TV mode on Canon Powershot SX70 HS

by Puffin
(Israel)

I'm a newbie with a Canon Powershot SX70 HS
When I'm just controlling the shutter speed on TV mode, the F stop number flashes at times. I read in the manual that the camera is trying to tell me that it's not the right F stop and that I should change the shutter speed until it stops flashing.
BUT when I do that the photo is blurry.
WHAT is going on here?
Can you advise?
Thank you!
Puffin

Hi Puffin, Greetings from the USA.

Thanks for asking about TV shutter priority mode on your SX70 HS. Your blurry photos are from using too slow of a shutter speed, but more on that in a minute.

TV Mode On The Canon Powershot SX70 HS

Canon uses the letters TV, which is the abbreviation for Time Value. That is more commonly referred to as shutter priority mode. Shutter priority mode is a camera setting that gives you as the photographer the ability to set the shutter speed and have the camera choose the best aperture (F stop number) to give you a proper exposure. More on Camera Settings.


SX70 HS TV Mode Setting

The challenge can come into play when you are shooting in relatively dimly lit situations. Two of the ways your camera will allow more light to hit your sensor are opening up the lens aperture wider and having the shutter say open longer. Like many other digital cameras, your Powershot SX70 HS has limits to how wide open the aperture can go, as well as how slow of a shutter speed you can use without getting a blurry photo from camera movement.

Too long of a shutter speed setting on a camera will result in blurriness or a lack of sharpness in your photo. That's what is happening in your case with your Canon SX70 HS. The blinking F/stop indicator is the camera's way of warning you that you don't have enough light for a good exposure with the camera settings as they are.

How to Get Sharp Photos with the Powershot SX70 HS

You can make adjustments to your SX70 HS in several different ways to insure you reduce blur and get sharper photographs.

1. HIGHER ISO: You can adjust the light sensitivity of your SX70 sensor. Set your camera to use a higher ISO setting and it will not need as much light to give you a proper exposure.
2. TRIPOD: Tripods will steady your Canon for long exposure photos in those dimly lit situations. This is fine unless your subject is in motion too.
3. FLASH: Using you flash is a surefire to freeze any blur from camera or subject movement during exposure.
4. HOLDING TECHNIQUE: You can improve the sharpness of your SX70 HS photos in those borderline slow shutter speed setting situations by improving your technique when you squeeze the shutter. I just posted a video on this that will be worthwhile for you to watch: The Right Way To Hold Your Camera
5. TIMING and DIRECTION: When it's possible, either move your subject or your camera perspective to get more light on your subject. You can also change the time of day, when it's feasible, to photograph some subjects at a different time when the light is more favorable.

Puffin, I hope this was helpful. Feel free to comment back if you have any other questions. The Canon Powershot SX70 HS is a very capable camera to get some great photographs. You just need to get a little experience with understanding its various camera settings and it will become a great tool for you.

Good Luck,
Bruce

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