my suspicion is that you've probably set a fairly small aperture (f/8 or f/11) and used a 100 or 200 ISO film, and the camera has been selecting shutter speed such as 1/30 and 1/60 second, in which case, the blur you are seeing is probably caused by camera shake?
As a rough rule of thumb, depending on how steadily you can hold a camera (and this does vary between individual people), try to use shutter speeds of 1/125 or faster when shooting hand held with a lens of 50mm or above - the longer the focal length of the lens, the higher the shutter speed needs to be to avoid camera shake.
If you post a couple of example shots we should be able to see if it is the above, or another issue. With film photography, generally speaking (there are some exceptions) you are stuck with shooting at the ISO of the film you've loaded in the camera. If you want to use smaller apertures for increased focus 'depth of field' and it's a dull day then you'll need a faster film (400 ISO or above) so you can use shutter speeds fast enough to avoid camera shake if shooting hand held, either that or you'll have to open the aperture up more to achieve a faster shutter speed. With DSLRs, the ISO will usually automatically increase to compensate for a smaller aperture and a high-ish shutter speed; film doesn't usually give you that option, so choosing the right film for the particular circumstances is part of the art of film photography.
The Film and Conventional section of this forum is full of experienced film photographers and I'm sure a lot of them would be only too pleased to help you get some good, sharp photos from your camera. However, quite a few of them don't venture into the non film sections of the forum, so may not see this post. So perhaps give the F&C section a try and post any film photography related questions you have there, and I'm sure you'll get some good tips and suggestions.
Hope this is helpful, and stick with it, film photography is great fun, but it can be a cruel mistress at times and doesn't give the margin for error that modern DLSRs often do. So don't give up yet, it's just a matter of leaning a few new skills.
As a rough rule of thumb, depending on how steadily you can hold a camera (and this does vary between individual people), try to use shutter speeds of 1/125 or faster when shooting hand held with a lens of 50mm or above - the longer the focal length of the lens, the higher the shutter speed needs to be to avoid camera shake.
If you post a couple of example shots we should be able to see if it is the above, or another issue. With film photography, generally speaking (there are some exceptions) you are stuck with shooting at the ISO of the film you've loaded in the camera. If you want to use smaller apertures for increased focus 'depth of field' and it's a dull day then you'll need a faster film (400 ISO or above) so you can use shutter speeds fast enough to avoid camera shake if shooting hand held, either that or you'll have to open the aperture up more to achieve a faster shutter speed. With DSLRs, the ISO will usually automatically increase to compensate for a smaller aperture and a high-ish shutter speed; film doesn't usually give you that option, so choosing the right film for the particular circumstances is part of the art of film photography.
The Film and Conventional section of this forum is full of experienced film photographers and I'm sure a lot of them would be only too pleased to help you get some good, sharp photos from your camera. However, quite a few of them don't venture into the non film sections of the forum, so may not see this post. So perhaps give the F&C section a try and post any film photography related questions you have there, and I'm sure you'll get some good tips and suggestions.
Hope this is helpful, and stick with it, film photography is great fun, but it can be a cruel mistress at times and doesn't give the margin for error that modern DLSRs often do. So don't give up yet, it's just a matter of leaning a few new skills.
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Asha
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This is very true and I've only come across this post cos I'm keeping tracks on you Mr Badger!
OP……..Post up some pics like the others have mentioned and we will be able to offer more precise help.
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It might also be possible that the camera has the manual adapter fitted and that this was overriding at aperture priority setting?
@jgouldth If one is fitted, the Manual Adapter will be plugged in to the front of the camera to the left of the lens (looking from the top). You can use this to select the shutter speed used manually, so it's possible (if fitted) that this is set to a slow speed. You can activate / deactivate the manual adapter by sliding the small switch at the base of the ASA dial.
@jgouldth If one is fitted, the Manual Adapter will be plugged in to the front of the camera to the left of the lens (looking from the top). You can use this to select the shutter speed used manually, so it's possible (if fitted) that this is set to a slow speed. You can activate / deactivate the manual adapter by sliding the small switch at the base of the ASA dial.
I know, sorry I meant the op to type it so we know what ss etc.You might have problems getting the exif data from an OM10 - it's a film SLR.
Should've just said "what settings did you use".
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Please don't take this the wrong way, but the OM10 is a VERY old camera and is manual focus only.
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My thoughts too.
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not necessarily if it's split screen focus he may not know how to use it?
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True, I suppose. Although if you were trying to focus on a distant subject but the focus ring was set at close range then the entire viewfinder would be blurred, not just the split prism.
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- wayne clarke
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Theres another possible cause the pressure plate inside the camera may be damaged in some way or the spring too weak weak to press the film across the gate. More lightly shutter speed though.