quick question

[heyhowdyhey]

So I recently got a Canon T2I for my birthday and its my first non point and shoot camera. I just took it to Disneyland and it took really good pictures during they day even at night when I was standing still. But I tried to take some pictures on like Pirates, the train going thru the dinosaurs, and some parts of small world and my pictures came out super blurry. I know its because its dark in those rides. But is there any mode or setting that anybody knows of that i could get some shots on those rides? And if anybody has other tips for me that would be awesome!!!
Thanks!

 

[drummrsanonymous]

Those rides you mentioned are some of the most notoriously difficult ones to photograph. Without seeing your photos, I would guess that the shutter is having to stay open so long that your hands are noticeably moving during the exposure. If you haven't already, familiarize yourself with the relationship among aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. In the mean time, choosing a sport/child/pet present and/or using spot metering might give you a slightly better chance. Lots of people have trouble photographing on these rides - sometimes you just have to site back and enjoy.

 

[photo_chick]

It is going to be very difficult to get shots on the really dark rides like PoTC with an entry level zoom lens (like the standard 18-55 kit lens). They are just too slow. You need a fast prime lens like a 50mm f/1.8 (or shorter). Even if you go all manual the camera will be hard pressed to gather enough light, even at the highest ISO, to get the necessary shutter speed with slower zooms.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

As those who frequent these threads know, the dark rides have been an obsession with me ever since I made my first trip to WDW with a DSLR. This past December, I was finally successful with achieving that goal. It took a new camera with the capability for 12800 ISO, a new lens (Sigma 30mm f1.4) and lots of advice and help from forum members! I walked away from this last trip feeling like Superman!! Don't get discouraged that you are having issues with those shots. Its not you!!! If I hadn't got the deal of a lifetime on my new camera body we wouldn't be having this conversation and I would still be frustrated.

 

[mom2rtk]

You may have a DSLR, but unless you know how to adjust the settings, what you really have is a point and shoot. Now don't get me wrong. It's a really GOOD point and shoot. But still a point and shoot. You can absolutely get those shots with the T2i, but as pointed out you will need a faster lens (one with a wider maximum aperture). And some knowledge of what settings to use.

If you've never read Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure", it's a great starting point for studying the photographic triangle.

For Pirates or Small World, I'd probably choose an ISO of 3200 (the highest ISO on my T2i I'm really comfortable with), and shutter priority of about 1/50. Or go aperture priority and choose the biggest aperture available to you (1.8 if you were to buy the 50mm f/1.8 lens mentioned earlier). Your kit lens will only open to 3.5, which is not likely to be far enough.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

For IASM, I used ISO 1600 with a shutter speed 1/100 (I used Tv (shutter speed priority) mode) and let the camera select the aperture. It chose f1.8-f2.2 most of the time.

For Pirates I had to use ISO 6400, 1/80 and the camera chose f1.4.

I have attached my flickr page from our Nov/Dec (disregard some of the dates in the EXIF, my camera as set incorrectly) trip. You can look at the EXIF information and that can guide you to what is necessary to get those types of images.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45097427@N02/sets/72157628451818517/

As mom2rtk pointed out, the kit lenses cannot physically let enough light in (aperture) to capture the dark ride images. On Haunted Mansion I think I used ISO 12800 and my apertures were f2.5-3.5. Also on HM my shutter (Tv mode) speed was 1/125. I chose to use a faster shutter speed on HM than POTC because of the motion of the doom buggy.