queazy#shaia

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/queazy/makebetterpictures.jpg
How can I take better Digital cam pictures?  I have a Sony Cyber Shot Digital camera, 4.1 Megapixels, DSC-S60 & Carl Zeiss Lens.  I don't know anything about cameras and this is my first digital camera. 
Saturday night I went all through Downtown Las Vegas and the Strip taking pictures of everything, when I got home and looked at them they weren't that good.  Pictures fuzzy, constantly having to take pics two or three times cause they just seem blurry.  Even then when I do get one that's sharp, I zoom in with the pic when its on my pc and its still kinda fuzzy.
Example at above URL
Do I play with EV settings?  ISO settings?  Will taking pics at say 3 megapixels rather than 4 be better?  Shutter speed almost isn't accessible, I have to go to 'M' or 'P' program settings to change shutter speed, even then I only get two options. 

Although quite handy, sometimes a old free camera I recieved from a casino seems to take sharper pictures and I can't help but feel I'm doing something wrong.  What should I be doing?

Changing the megapixels won't do anything.
Blurriness comes from lack of luminosity, requiring a longer exposition, which makes pictures blurry if the subjects move or if you don't use a tripod. You can use a flash even by day if your subject is close to avoid that.

If your camera has those, It is probably better to stick to pre-programmed modes than to change the settings yourself on a point-and-shoot. I always leave my point-and-shoot (Fujifilm FinePix A340) in "Sports" mode with automatic flash so that I can be ready to shoot anything in a few seconds.


What should I be doing?
Take as many photos as you can, all the time. Experiment a lot.
Buy a tripod.
Learn Photoshop.

>>2 knows what he's talking about :D
How did you come across such an expensive camera if you know nothing about them???? Read the user manual on taking pictures?? Moving on.
A sports setting would be good if you're taking quick shots like you said. Even the Automatic setting is better than programming your own specifications....you'll get constantly blurry pictures if you're taking quick snaps with the settings on, for instance, 2048x1536 pixels+, vivid quality, and multi-spot metering. I'm going off of my experience with a Samsung A402 (lol cheap), but usually cameras behave similarly when it comes to settings.
If you're so inclined to set your own settings, I'd say that you should have this preset for quick shots like you want to take:
Auto flash, 1600x1200px size, normal quality, normal sharpness. Even then, experimentation is nessicary.

Advice: take quick snapshots of cars with the unit set on different settings until you get an acceptably-clear picture.

>>2
I had read "tripcode"

>>3
I wouldn't say that I know that much about photo actually. So you mean his camera is a pro model? From the name "Cyber Shot" I thought it sounded like consumer-grade. Nice idea the thing with cars btw.

>>4
Guess that with a title like that, he'll have to find a new one, or to do the smart thing and join us Anonymous.


Anyway, the secret to good photography is to take photographs all the time, you'll notice that people discussing expensive hardware and advanced settings rarely have better portfolios than photographers who don't.
If you want to read some theory, I recommand http://www.photo.net/ , and just try to take as many photos as you can.

>>1
If you camera came with documentation, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY READ IT SO YOU KNOW HOW YOUR CAMERA WORKS.

More pictures of that lovely lady in the example please =D

>>7 gb2/s/

There is a shitload of noise going on there. Try a lower ISO setting. If it's still there run your images through NoiseNinja. Try sharpening your photos using unsharp mask in photoshop.

Looking at the picture the other person took it looks to me very much like it was taken on far superior equiptment...

Taking photos on the strip at night? Check the shutter speed isn't too low, anything below 1/60 and the pictures may start to get blurring.

In daytime, try using a smaller aperture (a higher f/ number) and see if the pictures get any sharper.

HEres the prob with point and shoots at night

Not enough power in the flash to get a decent shutter speed

so the camera Overcompensates and raises the ISO, which makes horrible quality shots

I don't think you can play manually with both Shutter speed and Apperature(with your camera), But at night a rule of thumb is, Keep the Apperature as low as possible (And don't use the telephoto zoom at all)
Flash when you can, your not going to be getting any long range shots by holding the camera in your hand either (shutter speed will be too long)

NEver go above the half way mark with your ISO (So if its max 400 never go above 200)

Basically, last resort up the E/V, And if you don't have manual Apperature and Shutter settings, get a new camera...

thank you for your responses, I really appreciate it.  I had a feeling the other guy had better equipment and was doing stuff I couldn't do with my camera, I just want to take better quality pictures with what I have.  I will try all your suggestions, again thank you