How can I take a photo of lights at nightime with my Nikon Coolpix 7900?

Question

I have been given a Nikon Coolpix 7900 camera and last night, I tried to take a photo of outdoor lights in my garden/candles. I tried various scene settings but either the flash came on or if I turned the flash off - I couldn't get a photo of the lights/they looked dull. The lights in reality were really bright. Is there any way I can take a photo of the lights, without the flash, so I can get a clear bright reality photo of what they look like?

Answer 1

Although your camera has a tripod socket, its minimum shutter speed is only 4 seconds. Fortunately, that's sufficient for some night/low-light, non-flash photography. However, you will need a tripod.

My ever-present FotoSharp (http://www.fotosharp.com) Day & Night Exposure Guide suggests the following:

Scene # 11: Floodlit buildings, fountains; Outdoor Christmas lights; Candlelight close-ups

ISO 200

f4 @ 1/2 sec.

f5.6 @ 1 sec.

f8 @ 2 sec.

f11 @ 4 sec.

Since I don't have your camera or the Owner's Manual, you'll have to do some research to determine if you can set the f-stops manually. If you can't, then you're at the mercy of the camera and the Night Scene Mode.

NOTE: Trying to judge a scene's brightness by eye is seldom accurate. Here is a simple experiment you can try. In a dark bathroom put a 4 watt nightlight in the wall outlet. Now give your eyes time to adjust. You should be able to read a newspaper 3 or 4 feet away from the light source. Now try taking a reading with your camera. Its likely you'll get an "Error" message.