Lens Flair

Spring is coming, slow but steady.

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I've always avoided thinking about it, but could it be the fact the kit lens just isn't that good?
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Nope, the Nikon 18-55 kit is one of the best really cheap lenses out there.

IIRC a lower f number gives sharper images right?
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To a point. As BCS said, f/8 - f/11 is where the kit lens will be sharpest. Beyond that, you start getting diffraction, softening the image. Also see "f8 and be there".

It could also be the fact I have very shaky hands, but I can't use faster shutter speeds because then the photos are too dark.
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Two words: "tripod" and "remote".

On second though, how do you define "shaky hands"? At what shutter speed do you start getting camera shake?

And I seem to have a phobia for turning the ISO up at all.
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That's a good phobia to have. ISO should be the "last resort" of exposure.

Could it just be thanks to the fact I tend to go out when I have the time (due to school etc) which will always be later on in the day, and so get less light so the camera has to work more, causing worse performance?
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More likely that you have "shaky hands" (see above)

Don't get discouraged that you don't have enough light: dusk, dawn, and night are the best times to get nature photos with astonishing colour. If you live far enough up the northern hemisphere where the sun never rises about 45 degrees above the horizon, so you can go out and get photos of nature with sunset/sunrise-like lighting during normal daylight whenever it suits you. Of course, I see you live in England, so that's assuming it's not raining (yeah, right :p)
 
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Took this yesterday at an aviation museum in Topeka, KS. It is the tail section of a C-47 from WWII. If you have seen "Band of Brothers" this is the plane that the paratroopers jumped out of on D-Day which is why the tail is black and white to symbolize that it is an Allied plane. I do like the picture but I'm still not sure on the processing.

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epp_b what if you leave work/school after sunset?
 
I went to Madeira last year and thought it was great. But it was s**t scary on those narrow mountain roads in our rented clio.
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https://pic.armedcats.net/a/al/alok/2009/03/23/meehe.jpg
 
https://pic.armedcats.net/r/ra/ramseus/2009/03/23/IMG_0437s.jpg
 
Thanks for the help guys! I won't bother quoting everyone's thoughts. The general consensus is use a tripod and remote, both of which I have, but I just don't like using them. I much prefer to do things handheld, just because I hate having to set up for a shot, by positioning the tripod etc. I think I will start using f8 much more, however this will only make the problem of underexposure worse. One thing I could start doing is use my flash more - but would this have consequences of washing out colours?

And now I look back over some of the photos, it does seem as if the problem is to do with lens blur, and not so much camera shake. I'll have to try some more things out. But thanks very much BCS, Ice and epp_b!
 
evoWALO, that last one is eye-popping! :eek:

Thanks for the help guys! I won't bother quoting everyone's thoughts. The general consensus is use a tripod and remote, both of which I have, but I just don't like using them. I much prefer to do things handheld, just because I hate having to set up for a shot, by positioning the tripod etc.
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Yeah, I understand, it can be a pain, but sometimes it's the only option.

I think I will start using f8 much more, however this will only make the problem of underexposure worse. One thing I could start doing is use my flash more - but would this have consequences of washing out colours?
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It sounds like you're using manual mode (I'm just guessing here). I suggest using Aperture Priority, letting your camera figure out the correct shutter speed and just being wary of the shutter before you fire the camera.

If you insist on underexposing because you want to do handhold shooting, start using RAW so that you have more exposure latitude in post-processing, meaning less noise when you exaggerate the exposure.
 
donthomaso, great photo is that a 993 GT2? If so it is my personal opinion that the 993 GT2 was the pinnacle of the 911 line.
 
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