Christmas lights

[kriss5154]

I am going mad am in France have D70 Nikon and starting with new D300 but am going mad.

I am trying to take Christmas lights at night tried with and without flash, with terrable results with very blured but better any thoughts anbody

 

[theory]

Use a tripod if you can, crank up the ISO sensitivy and set the aperture to as low a number as it will go. if you can't use a tripod then hold the camera with your elbows against your ribcage and hold your breath, if you burst fire a few shots off hopefully one or two keepers will be in the group

how are the shots coming out aside from blurry without the flash? are you finding they are too bright or too dark?

in fact, chuck a pic up of the best you have yet - someone will probably be able to offer some better advice that way.

 

[digitalfailure]

a long shutter speed would be almost impossible to hand hold,

set the ap as wide as it'll go, the ISO on 400ish and rest the camera on something sturdy, activate the self timer and see how it goes then.
shutter speed will depend on how dark the room is really