How come my flash makes my photos blurry?

9 years 5 months ago #414499 by Kris W
I just bought a used SB600 Nikon flash for my Nikon D300 camera  and notice when I use the flash, my photos become blurry.  This is my first off camera flash and I'm hopping I have a setting incorrect vs my flash is broken.  Now for the record I'm hand holding the camera.  But I thought that doesn't matter because of the flash freezes things that you are shooting.  


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9 years 5 months ago #414508 by garyrhook
You haven't provided any information about your shutter speed, shooting conditions, or any example image(s). Flash can be used to soften shadows, or to freeze motion; there's no one answer. So more detail might help us fill in the gaps.


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9 years 5 months ago - 9 years 5 months ago #414522 by effron
I hope you don't have that D300 on the blur setting.....;)

strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-1...ncing-flash-and.html

Why so serious?
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9 years 5 months ago #414600 by Joves
Did you see the flash actually fire? Also while yes flash helps you with slow shutter speeds, there are limits to that, you still need to have good shooting technique. Also were you shooting wide open, or was your lens stopped down some? Also were you using manual mode? When you use it it focus light does not work, which is fine if you have enough light for the camera to focus without it.


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9 years 5 months ago #414616 by ShutterPal
Try putting your camera on tripod and taking the shot again.  I bet your getting camera shake from hand holding it.  


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9 years 5 months ago #414665 by Stealthy Ninja
You're probably shooting Aperture priority mode indoors. Shoot manual when shooting indoors because in Aperture/Shutter priority the camera assumes the flash is being used for FILL and will adjust your shutter speed to match the ambient light (this is fine if you're actually using it for fill - ie outside in backlit conditions, but terrible if you're inside and your shutter speed is dropping to blur levels).

When shooting MANUAL the camera assumes the flash is the ONLY source of light. It will then adjust the flash power to illuminate the subject correctly. You can maintain some background exposure by:

When indoors:
1. Switch to manual mode.
2. Adjust your camera to be about 1 - 1/2 stop below ideal for that scene (keep your SS at 1/60 or above to avoid blur).
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9 years 5 months ago #414672 by Kris W
Thank you!  Sorry I didn't write down my settings from the other night.  I'm going to try again this weekend.  I'm going to read what you guys gave me here.  I really appreciate your help!


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9 years 5 months ago #414681 by Shadowfixer1
If there is a lot of ambient light you will get ghosting if you have a slower shutter speed. Make sure to keep the shutter speed up if there is a lot of ambient light if you want the flash to be the main light and not just for a little fill.
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9 years 5 months ago #414691 by Don Fischer
I don't see how a flash can do that. Flash does only one thing; it put's out a strobe of light on demand. I have two SB600's, love them!


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9 years 5 months ago #414757 by Kris W
And they help keeps coming in.  Thank you


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