What camera and lens to buy to take photos in fluorescent light

Rob1609

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Hi
I am planning to buy a camera specifically to take photos indoor in fluorescent lights. I will be taking photos during fluorescent party people where people move, dance or even run (kids)
I do not want to use any flash.

Could you please let me know if there is anyone experienced in taking photos in fluo lights what camera and lens to buy.

I dont have a budget. I just want to buy a proper camera for this. My company will pay for it ;)
 
Any digital camera can do that. It's simply a matter of white balance.

Film? There are filters that take care of it.
 
First, as 480 Sparky said, you set the WB to fluorescent light. So make sure the camera you buy has that option in the WB setting.

Second, there is an issue you didn't address. Fluorescent light is usually poor. Separate from the warmth of the light (which WB will fix for you), it usually produces dimly lit scenes. And this is indoors. And you talked about kids running.

Since you won't be using any speed lights, that means you need a camera that will produce sharp photos in this setting. That means you'll have to jack up the ISO (2000 maybe, probably more like ISO5000) to avoid getting a really grainy/pixelated shot and you'll need to shoot at least 1/125th of a second to freeze movement (and maybe faster--1/200th or 1/250th).

Also, if you're going to be shooting from the sidelines into a crowded dance floor, then you'll need to crop shots (because you'll be shooting some distance away as opposed to being 5-8 feet from your subject). Which means--don't buy a crop sensor camera. Shooting at high ISO and then cropping, you'll end up with a very pixelated photo.

So, quick summary: make sure the body you buy has a WB setting for fluorescent light, get a full-frame body, and one that will perform well in dim light at a high ISO setting.

Recommendations: what you're going to want is a camera a photojournalist would use--something for capturing indoor sports (like gymnastics or volleyball) where the lighting is often fluorescent and the subject too far away to use a speedlight/strobe. So if you bought a used Nikon D3 or D4, you'd have a camera capable of shooting good results in such a setting (fluorescent, dim light) with a high ISO setting. An exception to the crop body rule would be the Nikon D500 (crop body but excellent sensor, great autofocus, and very good in low light).
 
G'day Rob

Firstly - Welcome to the Photo Forum ... we'll try to help out this time and in the future !

Before you / your firm shells out $us3000 upwards I feel that you / someone needs to ask some questions and maybe, set some benchmarks before the event.

One of those is whether to employ someone who already has the gear and knows what to do with it all. Another is "if you spend this money, what is to become of the equipment after this event?" Will the camera etc be put to additional use? and what for?

Then thirdly "what will be the other photographic needs be for the firm to make best use of its investment?"

Hope this helps
Phil
 
Hi
I am planning to buy a camera specifically to take photos indoor in fluorescent lights. I will be taking photos during fluorescent party people where people move, dance or even run (kids)
I do not want to use any flash.

Could you please let me know if there is anyone experienced in taking photos in fluo lights what camera and lens to buy.

I dont have a budget. I just want to buy a proper camera for this. My company will pay for it ;)
Check the lighting recycle time - you could be limited to shutter speeds of no more than 1/60 second, Some cameras do have an anti-flicker feature, but I have no experience with that. Hopefully someone who does will chime in.
 
Thank you guys all of your help. I really appreciate ;)
Yes as JoeW said fluorescent light is quite poor in our place. Hence I need one that will perform well in dim light at a high ISO setting.
As Ozzy_Traveller pointed out....the events are mixed fluo party or kids party where kids are jumping on trampolines.. All under fluorescent lights. That's the environment I will be shooting my photos in. so I need something for capturing indoor sports in fluo lights.
I will check Nikon D4 ;)
Any more ideas? cameras? what about lens? filters?
 
You are asking a number of interdependent questions with very little quantified data to work with. My first suggestion is to start quantifying some data. Buy, beg, borrow an incident light meter (and someone to use it if you don't how) and find the average light level in the party room. If the average light is EV5 or above you can use any mid-level or above mirrorless or DSLR camera (m4/3, APS-C, or FF) brought to the market in the last five years. You will need a zoom lens with a constant f/4 wide-open aperture or a constant f/2.8 if you can manage it. I would suggest an FF equiv. zoom range of 28mm-80mm. You will need a camera with a reasonably good ISO of 6400.

On the other hand, if your light measurement yields an EV2 average I'd suggest at least an APS-C camera with an f/2.8 lens (ISO 12800) or an FF camera with an f/4 lens (ISO 25600). If the average light levels is below EV2 do what the pro event photogs do and get a good strong on camera flash that you can use in a bounce mode. If you end up needing to go that route reply and I can give some setup suggestions.

I will limit my specific suggestion to m4/3 cameras as that's what I use. The m4/3 cameras that meet my criteria are the Olympus (now OM Systems) are the E-M5 Mk III, E-M1 Mk II, Mk III, and the OM-1. Suitable OM lenses include the ED 12mm-45mm f/4 PRO and the ED 12mm-40mm PRO. I don't follow APS-C and FF offerings but I have no doubt whatsoever that Fuji, Sony, Canon and Nikon offer suitable/equivalent APS-C cameras/lenses Sony. Panasonic, Nikon, Canon and probably others have suitable FF cameras/lenses. You can use prime lenses as well and they will have a larger wide open aperture at the expense of convenience. If I were using primes, I'd get a wide-angle lens and a short telephoto plus two bodies so I didn't have to swap lenses while shooting.

Filters are unnecessary. Every camera in this bracket presets white balances to accommodate fluorescent lights plus the ability to create custom white balances. Truth be known, at least some of the cameras in this class have automatic white balances that can handle almost any lighting you can find. I have not had to use the presets or set a custom white balance since I acquired my Oly E-M1 Mk II as long as I can get my camera in the same light as is illuminating the subject. Take some test shots before the live event and see what you need to do

Your milage may vary.
 
Any digital camera. If party in crowded space get a 24mm wide angle lens on full frame camera.
 

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