Need advice - best equipment for live band pictures

underemployed · Sep 8, 2013

Hello all, forum noob here. I've been into DSLR photography for about a year now, got a 40D free when I bought a 70-200mm 2.8L IS from a very, very good friend. I wanted to take great pics of my brother's rock band at their gigs, and it's turned into something of a small business now taking pics of other local bands. I also picked up a 50mm 1.4 along the way. Obviously I'm a total noob and I have ssooo much to learn, but I find that I have to take around 300 pics to get a dozen or so good ones because the lighting at shows goes from very dark to very bright and back again in an instant, plus the guys are always moving around very fast on stage.

Anyway my question is what would be the best equipment for my situation? I've considered getting a full frame camera like a 6D, 5DII of possibly III, but I've heard that the 7D is really great for fast action shots. Of course if I get another crop camera I'll have to get a 24mm lens or something because I end up feeling in many situations too far zoomed with my lenses to get the look I'd like.

As for a budget, I like the price of the 7D and 6D of course, but if the 5DIII would be better suited I'd be able to push it if I saved up until next summer.

here's some unedited pics to give you an idea what conditions I'm always facing -

cgipson1 · Sep 8, 2013

Extremely low light, and odd light venues? The best full frame sensor camera you can afford (If I had to shoot Canon, either the 5D Mk III or the 1DX)... with the best large aperture lenses you can afford (L Glass.. 1.4 1.8 2.8 aperture stuff)

Tailgunner · Sep 8, 2013

cgipson1 said:
Extremely low light, and odd light venues? The best full frame sensor camera you can afford (If I had to shoot Canon, either the 5D Mk III or the 1DX)... with the best large aperture lenses you can afford (L Glass.. 1.4 1.8 2.8 aperture stuff)

Agreed,

I'm a crop shooter and I would upgrade to a full frame sensor in this situation just to take advantage of their Higher ISO performance. But, I would look for one with speed as well and I would use Pro memory cards (95 mb write etc). As for which camera, I'm a Nikon guy, so I don't know much about Canon. The same goes with their glass although you're probably good if the Canon 70-200 2.8mm is anything close to the Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 VR/VRII.

FYI: you could probably save a few bucks buying a refurbished body directly from Canon with a warranty. Example: they got a refurbished Mark III or $2,700.00.

KmH · Sep 8, 2013

FWIW.

The speed of a memory card is more about how quickly image files can upload to a computer than how quickly a card can accept image files from the camera's memory buffer.
For writing image files to the card as it's in the camera, the camera's memory buffer is usually the limiting factor.

Even FF cameras with lots of MP, like Nikon's 36.8 MP D800, recommend card speeds greater than Class 6 only for shooting video.
Class 6 minimum performance is 6 MB/s.
Class 10 minimum performance is 10 MB/s.

Class minimums have to be met for both read and write.

kathyt · Sep 8, 2013

You have a great lens for low light. I would go with a full frame, 6D or Mark III. I just shot a concert Friday night and they are tough. I just crank my ISO, and sometimes I have to spot meter off of the lead singer. Unless you are shooting a whole band of course. You need high ISO capabilities for sure.

Derrel · Sep 8, 2013

KmH said:
FWIW.

The speed of a memory card is more about how quickly image files can upload to a computer than how quickly a card can accept image files from the camera's memory buffer.
For writing image files to the card as it's in the camera, the camera's memory buffer is usually the limiting factor.

Even FF cameras with lots of MP, like Nikon's 36.8 MP D800, recommend card speeds greater than Class 6 only for shooting video.
Class 6 minimum performance is 6 MB/s.
Class 10 minimum performance is 10 MB/s.

Class minimums have to be met for both read and write.

Why do you continually post this erroneous, nonsensical baloney KmH??? You are totally off-base on your assertion! The speed of a memory card plays a HUGE part in how many images, and how rapidly, images can be written to a memory card. Look at the FACTS!

Rob Galbraith's excellent memory card testing and reporting database proves that your repeated assertion is utterly, totally incorrect. The SPEED and the actual PERFORMANCE of one's memory cards can play an absolutely CRITICAL part in quickly writing images to the card!

Rob Galbraith DPI: Nikon D800/D800E

Rob Galbraith DPI: Canon EOS 5D Mark III