Using High ISO Digital for Weddings, Portraits, and Events?

[todd frederick]

I have been noticing some very good results on this forum from

persons using high ISO settings with digital cameras in available

light for wedding and event and portrait photography (800 to 3200).

 

Would any of you who are working with this method share some

suggestions and photo samples with a few comments, and, perhaps, a

few thoughts about the pros and cons of flash or no flash for such

events?

 

For me, the less flash the better!

[jkantor]

With NeatImage or similar you can shoot at just about any ISO nowadays. On the 20D, you can shoot at 800 even without using noise reduction. I try to use almost all available light, with just a little bit of fill. (If you can tell it's flash, it's too much.)

[scott_eaton]

One trick I've learned with high ISO shooting is to manually lower the saturation setting of my 10D. Drastically decreases noise, keeps it more monochrome, and easier to deal with later. I can then selectively add saturation back in via Photoshop with more cleaner effect.

[EricM]

The higher your iso, the more accurate your exposure needs to be! Do not under expose in the least.

[kkjuhy]

Second the vote for optimal exposure...

Have seen great and awful things with my 20D at ISO800/1600 (portraits)

Have to investigate this more myself.

[wendyholden]

I am speechless. Neat Image is amazing. Just downloaded the demo and it gets rid of grain perfectly. I have been trying to tweak images in PS using smart blur but this looks so much better. This will make dragging the shutter much more attractive to me.

 

Thanks

Wendy

[ben_rubinstein___mancheste]

As someone said, you have to get the exposure right. Underexposure on a 800-1600 image will start to really show noise, especially in the shadows, when you pull up the exposure in the RAW convertor.

[steve_hovland]

Re exposure at high ISO's:

 

Recently in a review of the D70 the writer suggested that the histogram displays on many digital cameras are not accurate.

 

I can't verify this, but if you are relying on a histogram you may want to check this using the Levels function in Photoshop. Once the Levels window is open Ctrl 1, 2, and 3 display the histograms for RGB.

 

In regard to low light, I think both film and sensors often respond well to a strong smack of light. That said, in shooting interiors I often expose film for 1 second or longer.

[blueworldstudios]

<p>High ISO quality in the 1DmkII is absolutely amazing. It is reason alone to

dump film.<br>

<br>

I shoot a lot for a local newspaper in the darkest dingiest gyms known to

man. Last year I <br>

couldn't get squat without strobing the gym. This year I can shoot available

light and get <br>

great results. Results good enough that I can't see the value in setting up

strobes unless I <br>

had a SI lighting crew doing it for me at no cost. Even then I'm not sure.

The best part is <br>

that I can now shoot high frame rates without being concerned about

melting the packs.<br>

<br>

In a real arena with lights meant for broadcast, I'm betting that strobes

would be <br>

completely unnecessary. You could probably get by with shooting ISO

800-1000. Given the cost sending a lighting crew, and the limitations of strobe shooting, I

wouldn't be surprised if arena strobing becomes a thing of the past once people start

taking a look at what you can get with current cameras.<br>

<br>

ISO 1600 and 3200 with <a href="http://

www.picturecode.com/">NoiseNinja</a> now give better results than the 1D gave me at

ISO 800, and infinitely better than any film.</p><div></div>

[jmichaelc]

The three main reasons i use High ISO levels for weddings are

 

1)I love as much available light as possible

 

2)I prefer depth of a photo rather than a black wall.

 

3)I like being moble and preferr not to use a tripod

 

I posted a few samples below, all shot at ISO 1600 and on a 10D. The last photo was shot using a D30 at ISO 1600. The first to were shot w/out flash, the second two were shot using flash (the last photo was in an almost completely dark hall way........how much of a dark wall would have been present using ISO 100?)<div></div>

[jmichaelc]

#2<div></div>

[jmichaelc]

#3<div></div>

[jmichaelc]

The girls misunderstood me when i said "Ok, lets go take some photo's". Crop from D30, 1600, 1/125 F3.5 15mm.<div></div>

[EricM]

EJ, that's impressive! I know too well shooting indoor sports without strobe, and that is clean and frozen! Hat's off to you sir.

[leonard_richmond7]

I'm extremely happy with my Digital Rebel using Noise Ninja up to 2000 or 2500. But at 3200, the shadows get too grainy after sharpening, even though I used Noise Ninja. So, I select the shadows and use the selection as a layer mask between 2 layers - one sharpened and one not sharpened - so the final result has only midtones & highlights sharpened. Looks great!