Camera for taking pictures at concerts and performance.

[tokyopk]

Hi, I am looking for a camera for taking decent photos at concerts and performance. So it is mainly under low light conditions and the actions can be pretty fast at times. Eg. Recent Art Festival Closing at Yishun - Korean drums, dance performances, free performances at esplanade etc…………

So what I would like to know is whether a compact camera is enough to handle this kind of condition to produce reasonably good pictures or do I need to at least have a prosumer range of camera or even DSLR with all those big lens and flash for producing good pictures under this kind of conditions? :bigeyes:

More specifically, I am considering buying Canon A80 for its manual functions, can this camera perform under the above conditions? :angel:

Can the experts here offer me some advice? Thank You! :lovegrin:

 

[mpenza]

you'll want a camera with fast autofocus and enough reach ("zoom").

A good prosumer is able to handle this kind of condition if external flash is permitted.

Below are some pics I took at a concert with a Fujifilm S602Z (ISO400 was relatively noise free)+powerful external flash (Nikon SB80DX). I was around 30-40m away.
http://mpenza.clubsnap.org/gallery/f4fantasy

 

[Belle&Sebastain]

****disclaimer*** i'm not an expert!

you may be better off with a film compact camera as you need high ISO speeds for concerts and events. The digital compact have limited usagable ISO levels if flashes are not permitted or if it spoils the mood of the pictures

otherwise you may want to invest in a DSLR......

 

[mpenza]

Film compact camera won't do well cos the aperture at full zoom is usually awful, e.g. Nikon Lite Touch Zoom 150 ED's max aperture at full zoom is f12!!. To get similar shutter speeds as S602@ISO400 full zoom (F3.1), you'll need ~ISO6400 film to be used.

 

[Belle&Sebastain]

Film compact camera won't do well cos the aperture at full zoom is usually awful, e.g. Nikon Lite Touch Zoom 150 ED's max aperture at full zoom is f12!!. To get similar shutter speeds as S602@ISO400 full zoom (F3.1), you'll need ~ISO6400 film to be used.

heehee, i'm more of a wide user, get closer to the action type.... :embrass: i use 35mm 2.8f fixed lens compact cam. i know lots of shots are better close up.

 

[tokyopk]

you'll want a camera with fast autofocus and enough reach ("zoom").

A good prosumer is able to handle this kind of condition if external flash is permitted.

Below are some pics I took at a concert with a Fujifilm S602Z (ISO400 was relatively noise free)+powerful external flash (Nikon SB80DX). I was around 30-40m away.
http://mpenza.clubsnap.org/gallery/f4fantasy

Hehehe……. :bsmilie: I happen to have a 602Z actually, but planning to sell it due to under utilization (really too bulky for me to carry around ) and get a more compact camera. :cry:

So would A80 be a good choice? :think: Or I need to have something in the range of 602Z? Or maybe I shouldn’t sell my 602Z? :sweat:

 

[mpenza]

Belle&Sebastain , of course lah, if can get close to the action, then no problem with equipment - compact film cameras and low ISO would do the job nicely.

but if you're part of the crowd seated/standing quite a distance from the stage/performance which is not very well lighted, equipment with more reach and either high ISO/large aperture/external lighting might be necessary.

 

[tokyopk]

****disclaimer*** i'm not an expert!

you may be better off with a film compact camera as you need high ISO speeds for concerts and events. The digital compact have limited usagable ISO levels if flashes are not permitted or if it spoils the mood of the pictures

otherwise you may want to invest in a DSLR......

Advice from anyone is most welcome!!!!!!!!!!

I definitely do not want a film camera.

Another question: what other necessary additional equipment do I need for taking pictures during performance? Flash or zoom lens a must have or optional?

 

[tokyopk]

of course lah, if can get close to the action, then no problem with equipment - compact film cameras and low ISO would do the job nicely.

but if you're part of the crowd seated/standing quite a distance from the stage/performance which is not very well lighted, equipment with more reach and either high ISO/large aperture/external lighting might be necessary.

But the thing is we almost always see those people with big big lens and flash standing at the very front and those with small compact cameras sitting in the crowd..... :what:

 

[mpenza]

Hehehe……. :bsmilie: I happen to have a 602Z actually, but planning to sell it due to under utilization (really too bulky for me to carry around ) and get a more compact camera. :cry:

So would A80 be a good choice? :think: Or I need to have something in the range of 602Z? Or maybe I shouldn’t sell my 602Z? :sweat:

A80 is not that small actually compared to the 602Z. It'll be a good choice if you're those that sit in the front row or can go close to the stage. But the focussing speed and shutter lag are both significantly worse off compared to the 602Z.

 

[Belle&Sebastain]

Advice from anyone is most welcome!!!!!!!!!!

I definitely do not want a film camera.

Another question: what other necessary additional equipment do I need for taking pictures during performance? Flash or zoom lens a must have or optional?

depends where you are standing and if you are able to use flash, sometimes flash distrub the performance. expect for fashion shows, i hardly use flash for performance.

when i use a DSLR, i use a zoom lens incase i cannot get to my sweet spot, i can always zoom.