Which lens to use?

[Technik]

Hi there

I have been nominated as the official photograher for a social event. It is going to be held in a bar/club with music pumping and surrounded by neon lights.

As this will be my first attempt to take photos for public display, I need some advice from you guys:

1) Given it is indoor with relatively low light, what lens should I use? My option is either 18-70mm kit lens or 50mm 1.8 prime lens

2) SB-600 - what settings should I use?

3) Any other tips?

Cheers

[Zeeke]

Ive never done this kind of shooting, but id say the 50mm would be the best choice.. because of the low light situations, its probably the only lens you have listed that will handle the situation, using the sb600 will let you use the kit lens but if theres a band playing, the last thing they need is a flash going off right in there eyes..

Tim

[Grev]

50mm 1.8 with the flash prepared.

[PiroStitch]

Why can't you take both lenses? I'd say take both and have the SB600 handy. Don't try and overuse the flash too much and kill off the scenes though.

Here are a few tips considering it's a bar/club environment:

* Bounce/diffuse the flash - try to stay away from harsh direct flash shots
* Keep some shots on high ISO (~800) and lower shutter speed with rear sync on the flash. You can get some trippy dance shots there.
* Since you're the official photog, see if you can get some shots of the guys/gals posing for you

Most important tip, don't stress and enjoy yourself

The reason why I've suggested the kit lens is have the lens on 18mm, open the aperture wide at 3.5 and set the shutter speed to 1/20, with no flash, and try and get some shots of the neons. If you use the flash, you will kill the neon lights.

Hope that helps.

[losfp]

I would actually go with the kit lens. the 50/1.8 is too long for group shots in a tight environment like a bar/club IMO. You simply wouldn't have enough space to work in if you use the 50mm. By all means take it along for special portraits, but I reckon you'll end up using the flash and the 18-70 most of the time.

SB-600 in TTL mode, A priority on about f/4.5ish, and go for it!

[birddog114]

Bring and have both lenses 50/1.8 + 18-70 & SB600.
You'll need them all.

[wendellt]

you can do some funky things if the subject is in complete darkness
set the flash to Rear sync flash (flash fires just before the shutter curtain closes) flash set to ttl
shutter priority > shutter speed to like 1/4 or something slow in order to get enough exposure of the background

the flash will the subject and the slower shutterspeed will capture the background

thi will only work if the subject is completely dark if there is a little light on them you will get a blurry shot

this works really well in dimly lit clubs with disco lights in the background

[big pix]

your kit lens is more than enough......... I have shot the odd function with kit lens and on board flash...... rear curtain and control the shutter speed........ fast shutter speed gives no background and tends to go to black..... slow shutter speed will allow some of the ambient light or the amount of background light to be exposed........ experiment, but I find shooting people on about 25th is slow enough for onboard flash and background light, slower shutter speeds will give some movement with what is exposed in the background, again experiment, you could end up with some creative images.......

remember, f stop for your flash exposure, shutter speed for your background exposure........ to be used together

[shutterbug]

Bring and have both lenses 50/1.8 + 18-70 & SB600.
You'll need them all.

Agree with Birddog with this one....if you have 2 bodies it would be much better too...50mm on one cam and the 18-70mm + flash on the other cam.

[Technik]

Thanks for everyone's input. By no means, I will bring both lens however I thought it is a hassle swapping lens given that the event only goes for 2 hrs. In any case, I think kit lens is the go as I will be taking a lot of group shots.

In regard to using slower shutter speed at 1/20, 1/25 with no flash, I am concerned that the photos would become blurry as I do not have a steady hand. That said though, rear syn flash would definitely produce an awesome effect.

What setting should use for SB-600? It better to use TTL-BL or TTL?

[shutterbug]

You can try increasing the iso when using the 50mm.

As for flash setting use TTL.

[PiroStitch]

TTL for the SB600.

Try the slower shutter speed with no flash and see how you go. I mentioned that more for capturing the neons and the lighting effects with the crowd dancing.

[padey]

Thanks for everyone's input. By no means, I will bring both lens however I thought it is a hassle swapping lens given that the event only goes for 2 hrs. In any case, I think kit lens is the go as I will be taking a lot of group shots.

In regard to using slower shutter speed at 1/20, 1/25 with no flash, I am concerned that the photos would become blurry as I do not have a steady hand. That said though, rear syn flash would definitely produce an awesome effect.

What setting should use for SB-600? It better to use TTL-BL or TTL?

I wouldn't go below 1/60 of a second.

Also, I'd look to borrow some f1.4 lenses, as they are made for low light work. Compared to your 18-70mm, you'll gain between 3.5-4.5 stops. Dropping 4 stops is like going from ISO1600 to 100.

You are welcome to borrow my 85mm or 28mm f1.4 if you want to pick it up.

[nito]

should also bring a tripod, unless there is a nice wide open VR len in your collection getting clean shots would be difficult.

A LS PJ is also good, and the flash set on iTTL. As other people have said buff up the iso. But I find anything greater than 800 on a D70 is very noisey.

[Technik]

Sorry to dig up this old post.

What setting(s) would you prefer to shoot in a limited low light indoor area?

1) Do you set your Flash to "Slow" and use Apeture Priority?

OR

2) Do you use shutter speed Priority and play with your shutter speed to say 1/20, 1/60 etc?

