Nightclub photography

igloopants · Jun 9, 2010

Bitter Jeweler said:
To answer your question, yes, fast glass is needed for both.

what lens would you suggest?

Are the lens' I already have completely useless? Or could I have a crack at it with them?

Canosonic · Jun 10, 2010

the long one is useless.

boomer · Jun 10, 2010

igloopants said:
Bitter Jeweler said:

To answer your question, yes, fast glass is needed for both.

Click to expand...

what lens would you suggest?

Are the lens' I already have completely useless? Or could I have a crack at it with them?

Wide is always cool in the night life scene. I've used my 12-24 f/4 a few times at a night club/bar. Just shot it wide open at f/4 @ around 1/15th of a second and 800 iso. I used the SB-600 with diffuser cap while aimed up too (set flash compensation to about -1 because it was a little over powering). this setup worked really well, the flash froze the action but the background lights filled in great.

igloopants · Jun 15, 2010

ok, I bought a SB-600. Cost me $400

What would be the ultimate best lens?

taminder · Jun 16, 2010

use a 50mm fixed lens. there's a cheap version and a medium-priced version for nikon (I'm guessing that's what you're using). Your first kit lens should be enough for the kind of photography you're trying to do (especially if you're using a speedlight). I suggest you get an on-flash diffuser for best indoor results.

SwiftTone · Jun 16, 2010

igloopants said:
ok, I bought a SB-600. Cost me $400

What would be the ultimate best lens?

You paid $400 for a SB-600? That's double of what you go for new!

The 35mm f/1.8 is pretty good glass, they're $200. If you can go used, there's someone in the classified section selling one for $160 with a Hoya filter, which is an excellent deal.

igloopants · Jun 21, 2010

I'm in Australia, that's what they cost here (in AUD).

Would 35mm or 50mm be best for indoor nightclub photography?

And is AF-S better than AF? (sorry don't know the difference?)

igloopants · Jun 21, 2010

And what's the difference between Nikon 50mm F/1.8D AF and F/1.8G AFS ?

And is the Nikon 50mm F1.4D better than both of those anyway?

fokker · Jun 21, 2010

Go for the 35mm over the 50mm

Just a note on shutter speeds etc - if using a flash you don't really need fast glass. It is nice, but you don't need it. You can either freeze all of the action using the flash, but the better option (using your 18-55 kit lens) would be to set the camera in Av mode and 'drag the shutter'. That way you get a nice crisp, well exposed subject but with exposure times as long as a couple of seconds to expose the background you can get some crazy cool effects which work really well in the nightclub/band photography scene. Just sayin, it's not always best to try and completely stop the action.

this is what I'm talking about:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tUcYWorwx30/Sa7-Du6fPbI/AAAAAAAAAx0/Acr95ONV__k/s400/471-KSDD-D009.jpg

http://www.beirutnightlife.com/wp-content/uploads/cache/5789_NpAdvHover.jpg

(not really the best examples but just quickly pulled outta google images)

igloopants · Jun 21, 2010

yea I love those effects.

So you think it'd be possible to get good shots utilising the 18-55 I have and the sb-600 anyway?

But other than that, this would be a good lens to get?

https://www.camerasdirect.com.au/in...lenses/nikon-35mm-f1.8g-dx-af-s-in-stock.html

fokker · Jun 21, 2010

Yeah you can certainly get those kind of effects with your kit lens and SB-600. As a starter for settings try camera on Av mode with ISO400 and f/5.6, flash compensation set to about -1 you might want spot or centre-weighted metering as well. Adjust as necessary from there.

Remember when using a flash you are actually creating 2 exposures in one - the flash exposure and the ambient exposure. f/number, ISO and flash power control your flash exposure; f/number, ISO and shutter speed control the ambient exposure (anything that is not lit by the flash, typically the background as it is too far away to get lit by the flash). You can easily adjust the balance between ambient and flash exposure, for example if the flash-lit part of the shot is too bright turn down the flash power (flash exposure compensation) or increase the shutter speed and narrow the aperture to give the same ambient exposure but less flash exposure.

igloopants · Jun 21, 2010

Wow, thanks for that info, I'll have a bit of a play around before I go out and cover anything to see what I get to work with.

I really won't know until I get out there and start snapping. At least I know I can manage to get something half decent without buying a new lens just yet.

But is the lens I posted previously a good one to get?

AlexL · Jun 21, 2010

I would imagine a fast and wide lens? 50mm might be a little long depending on the distances you stand. But in a nightclub, your are probably going to be close by.