Help : S5is in low light

[weixiang80]

Hi all....

i am using S5is now ,

would like to ask how to capture nice , sharp (focus) shots of people in low light

places like home , restuarants

picture type is candid kinda pic...

i took some pics over the Xmas and my settings i think i got it all wrong.......

i used iso 400 and 800 , which turns out to be super grainy.....

what kinda aperture and shutter speed should i use?

thanx!!

[zerartul]

Mmmm I dont own a S5is but putting in context of setting, set ur aperature at your lowest and use Av mode. See what is your shutter speed at different ISO. Try to obtain about 1/60-1/100 if you are trying to shoot candid. Then use that ISO for it.

I dont think there is much choices you have unless you use a flash and S5is can use a speedlite if im not wrong. High iso will surely make the picture look grainy on a camera of that size.

[weixiang80]

Originally Posted by zerartul Mmmm I dont own a S5is but putting in context of setting, set ur aperature at your lowest and use Av mode. See what is your shutter speed at different ISO. Try to obtain about 1/60-1/100 if you are trying to shoot candid. Then use that ISO for it. I dont think there is much choices you have unless you use a flash and S5is can use a speedlite if im not wrong. High iso will surely make the picture look grainy on a camera of that size.

lowest aperture means smaller number? like f2.7?

ooo ok... i always use 1/20 ard there , then very blur images...

if use flash , must bounce it?

[weixiang80]

Originally Posted by zerartul Mmmm I dont own a S5is but putting in context of setting, set ur aperature at your lowest and use Av mode. See what is your shutter speed at different ISO. Try to obtain about 1/60-1/100 if you are trying to shoot candid. Then use that ISO for it. I dont think there is much choices you have unless you use a flash and S5is can use a speedlite if im not wrong. High iso will surely make the picture look grainy on a camera of that size.

lowest aperture means smaller number? like f2.7?

ooo ok... i always use 1/20 ard there , then very blur images...

if use flash , must bounce it?

[zerartul]

Umm yeah aperture number as small as possible like f2.8. Also try not to zoom with the camera or zoom very little. Your camera has IS to compensate but too much zoom will still result in blur picture due to handshake.

1/20 shutter is very slow for taking people. If you dont zoome is actually fine for the camera but if the subject was to move abit, the image will blur.

Flash bounce is dependent on if you have a ceiling and some other factors. Im not very good in explaining that but you can search online for articles related to flash usage

[weixiang80]

Originally Posted by zerartul Umm yeah aperture number as small as possible like f2.8. Also try not to zoom with the camera or zoom very little. Your camera has IS to compensate but too much zoom will still result in blur picture due to handshake. 1/20 shutter is very slow for taking people. If you dont zoome is actually fine for the camera but if the subject was to move abit, the image will blur. Flash bounce is dependent on if you have a ceiling and some other factors. Im not very good in explaining that but you can search online for articles related to flash usage

ooo ok....
i will try to use Av mode and try first....

but one thing is.... if i set the Av to f2.7 , then the iso is auto to 200 , the shutter speed is in "red" and shows pls use flash .. so how if this the case?

[zerartul]

Just see the shutter number if its enough to shoot without flash. For a IS cam and using little zoom, 1/60 will be a comfortable shutter with enough speed to stop slow motions. 1/30 will be fine if the person is posing for you. Any lower isnt really usable except for static object (thats for me)

[weixiang80]

Originally Posted by zerartul Just see the shutter number if its enough to shoot without flash. For a IS cam and using little zoom, 1/60 will be a comfortable shutter with enough speed to stop slow motions. 1/30 will be fine if the person is posing for you. Any lower isnt really usable except for static object (thats for me)

ic ic..... thanx ,
will try it later again....

very sad to see my pics turned out bad
haha

[lastboltnut]

Hi,

Low light shooting is the killer for the Sx IS series....I use to have a S3 IS and I know how it feels. But since you have hotshoe for S5IS, then use a flash for indoor. Just bounce the flash up to the ceiling (if its not too high), then you should be able to use ISO100 or 200 (ISO800 was really super grainy on my S3) with good shutter speed of 1/60 and faster with whatever zoom you want. and you can set to the desired f stop for a good DOF.

