Concert Photography

[Kanthaka]

I'm going to attend my second ever concert and I wanted to bring my camera in to take pictures. From what I remember last time, the concert venue can get dark and I'm not confident that my kit lens will be able to cope with such low light. So I was thinking of buying the Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G lens. It'll be my first ever lens purchase. Now the thing is that I'm up on the balcony. Will the 35mm get me enough range? I mean I don't expect super close shots or anything but I want recognizable faces at least... if that's not too much to ask. Anyway, what do you guys think?

I own a Nikon D5200 btw. And, yes, I realize that due to the crop sensor the 35mm will actually be closer to 50mm. (At least, I hope I got that bit right.)

Also if anyone wants to suggest a different lens to use, I'm up for any suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Centropolis]

This is going to be tough. Depending on the size of the venue, a 50mm equivalent from a balcony will most likely be not enough reach. Now, you might still be able to recognize the face of the performer but it'll be tough. But it really depends on how far you are.

It's hard to recommend a lens without a budget so here are my suggestions depending on your budget. You're using a D5200 so I am assuming you're not ready to spend $2,400 on a 70-200mm f2.8, there is the AF-S 55-200 f4-5.6G. But you'll need to crank up the ISO in low light situations.

And if my assumption is wrong, then a Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 is about $1,100, which is not bad at all.

Someone will definitely disagree with me on this but if you are using Lightroom or Photoshop and other RAW editors/converters, I sometimes "cheat" the exposure and purposely under expose to get a fast enough shutter speed and then try and fix the exposure in post. You'll atleast get some usable photos that are atleast in focus and less blur. But you'll have to be familiar with shooting and editing RAW files.

 

[Kanthaka]

Yikes, I honestly wasn't thinking about spending over $300 for my first lens purchase. But before we dive in any deeper into my lens dilemma, I now have another issue to deal with. So I'm reading through the FAQ of the concert venue and this is what it says regarding cameras,

"Video cameras, monopods, tripods, audio recording devices and cameras with telephoto or zoom lenses, including SLR's, are not permitted inside at any time. This policy will be strictly enforced. You may bring in a disposable or 35mm camera (with no zoom or telephoto lens), however, for some events, cameras of any type and/or flash photography may be prohibited."

So... is a dSLR with a 35mm lens the only option I have?

 

[Destin]

Those are pretty much the standard rules for concerts. The only way to get in with a real camera is to have a press pass, which as a beginner is all but impossible unless you know someone.

The door into concert photography is through shooting small local bands in bars and clubs at first and working your way up. Once you have a portfolio you can usually get local news agencies to give you a press pass in exchange for a couple shots for their publication, if you play your cards right at least.

If you're buying tickets to a show you're better off with a drink in your hand than a lens, trust me you'll enjoy it more.

 

[Kanthaka]

Darn. Didn't know that something like this would be an issue... Don't want to go off-topic too much as this is in the photography equipment section but I want to know: Is bringing a dSLR hard even for outdoor venues?

Also what do you guys think about the 35mm lens I suggested above as a first lens purchase? I'm usually shooting landscape (so I'm not usually shooting at that range) but I feel limited sometimes with the aperture on my kit lens. When the sun goes down, I've got to pretty much stop shooting. I haven't been able to get good pics of the stars or get good pics of a city skyline when it's dark.

It's not that bad a price either. I think it's only $200 on Amazon. Plus, I think it can help me get started on portrait photography. Get that nice blurry background, you know?

 

[Destin]

For landscape shots you should be on a tripod, so your aperture should be fine on a kit lens. In fact you want to be stopped down to f/8-f/16 for landscape work generally. 35mm is also too narrow for landscapes, you really want a wider lens than the kit lens to open up possibilities.

Look into a used tokina 12-24 f/4. They can be had around $250 on eBay if you look for a couple days. Great entry level landscape lens.

That 35mm is a great walk around lens for day to day shooting and even wider framed portraits. But it's too long for landscape and too short for concerts. For concerts I'd look into at least an 85mm 1.8, but more appropriately a 70-200 2.8. That can get very expensive, very fast though and I imagine you're on a budget like the rest of us.

 

[Kanthaka]

Well, that's the thing. I mainly shoot landscapes but I want to branch out and try other things. I'm basically asking if the 35mm would be a good all round first lens purchase.

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[nerwin]

It doesn't say you can't use a DSLR, just one with a zoom lens and I think they are talking about big lenses like a 70-200 2.8.

I think for your budget of $300, I'd take a look at either the 35 1.8G or 50 1.8G. It REALLY depends where you will be standing. You probably would want your D5200 to be as compact as you can make it, so ditch the hood. You don't want any trouble with them letting you in.