Problems with taking photos indoors at night

[eleftherios_skoutaris]

<p>Greetings to all the photo lovers out there!<br /> I have just started taking lessons in photography. I'm thus a newbie and I'm using an old Nikon D80 camera with a zoom in-out lens of 18-200 mm.<br>

<strong>Problem statement:</strong><br>

I have tried taking some portrait shots in a restaurant where the light was diminished, in aperture mode and f5.6, but the problem is that the movement of the company of people (would not remain still as there were spontaneous shots) gave a blurry effect of their moving hands or even when turning their faces.<br>

Since in apperture mode, I tried to increase the ISO of my camera (to increase the shutter speed). I set the ISO to max i.e. 3200 but the shutter speed was only increased up to 1/4 and I had the same problem.<br>

I tried using a flash instead, where the shutter speed, strangely (why is that?) increased up to 1/60, so I had no problems with blurriness but the light of the flash did not give a so natural effect in the picture.<br>

<strong>Questions:</strong><br />I would like to ask experienced photographers or professionals, what is the configuration they use in such cases?<br>

Should I turn to shutter speed mode and increase the speed? But this would cost me in DoF right?<br>

<br />I would like to avoid the intense light exposure of the flash in such low light environments.<br>

Thank you in advance for your input.</p>

 

[JosvanEekelen]

<p>Hi Eleftherios, good to take lessons, there is a lot to learn. You have found out that the amount of light depends on shutter speed, aperture setting and ISO. In your case the lens' maximum opening is probably in the 4.0-5.6 range, thus the lens is called "slow".<br /> A faster lens, f/1.8 would have helped and these are relatively inexpensive. Plus a flash, with the proper technique would have helped as well. The shutter speed is set to 1/60, being the shutter sync speed or near to that, it is the minimum flash shutter speed. <br /> Time to get learning, try the learning tab on the top page of Photo.net. Start with exposure, the relation between shutter speed, ISO and aperture. Then have a look at flash photograpy and associated technique. Succes.<br>

BTW, I use indirect flash with a separate flash unit and high ISO settings in cases like the one you describe. </p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>As Jos indicates, your lens is simply too slow to shoot in light levels that low. Back before cameras came with zoom "kit" lenses, the standard lens for a film SLR was an f/2 50mm. Given the light level you describe, at f/2 and 3200 ISO, your shutter speed would have been 1/30 -- still low, but high enough to handhold, especially if you braced the camera. But even though you could have made the shot with an f/2 lens, that is still extremely low light. In some situations you simply need flash.<br /><br />With the flash mounted on the camera and used straight-on, you're definitely not going to be get a natural effect. At minimum, you can bounce the flash, or use any of several types of diffusers. Better yet, get the flash off the camera. Go to <a href="http://www.strobist.com">www.strobist.com</a> and read the Lighting 101 section.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>Set the flash mode to Slow Sync and you will get around the 1/60 limitation. If you are using the built-in flash, it's going to be difficult to improve what you do with flash, slow sync will, in addition to getting around the 1/60 limitation, allow you to capture some ambience with the flash, which reduces the effect you didn't like.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Yup. Photography is about capturing light. When there's no light, what is there to capture?<br /><br />Definitely consider just one fast lens for this kind of thing. Use your 18-200 to find out if you like the 35mm or 50mm length the best, then get yourself a prime. The 35 DX is GREAT for low light and only a couple hundred bucks. The 50mm is also great, but more limited if you want a group.<br>

A diffuser for the flash and/or bouncing (when you can bounce) will often help a lot, too.</p>

<p>One last thing.</p>

<p>Your D80 is going to struggle in low light WAY more than cameras made in the past 2 or 3 years. If you're going to shoot a lot of low light, something newer might be a good idea. Even the very cheapest Nikon, the D3300, SMOKES the D80 in low light shooting.</p>

[robinpeeples]

<p>I'm still using the same d80 I've had since 2007, and for me, (compared to newer cameras) its biggest limitation is low light performance. I still use it in low light though — all the time. I just can't go into it expecting sharp, portfolio-worthy pictures. I go into it with the goal of capturing moments that will otherwise be lost.</p>

<p>Most often in a dark indoor setting, I use a 50mm f1.4 wide open with the camera set to aperture priority. I don't usually go over ISO 1600 because I find the quality degrades so much—and I have pretty low standards for these kinds of photos.</p>

<p>In a dark bar or restaurant, that'll usually make my shutter speed 1/40 of a second or slower. If I don't have a gorillapod with me (usually don't) and the shutter speed goes below 1/20 of a second, I sometimes set the camera on a table or bar, propped with napkins or coasters to the correct direction and angle.</p>

<p>The last thing I do to try to salvage a picture is turn it black and white in processing. At least with my d80, it seems like high ISOs degrade first by turning wonky colors — especially if you try to lighten the exposure. Converting to b&w eliminates that factor.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>One key trick for shooting in low light is to get the subject close to whatever light there is. A lamp, a TV set over the bar, even a neon sign can put off enough light to make it two or three stops brighter than just out in the middle of the room.</p>

[William Michael]

<blockquote>

<p><strong>Problem statement:</strong><br /> I have tried taking some portrait shots in a restaurant where the light was diminished, in <em><strong>aperture mode and f5.6</strong> </em>. . . Since in apperture mode, I tried to increase the ISO of my camera (to increase the shutter speed). I <strong><em>set the ISO to max i.e. 3200</em></strong> but the <em><strong>shutter speed was only increased up to 1/4</strong></em> and I had the same problem.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Note - if that is typical of the general light level under which you want to shoot, then using an F/1.8 Lens, wide open at F/1.8 (with no flash), <em><strong>will only increase your Shutter Speed to around 1/30s~1/40s,</strong></em> so in many cases you will still not be sure that you will arrest all Subject Motion Blur.</p>

<p>Additionally, using a lens at F/1.8 you will need to consider the very shallow Depth of Field, that you will have.<br /> <br /> There are advantages using Flash - one is the Flash is a very short duration of light and that acts as a freezing element to arrest SUBJECT MOTION. For you might choose to use an aperture of F/4 to ensure the DoF that you want and the Flash will still freeze the Subject.</p>

<p>Additionally, you might like to research “Dragging the Shutter” – this is a technique where the Photographer <em><strong>will purposely set a slow shutter speed to capture much of the AMBIENT LIGHT</strong> </em>and use the Flash mainly to illuminate the Subject. To employ ‘dragging the shutter’ effectively / easily you will need to use an hot-shoe flash unit and not the built in flash on your camera.</p>

<p>WW</p>