Canon Powershot S2 IS - need a book/website/advice on how to use

[juliebee70]

I have a Canon Powershot S2 IS and I'm just not very good at using it yet-- I've had it a year. I get so many blurred pics and I know I don't have the settings correct, but the manual is so useless. I do get some great pics too, but I'm pretty frustrated that my action pics are so poor. With a preschooler and son in high school football- I have 2 boys that are never sitting still for pics. Does anyone have a recommendation for a book specifically for the Canon S2IS- or a website- or whatever that will help me make the most of this camera?

Thanks!

[Shawna]

I have the Canon S2IS & would love to know of a good book also! I've tried reading the manual & haven't been able to get much out of that. I tried taking pictures at my little brothers high school soccer game for the first time & also got blurry pictures, but I can get great still shots if I can get someone to stay still LOL! Which is hard with an almost 5yo & a 2.5yo!

[717sherry]

I know nothing about that camera- sorry. BUT- I am in the market for a Canon camera and one with "IS" is on my list. I thought that IS (image stabilization) was supposed to help with blurry action shots. Does it not? If not, I would rather save the money and go for the one that is about $100 cheaper.

[traci]

Here are a couple that really helped me:

http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/pss2is/201-e.html
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/pss2is/101-e.html

I went through these & started playing & I've been much happier with my pics. HTH!

[Lauren]

Originally Posted by 717sherry

I know nothing about that camera- sorry. BUT- I am in the market for a Canon camera and one with "IS" is on my list. I thought that IS (image stabilization) was supposed to help with blurry action shots. Does it not? If not, I would rather save the money and go for the one that is about $100 cheaper.

IS only helps reduce blur created by camera shake - it can't do anything for action blur. Only a faster shutter speed will get rid of this. The only thing I'd suggest (aside from reading Traci's links) is if you have a sports or manual mode, use that and set it to the fastest (biggest number) shutter speed that you can. Actually, I know on the SLR IS lenses actually take a bit longer since the IS needs time to settle before it'll be able to reduce blur - it may even create it if you're taking a shot before the IS has set itself. You may also want to try disabling it and seeing if it helps.

But I would still recommend the IS model. My husband used to have a Sony H1 and those cameras with the big zooms really do need IS as it's so easy to shake and when at a long zoom range, even the smallest movement will create blur very easily.