Night Shots without tripod

[alan22]

Hi CSers,

I have been pondering over this issue and would like to know how you guys actually manage night shots without tripod. Assuming doing a walkabout shots around some low litted areas.

Do you,

1) Pump up the ISO to 1600 or 3200 and use a faster shutter speed to prevent shakey hands

2) Use the standard ISO of 200 to 500 but use a longer shutter speed. ( I guess u would need a unshakeable hand to do this )

3) Use normal settings with flash ( No idea on outdoor flash but do you use flash if you want to preserve the lightings effect? My knowledge of flash is only indoor. )

I believe there is still a few more combi to actually attain higher exposure for some situation. But i would like to know the right way of doing it. Appreciate any inputs or comments on my thread. Thanks.

 

[pplneedthelord]

Hi CSers,

I have been pondering over this issue and would like to know how you guys actually manage night shots without tripod. Assuming doing a walkabout shots around some low litted areas.

Do you,

1) Pump up the ISO to 1600 or 3200 and use a faster shutter speed to prevent shakey hands

2) Use the standard ISO of 200 to 500 but use a longer shutter speed. ( I guess u would need a unshakeable hand to do this )

3) Use normal settings with flash ( No idea on outdoor flash but do you use flash if you want to preserve the lightings effect? My knowledge of flash is only indoor. )

I believe there is still a few more combi to actually attain higher exposure for some situation. But i would like to know the right way of doing it. Appreciate any inputs or comments on my thread. Thanks.

1 - faster shutter speed = darker shots?

and everything would actually depend on what you shoot.

 

[alan22]

1 - faster shutter speed = darker shots?

and everything would actually depend on what you shoot.

ermmm because normally when i use a tripod, i will be using high F stop of F9 and above and sometimes setting shutter speed to 30sec.

but if im holding the camera with my hand. To keep in a still position, tested and proven my arms cant lock. hahaha i will get super blurred pictures. That is why i lower the shutter speed. Yeah its hell dark but i use ISO1600 to get brighter pic.

Im not sure of what im doing is correct, so i need to know wat is the advise on this.

Assuming we are taking a low litted area and not totally darked with 0 LUX.

 

[VoodooKing]

I use (2), if blurry, then i go for (1) with noise ninja..

 

[calebk]

ermmm because normally when i use a tripod, i will be using high F stop of F9 and above and sometimes setting shutter speed to 30sec.

but if im holding the camera with my hand. To keep in a still position, tested and proven my arms cant lock. hahaha i will get super blurred pictures. That is why i lower the shutter speed. Yeah its hell dark but i use ISO1600 to get brighter pic.

Im not sure of what im doing is correct, so i need to know wat is the advise on this.

Assuming we are taking a low litted area and not totally darked with 0 LUX.

That's what a tripod is made for. Keeping your camera still. IMHO, it is the "right" way to shoot night landscape with a tripod, and any landscape, with a tripod, for that matter, because you get the best results using your tripod.

 

[alan22]

I use (2), if blurry, then i go for (1) with noise ninja..

arrrr if use (1) with noise ninja, the cam im using (50D) is known to be a noise lover at high ISO. So far my pics turns out to be alright at 1600. Try booming the pic and the noise is not that bad.

 

[alan22]

That's what a tripod is made for. Keeping your camera still. IMHO, it is the "right" way to shoot night landscape with a tripod, and any landscape, with a tripod, for that matter, because you get the best results using your tripod.

Ya thatz why i cant live without my tripod for night shots, however when going on a tour, i will like to know of a better settings which most user use.

One example of my tour to hongkong, i was surprise to see so many DSLR users doing freehand shots. And i also realise some of the PNS cameras win hands down when comparing shots with my SLR. ARrrgghh a super long way to go for my photography hobby

 

[shahrulesa]

I will just bump the ISO up.

I used to keep the ISO low and use IS lens thinking it will be enough to compensate, but the keeper rate is low. Then I used 50mm 1.8 and still that doesn't solve the problem. Now just bump the ISO as high as I can and use the biggest aperture. Worry about the noise during PP.

 

[VoodooKing]

arrrr if use (1) with noise ninja, the cam im using (50D) is known to be a noise lover at high ISO. So far my pics turns out to be alright at 1600. Try booming the pic and the noise is not that bad.

If thats the case.. use a tripod.

for night shots (planned), it is essential to bring a tripod.. for indoor.. get a gorillapod!!

 

[alan22]

I will just bump the ISO up.

I used to keep the ISO low and use IS lens thinking it will be enough to compensate, but the keeper rate is low. Then I used 50mm 1.8 and still that doesn't solve the problem. Now just bump the ISO as high as I can and use the biggest aperture. Worry about the noise during PP.

That is wat i usually do. :dunno: not sure if its right

 

[alan22]

If thats the case.. use a tripod.

for night shots (planned), it is essential to bring a tripod.. for indoor.. get a gorillapod!!

Ya but most of the time is unplanned. guess high ISO is more applicable for free hand. And less noise on high ISO would be FF cameras. And FF cameras = bigger hole in pocket. hahaah
its all linked!

 

[yehosaphat]

Use 1) if i dun have my tripod with me. Otherwise dun bother and just enjoy the night scenary. I use flash only to take subjects like people and not scenaries.

 

[jeremyteocx]

if you really need to shoot at night, then bump up the ISO ... don't be afraid to use it. The rule is to keep ISO as low as possible but ISO is there for a reason, and for you to use it when situation requires. just check the 'maximum acceptable' ISO your cam can hit ...

 

[alan22]

if you really need to shoot at night, then bump up the ISO ... don't be afraid to use it. The rule is to keep ISO as low as possible but ISO is there for a reason, and for you to use it when situation requires. just check the 'maximum acceptable' ISO your cam can hit ...

Ya that is what im doing as i think this method suits me most in dark areas. Thanks.

 

[alan22]

Use 1) if i dun have my tripod with me. Otherwise dun bother and just enjoy the night scenary. I use flash only to take subjects like people and not scenaries.

Ya but im surprise some point and shoot can do quite amazingly well at night.

 

[Lost Dog]

why so scared of noise and bumping up ISO? it's an art anyway. some even put intentional noise in PP.

 

[jopwork]

(my first CS post!)

I set mine to the lowest ISO supported by the camera and biggest aperture. I then take test shots while gradually lengthening the shutter speeds until I get the image that I want. I then set the shooting mode to Continuous, place the camera on the most stable surface that I can find and take a flurry of shots - about five to ten or even more.

I haven't done anything longer than 5-sec exposures with this though. I usually give up (get bored) after 3 seconds of holding the shutter button.

 

[zac08]

ISO 800, 1/30 sec and about f1.8 should be fine for most of my night scenes. And these are for street shots.

 

[luna_sea83]

Well, if i do night street shots

i would usually use ard ISO 1600 and above with a F2.8 lens, you still get low shutter speed but not over 1 second. Unless you are going for night landscape, then tripod is still a must have.

 

[alan22]

Ya didnt realise any drastic noise at ISO1600