Indoor photoshooting at Dinner Gathering

[cqprime]

I be joining my ex colleagues for dinner at a restaurant setting: indoor with indoor lightning. Presently i am using 1000D canon with 18-55 Kit Lens plus i have a external flash unit with Diffusion cover.

Will it be appropriate i be using P Mode on my camera and plus the flash with Diffusion cover in the restaurant setting to take photos?

Any seniors, please advice. Thanks

 

[enzo1625]

Hi. wont be enough and sharp. Get a 17-55mm for close up shots especially for ppl.. U will see the difference esp if they want to have a group shot as well.

set the settings to either aperture or shutting speed. depends on where they are... and the surroundings of the lightings.

 

[catchlights]

P mode is fine, but the default lowest sync speed is 1/60s, if you comfortable to shot heldhand with 1/30s, and the aperture between f5.6 ~ f8, at ISO 400~800, you should be able to pick up some ambient light at the background.

I don't think kit lenses are so crappy, why so many people commented till it like a pinhole lens?

 

[megaweb]

Agree with catchlights's recommendation, kit lens can capture good quality and moment shots

also try to keep a constant distance like 2m to 4m away from the group.

 

[frederickykfoo]

Never know why so many people do not like the Canon Kit lens. For the price, it give many great pictures even at low light to a certain level. Night photography is great as well. It is even better when using with flash. Done many indoor lunch/dinner at a restaurant type of setting with it. Never fail me. The pictures is as good as some 1K lenses Canon has. It is good enough for group shots and close up portraits.
Back to the event.
You can try manual mode on the camera with shutter speed 1/30 to 1/60 depends if you hand can hold steady. Aperture f/5.6 and flash ETTL or TTL with ISO 400 to 800. The settings can be fixed and all you need to do now is composition. Make sure there is a subject and make sure it is big. At least 1/3 of your frame. Good luck

 

[Octarine]

Will it be appropriate i be using P Mode on my camera and plus the flash with Diffusion cover in the restaurant setting to take photos?

P mode is not a good idea. It is fixed at 1/60s and doesn't care about background light. P mode just smacks some flash at the faces. You should consider the ambient light and fill in as much flash as necessary to brighten up the foreground and freeze motion (unless people will pose for you). "Fill Flash" is your topic to read: http://www.photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/ - watch for the different behaviour of flash in different modes!
You can use P or Av mode to meter the scene without flash. Then use the settings for M mode and flash. You can play then with shutter speed and flash exposure to balance the light. Kit lens is fine, just don't use it at maximum opening. Stop down a bit to get the corners sharper.

 

[Anson]

I think the advantage of the kit lens... is the wide angle coverage..

 

[Reportage]

If casual shooting, just bring a PnS and you may find it could give nicer pictures. Otherwise, practice using Shutter priority and Aperture prority as you will be using these 2 modes almost all the time. Auto is only when in complete absence of good light. A monopod would be nice for longer exposure shots but generally try to keep to the F/5.6 as much as possible and F/11 for group shots.

 

[Ah Pao]

The 1000D coupled with the kit lens is small and light enough to be brought to causal events, so since you've bought it, might as well use it fully.

Firstly, the kit lens is not too bad. Generally it's sharp and gives good output, although there are better lenses in the market. But don't dismiss it altogether because others says so (I survived on the kit lens alone for years).

If in doubt, try using the P mode at ISO 800 and see how it turns out. Likely it's acceptable, but can be better, since in P mode it doesn't fully capture the ambient lighting - it only exposes for the subject.

Just to add in to the array of recommendations given above, try using the Tv mode and set your shutter speed to about 1/60s or thereabouts (lower if you've got steady hands and want to capture more ambient light), and set ISO to 800. This is to prevent handshake and yet allows you to capture some of the ambient light. Likely your camera will flash "3.5" in the viewfinder, complaining about not enough ambient light, meaning your background may not be exposed properly, but personally I think it's important to have sharp and well-exposed subjects over everything else.

Your flashgun has TTL capabilities, meaning "automatic all-the-way" so you don't have to worry about flash output. It should expose for your subject properly.

Most importantly, you're there to enjoy the dinner and company, so don't worry too much about taking perfect shots!

 

[gymak90]

Yes P mode is fine.

Since you have an external flash, you can rotate the flash head, if the flash light is too harsh.

Remember to use f/8 and above for group photos. And probably you'll need ISO400 or higher.

After all, most importantly, enjoy your dinner. If the pics look good to you, then they are good.

 

[cqprime]

Thanks for the tips. Today after deciding i went for a pair of 16-35mm Lens

 

[cqprime]

Yes P mode is fine.

Since you have an external flash, you can rotate the flash head, if the flash light is too harsh.

Remember to use f/8 and above for group photos. And probably you'll need ISO400 or higher.

After all, most importantly, enjoy your dinner. If the pics look good to you, then they are good.

For the flash should i use with Diffusion?

 

[chalib]

Thanks for the tips. Today after deciding i went for a pair of 16-35mm Lens

Welcome to L club

Nice lens! Happy snapping & enjoy the event

 

[cqprime]

Welcome to L club

Nice lens! Happy snapping & enjoy the event

Thanks, may i know what brand of UV filter u got

Is Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM comes with L Lens quality

Since i hv gotten 16-35mm L Lens, what is the progression next upgrade for L Lens users

 

[gymak90]

For the flash should i use with Diffusion?

Yes you can try with diffusion, it makes the flash light less harsh.
However, it reduces light intensity. So if you're already struggling in low light, then drop the diffuser. Bring the diffuser along and see how it goes.

Since i hv gotten 16-35mm L Lens, what is the progression next upgrade for L Lens users

Depends on what you want to shoot. If you're keen on extending your range, how about 24-105 L?

 

[chalib]

Thanks, may i know what brand of UV filter u got

Is Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM comes with L Lens quality

Since i hv gotten 16-35mm L Lens, what is the progression next upgrade for L Lens users

I always use B+W for my L.... for consumer lenses, i dun bother to use any protection filter

Shoot with your 16-35 and kit lens first lah... explore what u like to shoot then decide from there

 

[Benosaurous]

your kit lens is enough for casual shots, there is no need to buy a good lens because you want to shoot better photos. good equips helps to get good photos, but doesnt ensure in getting one. fundamental is still the most important.

indoor shots, most importantly is still lightings. since you have an external flash, try to bounce it off white walls, preferably wall 45 degree behind you, not directly above, so the shadows wont be dark off the chin and under the eyes of your friends. Use biggest aperature ( lowest value F-stop) for solo photos, F4-5.6 for taking several friends, F8 for big groups if you like their face to be sharp. Always try to meter neutral gray colors for explosure consistency, and focus on human eyes for portraits, if eyes are not sharp, nothing else matter.

Shutter keep at 1/focal length, if you want more ambience light, get it lower, the lowest i can go is 1/15, you can try on that, it takes some practice with breathing technique. Iso maintain at 400-800 since you are using 1000D, i wouldnt recommend higher than that.

lastly, i dont agree that kit lens is as good as the 1k lenses, they are good, till when you can tell the sharpness off from a 1k lens, and able to apply your fundamental skills to make the good lenses does wonder, then it justify the price you are paying.