Concert Photography - D7100

[mk04447]

I used a D7100 for about 2 years and it's low light performance was always lackluster. I'd suggest doing test shots, find the maximum ISO you can live with and fix it at that point. Then try to take advantage of a stop or 2 in post. If it were me, 1000 tops for an emotional setting where you want some detail; might work though, you can get 3 stops safely in LR.

 

[Destin]

I used a D7100 for about 2 years and it's low light performance was always lackluster. I'd suggest doing test shots, find the maximum ISO you can live with and fix it at that point. Then try to take advantage of a stop or 2 in post. If it were me, 1000 tops for an emotional setting where you want some detail; might work though, you can get 3 stops safely in LR.

I’d disagree with this. You get less noise by raising the ISO in camera that you do by bumping the exposure in post, at least on an older body like the D7100.

Newer bodies that are “iso invariable” can have goos results boosting in post vs raising iso in camera, but older bodies didn’t have enough dynamic range to pull this trick off.

Shoot an image two stops underexposed at 1600 iso and then raise it two stops in Lightroom. Then shoot the same image exposed properly at 6400 in camera, which is two stops brighter. You should end up with similar looking exposures, however the one shot at 6400 natively is almost guaranteed to look better than the one pushed two stops in post.

 

[mk04447]

Destin may be telling the truth, I have to say I didn't think like this when I had the D7100. Having said that, I think it is worth a try if it doesn't matter if you fail.

 

[SquarePeg]

@Gary A. takes a lot of excellent concert/stage photos. Maybe he can offer some additional insight.