Need help with indoor shots of mobile baby

[drchow]

Hi, need some serious advice here. I just got my D40 with 18-200VR lens. I now realise that with this not so fast lens, I have difficulty getting sharp shots of my 10 month old baby indoors!

I have tried varying all the settings, willing to go up to ISO800 but with the largest aperture setting, I am still have to shoot at 1/20 to 1/40 shutter. I don't have an external flash and dislike the "flashed" look. With baby growing up really quickly and with 1000 different expressions a minute, I really want to capture them all! Help!

I tried my friend's AF 28mm 2.8 prime lens but as AF doesn't work on the D40, half my shots are blur because of out-of-focus MF!

 

[Reportage]

here is a very good tip...buy a HD camcorder.

 

[ortega]

50mm 1.4 AFS

and learn to use a bounce flash technique

 

[drchow]

50mm 1.4 AFS

and learn to use a bounce flash technique

I see from Nikon Singapore website that this lens is not available yet... will probably cost a bomb.... Time to get a SB600?

 

[catchlights]

don't want to use flash?

than add more lights in your house or bring your baby outdoor.

if baby so hyper, need speed at least 1/250s for available light.

 

[MRSAMO]

Hi, need some serious advice here. I just got my D40 with 18-200VR lens. I now realise that with this not so fast lens, I have difficulty getting sharp shots of my 10 month old baby indoors!

I have tried varying all the settings, willing to go up to ISO800 but with the largest aperture setting, I am still have to shoot at 1/20 to 1/40 shutter. I don't have an external flash and dislike the "flashed" look. With baby growing up really quickly and with 1000 different expressions a minute, I really want to capture them all! Help!

I tried my friend's AF 28mm 2.8 prime lens but as AF doesn't work on the D40, half my shots are blur because of out-of-focus MF!

Why don't you take photos of the baby when he/she is sleeping?

Then you can also use a tripod.

 

[Squid]

Do extend your search to Sigma 30mm F1.4 HSM lens that can be operated by Nikon D40 DSLR. See these links for discussion about this lens

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=451913
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=435190
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=391532

 

[pro_FHM]

u need more light in ur house then.
open up all the windows.
if ur windows faces the north or south, the light coming in would be quite nice in the morning. window lighting.

 

[Dream Merchant]

All the options have been listed, and all of them singularly, or in combination, will work:

1) Switch to fast primes or zooms of 2.8 or faster
2) ADD light - bounce flash, existing or natural
3) Look for more ideal (brighter lit) locations including shooting outdoors (preferably not under harsh or direct sunlight)
4) Plan more, practise more, think and analyse more, then master your technique.

All the best capturing precious moments of your little treasure, and if all else fails, hire Catchlights to do the job. He's a 'Master' when it comes to kids and impossible situations.

 

[drchow]

All the options have been listed, and all of them singularly, or in combination, will work:

1) Switch to fast primes or zooms of 2.8 or faster
2) ADD light - bounce flash, existing or natural
3) Look for more ideal (brighter lit) locations including shooting outdoors (preferably not under harsh or direct sunlight)
4) Plan more, practise more, think and analyse more, then master your technique.

All the best capturing precious moments of your little treasure, and if all else fails, hire Catchlights to do the job. He's a 'Master' when it comes to kids and impossible situations.

Thank you very much everyone for your valuable comments. I will do all the above sequentially! I will aim to get a good 2nd hand fast prime for starts together with perhaps an SB600 and then just keep planning, practicing and shooting!

 

[drchow]

Do extend your search to Sigma 30mm F1.4 HSM lens that can be operated by Nikon D40 DSLR. See these links for discussion about this lens

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=451913
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=435190
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=391532

Yes this is indeed interesting - will look out for a 2nd hand set. Any idea how much the 50mm 1.4 AFS is going to cost?

 

[megaweb]

If no $, recommend 50mm f1.8 or 35mm f2.

 

[ortega]

learn to MF and save some money

 

[sherchoo]

If you can afford it, invest in a fast lens and a flash. You won't go wrong on this. If not there are many ways to solve the your lighting problem.

Budget options:
1. Brighten the ambient with more lights.
2. Take during daytime and let in the light from the windows.
3. Diffuse the pop up flash (with tissue, tracing paper etc)

 

[elmo0603]

Thank you very much everyone for your valuable comments. I will do all the above sequentially! I will aim to get a good 2nd hand fast prime for starts together with perhaps an SB600 and then just keep planning, practicing and shooting!

speaking from experience (have 3 fast kids at home!), the best option is to get an external flash that you can bounce. i've been able to capture much more ever since i got the SB400, and used it to bounce off the ceiling / wall (for portrait shots-sidelighting).
With the flash, you can
1) set any shutter speed you want, depending on how much ambient background light you want to capture, (i usually use 60-125) and you can
2) even afford to stop down to f8-11 for max. sharpness if you so desire.

i tried the fast prime too, but without autofocus many times the shots came out blurred 'cos the kids just move too fast.

Get the flash, you won't regret it, mine's on the D40 all the time now!

tk

 

[3in1c]

Get a NEW toy or NEW book for your 10 month old while you shoot. If not, get a bumbo seat so that baby cannot move much. Turn on favourite TV show/DVD. Otherwise, there are no better ways than the suggested.

 

[Squid]

....... Any idea how much the 50mm 1.4 AFS is going to cost?

Nikon Singapore website lists price of S$949 for this lens