I don't recall if I already mentioned it earlier, but I think your concert
photos are really good.
(I also remember some previously posted pictures.)
Thanks,
Lasse
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dario Bonazza" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 12:21 AM
Subject: Re: GESO: IstDS and concert photography - manual focus is the best
way!
McRae, Max MS wrote:
Charles wrote:
I tried to take some photos at a show with my "kit" lens and figured
out after about 5 minutes that it was a hopeless disaster. Too dark,
the focus would take forever. <remainder snipped>
I had exactly the same problem on the weekend trying to photograph
dancers in a hall lit only with spots.
I wasn't allowed to use flash, so had to use 1600 ISO, keep my
2.8 Sigma 70 -200 wide open, and override the shutter to read
1/250th to try and stop movement.
How could I stay outside this thread? OK, see the following galleries, if
you haven't already done that:
http://www.dariobonazza.com/bodym04e.htm
http://www.dariobonazza.com/gianna04e.htm
http://www.dariobonazza.com/enter05e.htm
http://www.dariobonazza.com/eth052e.htm
In such situations I usually use my Sigma 2.8 70-200 between f/2.8 and
f/4, with monopod (poor man's IS) and shutter speeds between 1/30 and
1/250 at ISO 800-1600. However, don't forget that IS or whatever camera
support can only compensate for camera shake, while the subject's motion
will be there (unless you can practice to foresee when the subject will
rest for a second or a fraction of it).
When possible, from time I use the external flash (Sigma EF500 DG Super)
for getting some better frozen/lit pics. However, those lit by the flash
are usually the less interesting/moody pictures.
What a joke...I took over 1000 exposures and 99% are complete junk.
In a typical concert shooting I take 200-300 pics and I believe 20-30% of
them to be complete junk, 40-50% acceptable and 30% truly worth the effort
(which usually doesn't happen).
The auto focus on the *IstD is hopelessly inadequate for this kind of
low light work.
Believe it or not, 80-90% of my concert pics are shot using *istD AF.
However, I'd like to have some sort of settable focus correction (e.g. AF
+ 4") to get the eyes better focused that the microphone (which is the
easier detail to get in focus if you are not careful enough).
I lost a lot of money on this shoot, so I'm looking to buy a camera that
will do
the job...possibly a Canon D20.
I don't know if a Canon can do better in such conditions. It will depend
upon AF sensitivity, which is not renowned as the typical strongest point
of Canon AF. I truly don't know...
Dario
Dario
