Olympus - Night Scenes (2)

Using the Digital Image Stabilization Mode
There are many locations with amazing night scenes and they are especially popular subjects as souvenirs from a vacation. It's easy to take pictures of night scenes using the [SCENE]'s (Night Scene) mode, but the camera sets slow shutter speeds so camera blur is more likely to occur, ruining the picture. And although you can avoid camera blur by stabilizing the camera with a tripod or other method, in many places tripods are not allowed.

Use (Digital Image Stabilization) mode to take pictures of dark subjects
To take pictures of night scenes you can use the P (Program Auto) mode, the A (Aperture Priority Auto) mode or the [SCENE]'s (Night Scene) mode. However with cameras that have it, the (Digital Image Stabilization) mode is especially effective when you don't have a tripod or any other method to stabilize the camera. The ISO is set to a higher sensitivity than usual even if you set the flash to flash off so in many cases you'll be able to take pictures of night scenes even while holding the camera in your hands.
However, a higher ISO sensitivity can introduce noise to the picture, so unless it is absolutely necessary, a lower setting is preferable. By using the Digital Image Stabilization Mode (Digital Image Stabilization) mode you can make sure this setting will only be used when necessary.

Compare the effects of different ISO sensitivities



Picture taken in P mode: When you shoot the picture holding the camera in your hands, the picture is blurred	Picture taken in Digital Image Stabilization mode: Even if you shoot the picture holding the camera in your hands, the picture is not blurred

Useful things to remember

When taking pictures of night scenes, most light sources are artificial. There is the fluorescent light that spills out of buildings, mercury lamps, and many other types of lights. Try taking several shots of the nights scene under various white balance settings to obtain different feels.Open "Useful Tips: Changing the ambiance of a picture with the white balance"