take d90 to clydes ?

fwellers · Dec 24, 2008

Going to Clydes restaurant with just my wife and her parents tonight. I'm wondering if it will be overkill, or foolish to take my big D90 in there to take a couple of pics at dinner. I'm not even sure if they allow flash, and probably the ceiling is too high to successfully bounce the speedlight off of.
Since my dslr is so new, I haven't been faced with this opportunity yet. I don't want to look a fool, or worse, get told off. I'd have to bring my case in with it etc...

I'm thinking if I take pics, it'll be dark in the restaurant, and if the speedlight isn't allowed, then I guess I'll just have to bump up the iso to around I don't know, 1200-1600 or something. What do you think ?

Do you guys do that, or just take the old usual point and shoots ?

Thanks,
floyd

AlexColeman · Dec 24, 2008

It will be fine, don't bring in a 300 F2.8. Bumping up iso is fine, if you see my Zoolights topic, all of those were taken at 3200 or 1600, in atrocious conditions. I am sure it can deal with a restaurant. A fast lens like the 50 or a 2.8 lens will help.

DavidSR · Dec 24, 2008

I took my DSLR into a steak restaurant over here and no one looked at me oddly..or not that I noticed anyways

. I would say to try and avoid flash depending on where you are in the restaurant. If people are sitting in front of you but behind your subjects they might get blinded by the flash and might find it very annoying when trying to eat their dinner. Depending on what time you go and the lighting you might get away with lower ISO than you thought, when I used my DSLR I managed to get away with ISO 400 and ISO 800 at around F4 I believe. We had a window next to us so that helped a little with the lighting (there was still some sun out).

Hope that helps!

jstuedle · Dec 24, 2008

I have taken mine everywhere. The only question I ever got was "What's the monster camera for?" at a pizza joint. It was my grandsons 6th birthday. I carry it so often I don't notice if I get looks or not, and my family don't care. I try to use available light when I can, just to be courteous of the other patrons and not blind them with flash.

fwellers · Dec 24, 2008

Well thanks for the encouragement. It's good to know other people do it.

)

gsgary · Dec 24, 2008

I would use a high enough ISO to let ambient light in with fill flash

AlexColeman · Dec 24, 2008

No flash is the biggest thing, other patrons will mind if they keep getting blinded, but not if some looney drags a massive camera to a restaurant.

mrodgers · Dec 24, 2008

Interesting how bothering people on the street photographing them is ok, yet it's not ok to bother people with flash in a restaurant....

jstuedle · Dec 25, 2008

AlexColeman said:
No flash is the biggest thing, other patrons will mind if they keep getting blinded, but not if some looney drags a massive camera to a restaurant.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

benhasajeep · Dec 25, 2008

Eh, take it with you, and fire away with the flash. If somone says something, just say anything in a foreign language.

They will just say fricking tourists under their voice and leave you alone. :lol:

AlexColeman · Dec 25, 2008

Or even better, get something like an SB900, aim it right at the closest patron, and fire away. Be sure to right about the pleasurable experience!

Kendo · Dec 25, 2008

I say just go for it. If it bothers them I'm sure that they will say something. Just be polite and courteous about it. What is the worst thing that can happen?