Photos in School Halls with Poor Light

Question:
I have a Olympus mju 400, which for a camera is reasonable, I am however really disappointed with the images I have taken at my children's school in the hall and at the church, Xmas plays etc. I would really appreciate a little advice on how to make this better, they are extremely dark and out of focus. Is it just the camera or can something be done to change this or should we invest in a better camera, as not to miss out on these precious times?

Answer:
I’m afraid to say that smaller compacts will struggle in these situations. As you can see they are unable to pick up enough light either to expose the photo well or focus sharply. It is very difficult to advise you as to exactly what camera to buy. Conditions vary from school hall to school hall and sometimes you will find yourself sitting further forwards or more towards the back. This is also not something I test cameras for.

The only camera I have used in these situations where I have been really happy with the quality of the photos is with a digital SLR. This is because I have been able to use some of the more advanced settings in order to get the quality I want. If you do not want to go to that level of expense I would try one of the larger cameras from Canon or Fuji. The reason I suggest Canon is that in my opinion their consumer level models are the most reliable overall. My suggestion for Fuji is because their cameras work better than most in lowlight situation. Even with these cameras I am not able to guarantee you stunning photos, but they should be an improvement on the photos you are currently getting. The larger cameras tend to offer a bit better all round quality and you are likely to find the longer zoom lenses they have useful as well.

There is no harm in asking around and getting a second opinion. If you have a decent local camera shop then I would pop in there for a discussion.