Ideal Settings

[pborgbarthet]

Can someone please suggest the best settings to use (ISO, Apt and Exp) for shooting bands on stage at night? I always seem to get either blurry, very grainy or dark images. I use Canon EOS350D w/ either kit lens EF-S 18-55 or EF 75-300 f/4-5.6.

Thanks

 

[gmarquez]

Can someone please suggest the best settings to use (ISO, Apt and Exp) for shooting bands on stage at night? I always seem to get either blurry, very grainy or dark images. I use Canon EOS350D w/ either kit lens EF-S 18-55 or EF 75-300 f/4-5.6.

Thanks

When the shooting conditions get dark, you have to find some way for the little bit of light you have to register on the film or camera sensor.

1. One way is with a bigger opening for light (wider open aperture, aka smaller F-stop).

2. Another way is allowing more time for the film to expose or the sensor to collect light data (longer shutter speeds).

3. And the third way is to use more sensitive film or a more sensitive mode of the light sensing chip (higher ISO).


#1 will require you to get a lens that can open up bigger (smaller minimum f-stop aka larger aperture).

#2 will result in increased camera shake blur and motion blur, unless the subjects are stationary and you use a tripod and/or a vibration reduction system.

#3 will usually give you more distinct film grain, or more digital noise.

 

[pborgbarthet]

Thanks.

So what you're saying is I should try and find a compromise between the 3 settings to get the best result. Any suggestions though?

 

[pborgbarthet]

Also, what setting of metering should I be using?

Thanks

 

[gmarquez]

Thanks. So what you're saying is I should try and find a compromise between the 3 settings to get the best result. Any suggestions though?

Correct. If less noise and faster shutter speed are what you are after (in a darkened environment), then you need to think about a "faster" lens (ie one that can make use of a wider aperture).

If the widest your lens can currently open up to is f/4, then switching to an f/2.8 would allow the lens to let in twice as much light, letting you double the shutter speed (allowing you to freeze camera shake and subject motion), or halve the ISO sensitivity (potentially reducing grain or noise).

Being able to open up to f/2 would let in twice again more light, or 4 times that of f/4. And so on with f/1.4 and f/1.

The progreassion (taken from this article:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number)
is:

f/1, f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22, f/32, f/45, f/64, f/90, f/128

Each 'higher' f-stop in this progression lets in half as much light as the one 'lower', and each 'lower' f-stop lets in twice as much light as the one 'higher'.

 

[gmarquez]

Also, what setting of metering should I be using? Thanks

I don't know the Rebel settings and menus, so I can't help you there.

 

[pborgbarthet]

Ok.

Thanks a lot for the info. Hope I could post a shot soon with a better result than I've been getting so far

(Love your gallery BTW)

 

[EOS_JD]

Basically your lenses are too slow. The aperture is not wide enough. You really need apertures of f2.8 or faster to shoot indoors.

At a concert when light is low even f2.8 may be slow depending on what ambient light is available (even at ISO1600)!!

I shot a very bright concert at ISO800 with an 85mm f1.8 (which was used wide open at f1.8 all night). Even then shutter speeds were only just fast enough to freeze action.

I'd suggest buying the 85 f1.8 or if you are close to the action, a 50mm f1.4. Use a high enough ISO to get fast enough shutter speeds.

 

[Weaving Wax]

I use a 50mm f/1.8 lens and shoot indoors all the time. Great lens. Although it's a prime it should be able to get what you need done if you aren't too far away from the stage.

 

[Garbz]

On the flip side I've been to a concert where the stage lights alone were able to get ISO400, F2.8, 1/200th. In this case going to ISO-800 would give acceptable results with your lens. But concert lighting varies considerably.

One thing I suggest is shoot in manual. Snap photos and watch your histogram till the exposure is right. That way your camera won't change settings as you change composition. Remember you will be shooting a very bright object against a dark background usually.

 

[EOS_JD]

On the flip side I've been to a concert where the stage lights alone were able to get ISO400, F2.8, 1/200th. In this case going to ISO-800 would give acceptable results with your lens. But concert lighting varies considerably.

One thing I suggest is shoot in manual. Snap photos and watch your histogram till the exposure is right. That way your camera won't change settings as you change composition. Remember you will be shooting a very bright object against a dark background usually.

The OP is using f3.5-f5.6 lenses. Even at ISO800 the shutter speeds are unlikely to be fast enough at the long end (1/100th) and I guess this was a well lit concert?

I think he needs to look at investing in faster glass.