What are the pro and cons?

Any help is appreciated

[gstark]

Please don't apologise for bringing up an old post.

As to the answer to your question, it really depends upon the circumstances and subject that you're trying to capture, and the results that you're after.

So ... let's try to understand a little bit more about the shooting problems you're trying to solve, and what your goals are within this problematic location.

[Technik]

Please don't apologise for bringing up an old post.

As to the answer to your question, it really depends upon the circumstances and subject that you're trying to capture, and the results that you're after.

So ... let's try to understand a little bit more about the shooting problems you're trying to solve, and what your goals are within this problematic location.

Basically I will be doing mostly group photos, individual shots in a "nightclub / pub" environment.

What I want to achieve is to capture the background a bit more. (ie. to have enough exposure of the background such as amber lighting etc)

Given that I don't have a steady hand, my aim is to reduce any blurryness caused by hand shake when using a slower shutter speed. What are the best ways to minimise this problem beside using a tripod?

Here is an example I took at the last event:

[Geoff]

Surely if you're shooting FOR the club/pub and it's a dance kinda environment then the occasional flash/strobe won't cause a problem? That's my only real solution to your query, and unsteady hand. Hope this helps.

[xorl]

Consider taking the flash off the hotshoe. You can use the D70's commander mode to trigger the flash remotely. Use your left hand to aim the flash, right to take the photo. I've done this before, it makes it easy to adapt to many situations and lets you work quick.

Pay attention to the environment, if there are white walls nearby you may be able to use them to bounce/diffuse the flash. Set the camera up so it underexposes the ambient light by a stop or so (50mm lens + higher ISO helps). Use the flash to clean up the foreground as above.

Also consider white balance settings. Incandescent lighting will show as orange in the background with this setup. If you put a CTO gel on the flash and set WB to incandescent you will get rid of the orange lighting. It all depends on what king of image you want to capture.

I would recommend configuring FV lock on the camera. The D70 (especially commander mode) is notorious for causing people to blink in photos. Using FV lock can let you trigger the preflashes before the photo to get any blinking out of the way..

[Blackspear]

Have you thought about using a monopod?

Cheers

[padey]

I work in these conditions all the time.

And really there isn’t any magic to it, high iso + fast glass = one answer. This can be a costly equation, so the cheaper option is medium iso (400/800 iso) + medium glass + SB800(s) = another answer.

I say SB800s because you don’t want to direct flash, as you get no background exposure. What I’ve seen work, is two SB800s, working in wireless flash with one directly at the subject and the other bouncing off a roof or wall to fill the background.

Personally I take the first option, and don’t use any flash in dark churches/receptions/pubs. And I switch between A and S modes. In S mode, I don’t go past 1/60sec. This stops camera shake and limits subject movement. In A mode, I stop down until I hit 1/60sec.

[Technik]

In S mode, I don’t go past 1/60sec. This stops camera shake and limits subject movement. In A mode, I stop down until I hit 1/60sec.

That's exactly my problem, I found most of the photos I have taken at 1/60sec didn't turn out too well - background underexposed and the subject overexposed. Basically I need to find a balance to capture the background (eg. subject moving) whilst focus the subject without causing any blurryness.

[padey]

In S mode, I don’t go past 1/60sec. This stops camera shake and limits subject movement. In A mode, I stop down until I hit 1/60sec.

That's exactly my problem, I found most of the photos I have taken at 1/60sec didn't turn out too well - background underexposed and the subject overexposed. Basically I need to find a balance to capture the background (eg. subject moving) whilst focus the subject without causing any blurryness.

What was your ISO setting?

[Technik]

In S mode, I don’t go past 1/60sec. This stops camera shake and limits subject movement. In A mode, I stop down until I hit 1/60sec.

That's exactly my problem, I found most of the photos I have taken at 1/60sec didn't turn out too well - background underexposed and the subject overexposed. Basically I need to find a balance to capture the background (eg. subject moving) whilst focus the subject without causing any blurryness.

What was your ISO setting?

I set my ISO to AUTO, it ranges from 200 to 1600

[padey]

In S mode, I don’t go past 1/60sec. This stops camera shake and limits subject movement. In A mode, I stop down until I hit 1/60sec.

That's exactly my problem, I found most of the photos I have taken at 1/60sec didn't turn out too well - background underexposed and the subject overexposed. Basically I need to find a balance to capture the background (eg. subject moving) whilst focus the subject without causing any blurryness.

What was your ISO setting?

I set my ISO to AUTO, it ranges from 200 to 1600

Umm well it should push the ISO as needed.

Unfortunately there is no generic settings, as there are no such thing as generic pub/club lighting. If you work from the extremes of your camera and lens and work backwards, you should find the right settings.

Now this is a dark setting. No flash, hi iso +0.7 of a stop, wide open glass and a deep breath.

[Technik]

That's beautiful mate.

I note that your Shutter speed was at 1/13 sec, that's probably an ideal setting than my normal 1/60 sec.

The event is going to be held tomorrow, I will let you know how I go.

[barry]

Nice shot Andrew. Is that the Rum Corp.

Barry

[Technik]

here is a shot I took from Thursday



Now I realise I can lower my shutter speed to around 1/10, 1/15, 1/20 without causing any shakes. At the end of the day, practice makes prefect