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Recently purchased a6300 - grainy images?


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So I just got the camera Friday via ebay for a great price (used 2700 shutter count according to a program I downloaded online - owner said about 3000) with a Kit 16-50 lens and a kit 55-210. I figured this would be good enough lenses for me to learn on before I figure out what lenses I want to add to my arsenal.

 

I played around with both lenses using the 16-50 to take pictures of my dog and today I used the 55-210 to take pictures at a mountain bike race. I was able to export the pictures of my dogs in Lightroom (shot in RAW) and they seemed very grainy. Today I shot in (RAW and JPEG) and shot in manual with continuous auto focus. The pictures are still coming out grainy. Did I buy a dud of a camera/lenses or is it me/my settings?

 

Im attaching a photo I took today. I sent it from the camera to my cellphone.

Shot at 1/4000 F5.6 ISO 16000

 

Tips would be appreciated as im just now getting familiar with Sony's menus. 5751659c6525d6cde084c9635030494c.jpg

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

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An ISO of 16000 inevitably produces very grainy images on your a6300. I have an a6000, which has only slightly worse ISO performance. During daytime I try to stay below ISO 1600, at nighttime up to 6400 which is borderline usable but very grainy and with washed out colors.

 

I understand you want to freeze the action but with these lighting conditions and this camera/lenses you're pushing it with such high aperture values. Unfortunately the lenses you have are not very suitable for dim lighting conditions as the aperture is too small. Try something like 1/800 sec at ISO 3200 and see how it works. There's a chance you'll get some motion blur an will still have some ISO-grain. The small aperture lenses are at blame here more than the camera.

 

Are images at ISO 100-800 still grainy? This should not be the case, though there usually is some luminance noise if you zoom to 100%. At 16000 yes your images will be very grainy.

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Guest Jaf-Photo

It's like Pieter said.

 

I would like to add that light is always the most important part of photography (photo means light). The sample photo was taken at a part of the track which is in deep shadow. Yet, the background shows sunlight. The natural instinct of the photographer should be to find the brighest part of the track to take photos, not the darkest.

 

Unfortunately there is so much automation in cameras and mobile phone cameras, that people don't learn the basics of photography.

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No question your "problem" is expecting superb low light performance when it isn't possible...ISO of 16000 guarantees the presence of significant noise.  ISO that high I only use when I simply have to get a photo in very dark conditions and supplemental light not available or possible.  I actually try and shoot below 400 95% of the time.

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It seems like that photo isn’t quite in focus. I don’t think it’s motion blur since the shutter was set to 1/4000. I can live with a bit of grain as long as the focus is sharp.

You might be able to use slower shutter speeds with skillful use of panning with the rider. If done right, some parts of the rider will be sharp while other parts of the image will have motion blur. (Athough for this image with the rider pedaling toward you little or no panning is required.)

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Guest Jaf-Photo

At ISO 16000 no part of the image is sharp. It will all be mush from noise and noise reduction. It will be a challenge to shoot action photos with the lenses mentioned by the OP but it will definitely be easier in good light. So, it's really about understanding the basic principles of photography and the technical envelope of the camera. Skillful panning and prioritising focus over grain has very little to do with the OP's situation.

 

It seems like that photo isn’t quite in focus. I don’t think it’s motion blur since the shutter was set to 1/4000. I can live with a bit of grain as long as the focus is sharp.

You might be able to use slower shutter speeds with skillful use of panning with the rider. If done right, some parts of the rider will be sharp while other parts of the image will have motion blur. (Athough for this image with the rider pedaling toward you little or no panning is required.)

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  • 2 weeks later...

If this was actually shot at ISO 16 THOUSAND then it looks great.

 

If this was shot on ISO 16 HUNDRED then I think we would need to look at a full size image to determine.

 

The a6300 is - in general - one of the better high ISO / low light APS-C cameras. It was better than all of the Canon full frame cameras (maybe the 5D mrk IV is better... not sure).

 

For shooting a fast bike race, MOST pros would use a constant f/2.8 lens... or faster even.

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