Hope this helps.

[weixiang80]

Originally Posted by lastboltnut Hi, Low light shooting is the killer for the Sx IS series....I use to have a S3 IS and I know how it feels. But since you have hotshoe for S5IS, then use a flash for indoor. Just bounce the flash up to the ceiling (if its not too high), then you should be able to use ISO100 or 200 (ISO800 was really super grainy on my S3) with good shutter speed of 1/60 and faster with whatever zoom you want. and you can set to the desired f stop for a good DOF. Hope this helps.

so... without a add on flash , its highly that the pics wont be good ..?

[lastboltnut]

I would say so.....unless you convert the grainy pic to BW for the effect. Noise is the big prob for a small sensor size...its the law of physics, no choice.

Originally Posted by weixiang80 so... without a add on flash , its highly that the pics wont be good ..?

[emirates]

don't set ur ISO too high, infact 200-400 is sufficient. use night mode with flash or flash alone in any mode, that is if u don't know how to set manual controls. i've a S5 and its just as good taking indoors as well as outdoors.
happy shooting,
emirates

[mattroxy]

Hi

I too own the S5IS and also having problems when shooting indoor or low lit environment initially.

My prob solved with the use of flash gun eg 430EX bounce or direct.

There is also other alternative which is less expensive ie. go get the Gary Fong pop up flash diffuser (The Puffer), it should help you solved your indoor shot as it does help me..

Just my 2 cents

Regards

[liarliar]

You can use aperture priority but note that the cam now selects the shutter for you. Unless your cam tells you that AF! failed, otherwise you can still try to shoot when the image blurr/ shake warning appears on screen. A stable hand, breath and cam hand held techniques, and using your heaad to stabilize the cam by shooting through the viewfinder all contributes to arresting blurring due to cam shake.

If you cam has a flash and it allows different levels of firing off, you can control how natural the forced lighting works on the human skin tone.

The other way is to bum up the ISO, which in this case DSLRs usually do better than digicams.

You may also try using shutter priority instead (can zoom and look for appropriate speed now) but up the EV compensation to max?

Worse case use tripod lor.

[zerartul]

Tripod still wont solve the problem if its low light and shooting moving objects lol. The only thing that can solve it is using flash whenever it permits and jacking up the ISO if its not possible (a picture is better then no picture)

[kairospix]

Originally Posted by lastboltnut I would say so.....unless you convert the grainy pic to BW for the effect. Noise is the big prob for a small sensor size...its the law of physics, no choice.

have to agree

that's life they are limits - learn to live within it

[jamestan]

Originally Posted by weixiang80 lowest aperture means smaller number? like f2.7? ooo ok... i always use 1/20 ard there , then very blur images... if use flash , must bounce it?

1/20 blur? Subject blur (may mean moving) of whole pic blur (hand shake?). If the latter, check the IS setting. Make sure its on. I shoot at 1/10 and still get reasonably sharp pictures...

[emirates]

Originally Posted by mattroxy Hi I too own the S5IS and also having problems when shooting indoor or low lit environment initially. My prob solved with the use of flash gun eg 430EX bounce or direct. There is also other alternative which is less expensive ie. go get the Gary Fong pop up flash diffuser (The Puffer), it should help you solved your indoor shot as it does help me.. Just my 2 cents Regards

just interested to know how much did u pay for the 430EX. should be a smart idea to get one too.

[megaweb]

Yes, use a ext flash is a better choice.

My F30 does not have a hot-shoe but I use a slave flash to bounce. See my sample shot taken by slave flash setup. I used low ISO and slave flash bounce to the ceiling.

[emirates]

what's the cheapest flash i can get for my S5 and what is the costs?