Photos without flash in dim light

<p>Hi, Could be a basic question but appeaciate your help on this.<br /> <br /> I use a Nikon D60 with a 18-200/18-55 lens. I want to do some photography in a dim lit room without using flash. When i try this with with whatever shutter speed or aperture i don't get the image. Ive also tried changing the ISOs. I get a pitch black screen with no image. Though the camera shows a warning than the "Subject is too dark", i really need to try something in a very dim lighting codition.<br /> Pls help.<br /> <br /> Many thanks<br /> Philip</p>

<p>BUY THE NIKON 17 55 2.8 LENS </p>

<p>There's a reason why folks spend the extra $$$'s on the D700.</p>

<p>A tripod can be very helpfull, just put your camera on the tripod, selct M and set your exposure on a value that you have a little underexposure with f8 and iso 200. The example is not in a romm but just outside in the dark.<br>

15 sec f8 iso 200</p><div></div>

<p>You need to play with longer shutter speeds, at any ISO and aperture. The bigger lens aperture and higher ISO the shorter shutter speed needed. If light level is too low, you will need a tripod or any kind of stand to avoid motion blur.<br /> E.g., At f3.5 and 1600ISO, shutter speeds could be on 1" or more, obviously depending of the available light. Use "M" (manual) mode.</p>

 

<p>Yes, a tripod will cover you if you don't need to freeze motion.</p>

<p>A faster lens is really going to help. Nikon's recently released a 35/1.8 AF-S which is a good "normal" focal length lens with a wide aperture for under $200, and it will autofocus on your D60. But only you know what focal lengths you're wanting to use in those low-light situations. You may indeed want to raise the ISO to 800 or 1600, and just tolerate the noise in the image (or use software after the fact to help reduce it), in order to buy yourself a faster shutter speed in poor light. As mentioned above, you could well be in tripod territory.<br /><br />It's not that you can't get a good exposure in such light, it's that you haven't yet made the tradeoffs necessary to do it. A tripod and/or fast lens and/or high ISO are the only way. Of course a nice, steady, long exposure on a tripod won't do you any good if your subject is alive and moving... which calls for the fast lens and/or high ISO approach.</p>

<p>Use your 18-200VR lens and turn VR on<br>

Set the camera to "P" mode<br>

Turn AutoISO on and set the maximum ISO to 1600 and the minimum shutter speed to 1/15 or 1/30 (or whatever is the slowest shutter speed you can use when you are shooting with VR on). Set the camera's normal ISO to 100.<br>

With these settings, the camera will first try to shoot at a reasonable combination of shutter speed and aperture at 100 ISO, will then open the aperture more if the light is insufficient, will drop the shutter speed when it reaches maximum aperture, raise the ISO when it reaches the maximum aperture and minimum shutter speed you set, and, finally, will drop the shutter speed once it reaches ISO 1600 at maximum aperture and the minimum shutter speed you set in AutoISO. At this point, you can increase the ISO manually one more stop to 3200 or, if shutter speed is still too slow, brace the camera or use a tripod.</p>

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<p>Use your 18-200VR lens and turn VR on</p>

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<p><br />If you have your rig mounted on a tripod, do not use the VR</p>

<p>To those who suggest the solution is to buy a lens costing three times more than the camera, did you consider that cost might be a factor? A fast pricey, expensive zoom isn't the solution to all of the world's problems.</p>

<p>It is quite possible to take pics in the dark without flash.This photo was taken in available light using the usually rubbished 55-200 non VR zoom at ISO 800,1/25 sec,f6.3,manual mode,of course mounted on a tripod.</p><div></div>

<p>Thanks for all who responded. Will give out a try with all the suggestions and let you know how it goes. Conclude that i need to get a tripod soon ;-)<br>

Hans and Keerthi - Nice pics :-D<br>

Cheers.<br>

Phil</p>

 

<p>manoj,<br>

just seeing this now. i do a fair amount of available light photography, mostly handheld, though i do use a tripod from time to time for long exposures.</p>

<p>you can do available light with a 2.8 lens as dave suggested, but even 2.8 is a bit slow sometimes--that's when you need a 1.8 or 1.4 lens. the cheapest option in this regard is the 50/1.8, which wont AF on your camera, so you'd have to use manual focus. i myself use the 50/1.8 and sigma's 30/1.4.</p>

<p>here's a 30 pic from the other night, taken in a fairly dark club.</p><div></div>

<p>In my suggestions above, I was trying to give the OP a way to experiment with taking available light photos in dim light without having to resort to a tripod or buying another lens, and without having to do a lot of fussing. AutoISO and P mode, in particular, are surprisingly helpful in these situations. With the 18-200VR, he could set AutoISO minimum speed as slow as 1/8 second if he's not going longer than 60mm or so.<br>

For subjects that aren't moving very much, he should be able to take reasonably sharp handheld shots with his f/3.5-5.6 lenses wide open, at ISO 1600, shutter speeds of 1/8 second or so, VR on.</p>

<p>david, the key sentence in that post is, "for subjects which arent moving much." but you're right, nikon's meters can perform magic if you coax them right. and 3.5 at 18mm isnt that much slower than 2.8. but the problem with the 18-200 is, it has a lot of distortion at 18mm and it doesnt stay @3.5 for very long. improving technique is always a good idea, but i'm with matt on this one, everyone should have at least one piece of fast glass, even if it's a prime with no AF. manoj, you can also use a beanbag (or small pillow in a messenger bag) in lieu of a tripod in some situations, if your lens doesnt have too long of a nose.</p>

<p>Hi,<br>

I use Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 ($350) and I am vaery happy with it although not as fast as 50mm f/1.8 it gets the job done.<br>

also in order to get a sharp shot handheld make sure your shutter speed = focal lenght being used, otherwise use a tripod or a monopod.</p>