How to shoot under low lighting at DVinfo.net

Jo Tan · November 24th, 2010, 10:31 PM

Hellooo,

I'm trying to get clear pictures indoor during family gatherings or events which most of the time uses yellow lights.

I put my camera on AV mode and set my ISO to auto which usually goes up to 3200. However i'm still not able to get clear shots (as in there is still a blur when movement like swing their hand).

I've search online for tutorials and followed the suggestion but somehow i'm still unable to get nice shots.

pleaseee help and i'll be the happiest person on earth =D

thank you heaps....

Alan Halfhill · November 25th, 2010, 12:05 AM

A fast large aperture lens helps a lot. I throughly enjoy my Canon 28mm 1.8. Not an expensive lens but does the job. Don't forget the "Plastic Fantastic" 50mm 1.8. Cheating is using bounce flash.

Jo Tan · November 25th, 2010, 12:30 AM

which means i need to get new lens. =(

just wondering, if i'm just having the kit lens which is the 18-55mm, and have no extra flash(just the build in one) does that mean it'll be quite impossible to get the clear shots?

am currently low on budget to get new lenses n flash for my baby. LOL.

Perrone Ford · November 25th, 2010, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo Tan

which means i need to get new lens. =(

Yes, it does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo Tan

just wondering, if i'm just having the kit lens which is the 18-55mm, and have no extra flash(just the build in one) does that mean it'll be quite impossible to get the clear shots?

Yes, it does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo Tan

am currently low on budget to get new lenses n flash for my baby. LOL.

No problem. Shoot during daylight.

Jo Tan · November 28th, 2010, 08:38 PM

Perrone,

LOL. That was helpful..hehe..

but thanks alot anyways.

guess that before i get my new lenses, i'll just have to settle for what my cam can do not. XOXO

:)

Ivan Gomez Villafane · November 28th, 2010, 10:54 PM

Hey Jo,

Perrone's style is usually very straightforward, and he's damn right on this one.

Get faster lenses! Remember, each ISO increment is one full stop. So if you have 2 more stops, you can be shooting at 400 instead of 1600, and that's a big, big difference.

Charles Papert · November 29th, 2010, 12:06 AM

I don't really dabble with still photo modes outside of manual (when I'm working) or full automatic (at a party or something where I'm too drunk to futz with exposure math), but if there's a blur issue, isn't it preferable to use shutter priority (Tv) rather than aperture priority (Av), as stated? Then pick a shutter speed that captures the motion properly, such as 1/60th or faster? Obviously it will help to use a faster lens with all of this, but might the Tv mode continue to compromise the shutter speed below what is desirable?

Dylan Couper · November 29th, 2010, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo Tan

which means i need to get new lens. =(

just wondering, if i'm just having the kit lens which is the 18-55mm, and have no extra flash(just the build in one) does that mean it'll be quite impossible to get the clear shots?

am currently low on budget to get new lenses n flash for my baby. LOL.

Watch Ebay. You can often get a Nikon 50mm f1.4 non AI for under $80. With a $10 adapter ring from Hong Kong you'll have a great low light lens for under $100.

Truuuuust usssss.... Spend the money now. You'll be so happy you did. It makes an entire world of difference.

Luke Gates · November 29th, 2010, 01:59 PM

Jo Tan, shooting in low light you need to do several things to do several things to get at least a decent picture. First off, the lower the light the more important custom white balance is. Since the rebel doesn't have kelvin white balance that you can dial in on the lcd use the good old take a pic of a sheet of printer paper. No need for anything more extravagant.

Next set you exposure manually, shutter speed 1/50 assuming you're shooting 24p and set the aperature wide open. If you're using a kit lens, this is whats killing you. If 50mm is a reasonable lens, which if you're indoors I can almost guarantee it isn't, then get the $100 50 1.8 canon. Otherwise drop the cash for a 17-55 range 2.8. It's a lot but worth it.

Other than that, maybe look into an on camera lcd light, and ALWAYS use custom white balance in low light. The difference is night and day, no pun intended.

