Why are my pictures grainy?

Question

I just received a Canon Rebel EOS Ti for Christmas. Every picture I took on the first roll of film is very grainy. None of the turned out at all. I'm using 400ISO film (came with the camera) and the auto settings on the camera. This is how they're turning out... http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a393/nellzdollz/00750024.jpg

Answer 1

Buy some new film, and try it again. Try Fuji, or Kodak. The processing may have also been bad.

Answer 2

ISO 400 film is an average film speed, somewhat like what the 50mm lens is to lenses. It should not be producing these types of results.

You say the film came with the camera. This might be due to the film being older, or stored in less than acceptable conditions. Who knows how long it sat on the shelf before you picked it up? My suggestion is you pick up some new Kodak or Fuji film. Make sure the date is not expired. Also, go for T-Max film, since it will produce better results than Tri-X.

If the film is not expired, I would then have to say the grain is a result of poor lighting. Once you shoot outside, and in other situations, this will become virtually non existent.

If this still does not help, try going for a slower film speed, such as ISO 200 or ISO 100. This should help cut grain, but remember to compensate.

One thing I just remembered, what type of lens are you using? If it is the kit lens, this is the problem. Canon has a terrible reputation of putting out poor lenses, and putting out excellent lenses. You might really consider buying a better lens.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

That is common with higher speed films because the particles of Silver Nitrate, which is the chemical that reacts to the light, are larger, In lower speed films such as 100 and 200 you won't get that. if you are taking photos outdoors on a sunny day 100 is great but if you don't know what conditions you will be dealing with then use 200, Only use 400 in low light conditions or if your are trying to photograph a fast moving object such as a race car. If you go to a camera shop you could even get lower speed film like 64 for really sharp pictures under well lit conditions. This is what professional photographers usually use, at least those who have yet to go digital.

Answer 4

That's the beauty of photography. You can take a shot with the subject completely grainless and the background grainy and out of focus. The eye goes right to the dog and completely ignores the background. With digital and it's wide Depth Of Field, everything would have been in focus, the eye would wander all over the frame and you would have had a failed picture. Try moving the lens out to the longest it will go; 80 mm or whatever, set the aperture at 2.8 and take a few headshots outside. Notice how the background get's lost completely. A digital will mindlessly have everthing in focus and produce some of the most boring shots ever.

Answer 5

The grain you're seeing is in the background, not the primary image (notice, there's no grain in the dog!)

That's because your flash is adjusting itself for the center of the image - the dog - and it simply doesn't have to power to properly illuminate the background. When that happens, graininess happens!

Get away from Auto mode ASAP. It's crap - ALWAYS. Use Program Mode instead.

Film does have grain. Higher ISO films have MORE grain. But there's no reason you can't get predictably good results with 400 speed film. Just be sure to buy a decent brand ... and there are only two - Kodak and Fuji.

And NEVER, NEVER, NEVER shoot in Auto mode!

Answer 6

Your shots are under exposed, and poorly printed at say Wal-Mart ?

Iso 400 film is no where near as "grainy" as it was in the early 80's, I routinely blow up Kodak Portra 400VC to 16X20, no problem. If I go any larger, then the grain really shows up.

Some camera's, right out of the box will over or underexpose by as much as a whole stop, so shoot a roll all of the same subject, in the same light and "bracket" your exposures, keeping notes of the frame # and corresponding settings. Evaluate the prints from a CAMERA SHOP, not CVS,RITE AIDE,OR WAL-MART (none of these places can print for sh*t) and if you find your camera's meter tends to over expose, dial in some exposure compensation (in owners manual) or make a similar adjustment to your ISO setting each time you load a roll of film. ( better off with Exp. Comp. so you don't forget to do it after loading a roll)

G'Luck, and spend some time with your owners manual, a book on photography and most of all your camera and you will see results in no time.

EDIT: Geezz, haven't any of you under exposed a roll of film before ? It's Quite simple, the shot is UNDEREXPOSED, AND POORLY PRINTED.

Answer 7

that is probably not a grain feature but a depth of field situation. You have focused on the dog with a flash and a wide aperature opening, thus the dog will be in focus and all behind it will be out of focus. If you close the aperture a bit, more will come into focus. However since this is taken inside, you will need a flash and the flash only has a certain distance where it is any assistance.

Answer 8

Cropping will affecting a picture getting grainy when you blowup to a bigger size,doesn't belongs to ISO 400 film speed.

Answer 9

ISO 400 is a grainy film. Try 200 and 100.

Answer 10

Film? Why film.. You should have gotten a digital camera with 1080 dpi.. Then you would not have to worry about the film or the quality of the picture.