How do you: Take pics in lowish light.
How do you: Take pics in lowish light.
Author
Discussion

Altrezia

Original Poster:

8,742 posts

242 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
No matter what I try, my pics are always blurry indoors / in low light. I've tried just about everything, shutter speed, high ISO's, nowt seems to work..

Properly newbie question, I know, but is there a techique for it?

DIW35

4,205 posts

231 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
To prevent blur, you need a fast(ish) shutter speed. In 35mm days, the general rule was to have a speed based on the length of the lens you were using i.e. for a 50mm lens use 1/60th as a minimum, for a 200mm lens use 1/250th etc.

I guess you could use the same rule for digital providing you take the crop factor into account.

To keep the shutter speed up, you seem to be doing the right things; using a high ISO, and open the aperture up as far as it will go. If conditions are so dim that all of this still requires a shutter speed that is too slow, try to rest on something or prop yourself against a solid object to minimise camera shake. If all this fails the only viable alternative is to put the camera on a tripod or use flash.

HTH.

Altrezia

Original Poster:

8,742 posts

242 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
Perhaps investing in a proper flash would do the job - the 350d's built in one is pants.

Cheers mate.

NiceCupOfTea

25,607 posts

282 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
Also worth buying a "faster" lens (ie, one that opens to a big aperture). I just bought a 50mm fixed prime that opens to f/1.8. OK, it's applications are limited, but it was cheap and it produces very sharp results even in low light - perfect for indoor situations or dull days.

I think an external flash makes a huge improvement too - built in one on my D70s doesn't do a huge amount of good, but my brother's SB-800 is awesome.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

285 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
350's popup is OK for a popup, but it wont compare to a proper speedlight bounced.

As to the rest, if your on the kit lens or something as slow then its going to be a struggle.

I use a 50mm f1.8 indoors at f2.0-2.2 at ISO 400-800 works OK but the kit is going to be 3+ stops slower than that.

jackal

11,251 posts

313 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
a light manual focus rangefinder camera which is worth at least a stop in itself

Altrezia

Original Poster:

8,742 posts

242 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
All good advice. I have 2 lenses, kit one, and a 75-300 IS USM which is pretty slow - so perhaps its just that!

I'll look at one of those 50mm portrait lenses - cheers.

LotusJas

1,383 posts

262 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
Canon 50mm f1.8 is dirt cheap, and great when stopped down to f2+. I've just ordered one a few days ago for indoor low light use.

Well worth buying if you only have slow lenses (I only have a 24-105 f4).

Altrezia

Original Poster:

8,742 posts

242 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
Just bought one on ebay.
Cheers lads. I'll report back when it arrives - couple of weeks at xmas post I bet.

CommanderJameson

22,096 posts

257 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
DIW35 said:
To prevent blur, you need a fast(ish) shutter speed. In 35mm days, the general rule was to have a speed based on the length of the lens you were using i.e. for a 50mm lens use 1/60th as a minimum, for a 200mm lens use 1/250th etc.

I guess you could use the same rule for digital providing you take the crop factor into account.

To keep the shutter speed up, you seem to be doing the right things; using a high ISO, and open the aperture up as far as it will go. If conditions are so dim that all of this still requires a shutter speed that is too slow, try to rest on something or prop yourself against a solid object to minimise camera shake. If all this fails the only viable alternative is to put the camera on a tripod or use flash.

HTH.
That's the magic word.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

285 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
Inside with people tripod is useless.

Fast lens and/or speedlight/flash

tog

4,967 posts

259 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
LotusJas said:
Canon 50mm f1.8 is dirt cheap, and great when stopped down to f2+. I've just ordered one a few days ago for indoor low light use.

Well worth buying if you only have slow lenses (I only have a 24-105 f4).
Or a 28mm f1.8 if you want a standard lens. A 50mm is a tele on a 350D

Altrezia

Original Poster:

8,742 posts

242 months

Friday 28th December 2007
quotequote all
Lens turned up this morning, and I snapped the wife earlier. Not bad for a first attempt, a million times crisper than the other lenses, and it can only get better. Still getting used to it, but will take a few more shots this weekend.


Frik

13,692 posts

274 months

Friday 28th December 2007
quotequote all
It's a great lens.

Even better results when they smile...

Mrs BlueCerbera

2,208 posts

271 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
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Interesting. I'm struggling getting decent pics of my boys indoors with my 400D with the kit lens that came with it and am thinking of looking for something else for that type of shot (some talent and understanding of what I'm doing would be a good start biggrin ).

Is the new lens you've got one of these ?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00005K47X/ref=...

Ordinary Bloke

4,559 posts

229 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Probably. That's what I've got, feels a little plasticky but the f1.8 gives you lots of extra light for indoor use. 50mm = 80mm on most DLSR's, perfect for potraits. And Flash is very difficult to use without 'bleaching' the subject.

PS: What beautiful blue eyes...

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

285 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Thats the one.

Mines softish f1.8-2.0 , sharp f2.2 on up, by f4 its stellar, especialy for the price, and no distortion.

NiceCupOfTea

25,607 posts

282 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
It's a cracker - and dirt cheap too. Nice sharp indoor pics and great outside too - I got some crackers of Times Square at night last week.

Altrezia

Original Poster:

8,742 posts

242 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Yeah, that's the lens.

I took that pic at about 10:30pm, with not much light, but using ISO800. During the day I bet you can get some cracking shots. Well worth the money!

There is a chap selling them on ebay for £59.99 posted - thats where I got mine from.

Cheers all.

LotusJas

1,383 posts

262 months

Saturday 29th December 2007
quotequote all
Mrs BlueCerbera said:
That's the one to buy if you want something cheap & effective. Known as a "plastic fantastic". Build quality is low but glass is good, and great stopped down to over f2. Apparently almost matches L primes when stopped down.