Higher Aperture for Low Light?

bigu2fan · 6th June 2006

Hi,

I am new to DSLR and sometimes try to shoot in low light at night. However my lens maximum aperture is F4 and I cannot get rid of camera shake even at high ISO. Will a higher aperture help in taking photos at night without tripod? I am looking at the 50mm F1.4 and wonder if that helps a lot. Thanks!

Stoppable · 6th June 2006

Bigger aperture can help, but it really depends how low light you mean.
At f1.4, indoor at ISO800 and above is ok. But if streetlights, out in the street, maybe still a problem at ISO1600. Moonlight, you will need a tripod.

zcf · 6th June 2006

f/4 to f/1.4 is 3 stops. Which probably will improve quite a lot in low light condition, but beware that, at f/1.4 (wide open) the image won't be sharp and the depth of view is very small, you probably need increase the aperture from f/1.4 to f/2.0 to get reasonable image.

Patryk · 6th June 2006

If you want to capture movement without much blur...set to the largest aperture size and shoot with the fastest shutter spd to get a decent exposure...if not... just set the aperture to f8, leave it on the tripod with a long exposure...you'll get decent shots at night with this.. just try an experiment...you're using a digital anyways..

ExplorerZ · 6th June 2006

f4 to f1.4 is actually 3 stops which mean ur shutter speed will be around 8x faster. if you shoot at 1/10 wif f4, you will be able to get 1/80 with f1.4 which is a big increase. but like what Patryk said you will still have to use tripod under moonlight

espn · 6th June 2006

It will help only if your blur is not caused by motion blur (ie: subject movement) else give you f/1.2 also no use.

zcwnfx · 6th June 2006

Originally Posted by espn

It will help only if your blur is not caused by motion blur (ie: subject movement) else give you f/1.2 also no use.

Pro Advice!

anyway, I also tried many times using various setting at night. finally convinced myself that a tripod is the answer!

bigu2fan · 6th June 2006

Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments!

Seems like tripod beats f stops, but f stops do help. Trouble w tripod is I find it quite troublesome to carry along, esp for travelling. Guess I've got to decide when I shld bring my tripod along then

zcwnfx · 7th June 2006

i bring tripod out if i intend to shoot night shots lor :P

Ihsan Chua · 7th June 2006

You are shooting buildings or pp at night

JL1500k · 7th June 2006

Originally Posted by bigu2fan

Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments!

Seems like tripod beats f stops, but f stops do help. Trouble w tripod is I find it quite troublesome to carry along, esp for travelling. Guess I've got to decide when I shld bring my tripod along then

You may regret if you never bring it alone when travelling while on holiday.
Unable to take sunrise or sunset or at low light.

Tripod can u to defend yourself or use as weapon.

bigu2fan · 7th June 2006

Yah hor, can use tripod as a weapon when travelling abroad...why didn't I think of that?

Just share a personal experience... I brought a mini tripod to the US and carried it as hand luggage. The customs guys NEVER saw a mini tripod before. They stopped me at the X-ray, searched my luggage, and 3 grown ups stared at the tripod blankly for 10min trying to figure out what it is

After that I have a phobia about carrying tripods on board planes

JL1500k · 7th June 2006

No need to be worry or bother about it if you do not done anythings wrong.

Australia are quite strict too.

Hobbesyeo · 7th June 2006

Originally Posted by bigu2fan

Yah hor, can use tripod as a weapon when travelling abroad...why didn't I think of that?

Just share a personal experience... I brought a mini tripod to the US and carried it as hand luggage. The customs guys NEVER saw a mini tripod before. They stopped me at the X-ray, searched my luggage, and 3 grown ups stared at the tripod blankly for 10min trying to figure out what it is

After that I have a phobia about carrying tripods on board planes

hahaha... wah lao.. damn suay.

Maybe they tho your mini tripod is for a GPMG.

raptor84 · 7th June 2006

I have yet to buy a tripod as i seldom take sunsets/sunrises and use a flash if needed. Most of the itme i try to find a stable surface as a substitute...

whoelse · 7th June 2006

Big aperture might not give you enuf DOF depending on the subject. F1.4 and the DOF will be very shallow. That is why there is this thing call tripod right?

JL1500k · 8th June 2006

Originally Posted by raptor84

I have yet to buy a tripod as i seldom take sunsets/sunrises and use a flash if needed. Most of the itme i try to find a stable surface as a substitute...

The problem is the substitute surface may not have the good angle to shoot.

6th June 2006	#1
bigu2fan Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 276	Higher Aperture for Low Light? Hi, I am new to DSLR and sometimes try to shoot in low light at night. However my lens maximum aperture is F4 and I cannot get rid of camera shake even at high ISO. Will a higher aperture help in taking photos at night without tripod? I am looking at the 50mm F1.4 and wonder if that helps a lot. Thanks!

6th June 2006	#2
Stoppable Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Serangoon Posts: 449	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? Bigger aperture can help, but it really depends how low light you mean. At f1.4, indoor at ISO800 and above is ok. But if streetlights, out in the street, maybe still a problem at ISO1600. Moonlight, you will need a tripod.

6th June 2006	#3
zcf Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: 270 degree of Singapore Posts: 6,684	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? f/4 to f/1.4 is 3 stops. Which probably will improve quite a lot in low light condition, but beware that, at f/1.4 (wide open) the image won't be sharp and the depth of view is very small, you probably need increase the aperture from f/1.4 to f/2.0 to get reasonable image. __________________ Sony Alpha 700 hobbyist Last edited by zcf; 6th June 2006 at 04:49 PM.

6th June 2006	#4
Patryk Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 661	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? If you want to capture movement without much blur...set to the largest aperture size and shoot with the fastest shutter spd to get a decent exposure...if not... just set the aperture to f8, leave it on the tripod with a long exposure...you'll get decent shots at night with this.. just try an experiment...you're using a digital anyways.. __________________ if my camera is there at the right moment, click, all I have to do is accept it. -edouard boubat

6th June 2006	#5
ExplorerZ Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Legion Posts: 6,785	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? f4 to f1.4 is actually 3 stops which mean ur shutter speed will be around 8x faster. if you shoot at 1/10 wif f4, you will be able to get 1/80 with f1.4 which is a big increase. but like what Patryk said you will still have to use tripod under moonlight __________________ multiply \|\| deviant \|\| APAD 08

6th June 2006	#6
espn Deregistered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Planet Nikon Posts: 22,045	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? It will help only if your blur is not caused by motion blur (ie: subject movement) else give you f/1.2 also no use.

7th June 2006	#9
zcwnfx Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Potong Pasir Posts: 541	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? i bring tripod out if i intend to shoot night shots lor :P __________________ D70s-er Since 2005

7th June 2006	#10
Ihsan Chua Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Clementi West Posts: 218	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? You are shooting buildings or pp at night

7th June 2006	#13
JL1500k Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 302	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? No need to be worry or bother about it if you do not done anythings wrong. Australia are quite strict too.

7th June 2006	#15
raptor84 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 4,282	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? I have yet to buy a tripod as i seldom take sunsets/sunrises and use a flash if needed. Most of the itme i try to find a stable surface as a substitute... __________________ Pet Portrait Portfolio Stock Photos for sale

7th June 2006	#16
whoelse Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 1,227	Re: Higher Aperture for Low Light? Big aperture might not give you enuf DOF depending on the subject. F1.4 and the DOF will be very shallow. That is why there is this thing call tripod right?