Advise on Low Light Shooting Conditions

[DarNikon]

Hi all

Can anyone advise me oh how best to shoot in low light conditions. I know the usual 'turn up the ISO' but that will create noise. Is there another way?

For example, I was out last week and caught a group of baskers along Orchard Road at about 9pm. Of course, I did not bring my sb600 flash so I tried the inbuilt one on my D70...er.....I heard the shutter speed..."click....chak.............chak" I knew that was a goner. Shutter speed was pretty slow at ISO 400 too. I used manual setting and the aperture was already at the lowest at f3.5.

Is there a way to keep ISO to below 400 in such situations and still catch the handheld shot in such low light conditions?

Thanks

cheers

 

[csisfun]

These baskers?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uzzy/tags/peruano/

 

[catchlights]

simple answer: no.

but some alternatives.
#1, set up extra lights
#2, use tripod, and ask the subjects to hold still
#3, use f1.2 lens
#4, do some serious PS works....

 

[billpepsi]

To capture more light without the flash, the options are:

- tripod (quite troublesome)
- VR (2-3 stops advantage)
- faster lens (eg. f1.8 etc.)
- higher ISO but PP later.

no short cut pal.

 

[wildstallion]

simple answer: no.

but some alternatives.
#1, set up extra lights
#2, use tripod, and ask the subjects to hold still
#3, use f1.2 lens
#4, do some serious PS works....

#5 VR lens! or IS Lens! (cuts out alot of handshake, no good if subject is moving)

 

[ExplorerZ]

Hi all

Can anyone advise me oh how best to shoot in low light conditions. I know the usual 'turn up the ISO' but that will create noise. Is there another way?

For example, I was out last week and caught a group of baskers along Orchard Road at about 9pm. Of course, I did not bring my sb600 flash so I tried the inbuilt one on my D70...er.....I heard the shutter speed..."click....chak.............chak" I knew that was a goner. Shutter speed was pretty slow at ISO 400 too. I used manual setting and the aperture was already at the lowest at f3.5.

Is there a way to keep ISO to below 400 in such situations and still catch the handheld shot in such low light conditions?

Thanks

cheers

dude, if you are using manual mode with flash on, but ur shutter is still "click....chak.............chak" (slow) this mean that you are setting ur shutter to that slllloooow speed. Manual mode let the user decide the aperture and shutter spd, so the problems lies with you. try a shutter speed like 1/30-1/60 the next time.
unless you are telling me that you tried a higher shutter speed but still underexposed. <- you didn't state that

 

[catchlights]

my bad, miss out VR or IS lens.

 

[wildstallion]

Or, you could just shoot with high ISO turn B&W, would look cool, or buy a copy of Noise Ninja and run the noisy image through there, will reduce visable noise a fair bit, but you will lose some details (sharpness)

 

[DarNikon]

These baskers?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uzzy/tags/peruano/

Hi csisfun

Nice photos...no the ones I saw were from Ecuador...musicians.

cheers

 

[DarNikon]

Thanks Catchlights, jeffhiew, explorerZ and wildstallion for all your advice. Yea, you are correct...the problem lies with me...haha...will try it at a faster shutter speed...may have overlooked the fact that on manual mode...it's all up to me.

Thanks again

cheers

 

[csisfun]

Oh those. I didn't know they are back. Haha.

Over there you really need fast lenses, steady hands and very high ISOs if you want to get anything at all. Unless you use flash, which makes it way easier.

BTW Darnikon, where exactly are they located?

 

[DarNikon]

Oh those. I didn't know they are back. Haha.

Over there you really need fast lenses, steady hands and very high ISOs if you want to get anything at all. Unless you use flash, which makes it way easier.

BTW Darnikon, where exactly are they located?

haha...oh they were in front of Takashimaya. Great music and outfits. The Pan Flutes and beat was so good that I even bought their CD.

Thanks...maybe the next time I will bring a flash and turn up the ISO.

cheers

 

[csisfun]

I think your D70 can only go up to ISO1600 right? Those shots you saw in my Flickr (in fact I have some of these Ecuadoreans in my flickr photostream too), are shot at either 1/40s, f/1.8 ISO1600 (underexposed) or ISO3200 1/50s f/1.8 or ISO1600 plus 1.3+EV Push in RAW, 1/50s f/2.2

Bottom line, get a 50mm prime (all are fast and sharp), or use a flash or go there earlier.