Brian Tori · November 30th, 2010, 10:14 AM

My advice is use 1/30th shutter, shoot wide open, use a fixed ISO of 1600 or 3200, and finally, if this is still not enough, get a tungsten balanced LED or Halogen on-camera light. I would try this before I invested in a new lens.

Jo Tan · November 30th, 2010, 10:29 PM

Hey guys,

thanks for all your suggestions. i'll try 'em out and in the meantime, save d extra cash to get me new lenses =)

November 24th, 2010, 10:31 PM	#1
Jo Tan New Boot Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Singapore Posts: 7	How to shoot under low lighting Hellooo, I'm trying to get clear pictures indoor during family gatherings or events which most of the time uses yellow lights. I put my camera on AV mode and set my ISO to auto which usually goes up to 3200. However i'm still not able to get clear shots (as in there is still a blur when movement like swing their hand). I've search online for tutorials and followed the suggestion but somehow i'm still unable to get nice shots. pleaseee help and i'll be the happiest person on earth =D thank you heaps....

November 28th, 2010, 10:54 PM	#6
Ivan Gomez Villafane Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Posts: 73	Hey Jo, Perrone's style is usually very straightforward, and he's damn right on this one. Get faster lenses! Remember, each ISO increment is one full stop. So if you have 2 more stops, you can be shooting at 400 instead of 1600, and that's a big, big difference. __________________ Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Iván.

November 29th, 2010, 12:06 AM	#7
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	I don't really dabble with still photo modes outside of manual (when I'm working) or full automatic (at a party or something where I'm too drunk to futz with exposure math), but if there's a blur issue, isn't it preferable to use shutter priority (Tv) rather than aperture priority (Av), as stated? Then pick a shutter speed that captures the motion properly, such as 1/60th or faster? Obviously it will help to use a faster lens with all of this, but might the Tv mode continue to compromise the shutter speed below what is desirable? __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

November 25th, 2010, 12:05 AM	#2
Alan Halfhill Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sequim, WA Posts: 127	A fast large aperture lens helps a lot. I throughly enjoy my Canon 28mm 1.8. Not an expensive lens but does the job. Don't forget the "Plastic Fantastic" 50mm 1.8. Cheating is using bounce flash.

November 25th, 2010, 12:30 AM	#3
Jo Tan New Boot Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Singapore Posts: 7	which means i need to get new lens. =( just wondering, if i'm just having the kit lens which is the 18-55mm, and have no extra flash(just the build in one) does that mean it'll be quite impossible to get the clear shots? am currently low on budget to get new lenses n flash for my baby. LOL.

November 28th, 2010, 08:38 PM	#5
Jo Tan New Boot Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Singapore Posts: 7	Perrone, LOL. That was helpful..hehe.. but thanks alot anyways. guess that before i get my new lenses, i'll just have to settle for what my cam can do not. XOXO :)

November 29th, 2010, 01:59 PM	#9
Luke Gates Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: new jersey Posts: 151	Jo Tan, shooting in low light you need to do several things to do several things to get at least a decent picture. First off, the lower the light the more important custom white balance is. Since the rebel doesn't have kelvin white balance that you can dial in on the lcd use the good old take a pic of a sheet of printer paper. No need for anything more extravagant. Next set you exposure manually, shutter speed 1/50 assuming you're shooting 24p and set the aperature wide open. If you're using a kit lens, this is whats killing you. If 50mm is a reasonable lens, which if you're indoors I can almost guarantee it isn't, then get the $100 50 1.8 canon. Otherwise drop the cash for a 17-55 range 2.8. It's a lot but worth it. Other than that, maybe look into an on camera lcd light, and ALWAYS use custom white balance in low light. The difference is night and day, no pun intended.

November 30th, 2010, 10:14 AM	#10
Brian Tori Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 408	My advice is use 1/30th shutter, shoot wide open, use a fixed ISO of 1600 or 3200, and finally, if this is still not enough, get a tungsten balanced LED or Halogen on-camera light. I would try this before I invested in a new lens.

November 30th, 2010, 10:29 PM	#11
Jo Tan New Boot Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Singapore Posts: 7	Hey guys, thanks for all your suggestions. i'll try 'em out and in the meantime, save d extra cash to get me new lenses =)