Arts Performance, no flash allowed
- Thread starter Cleopatra
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coolthought
Senior Member
The general answer will be a fast lens with F2.8, F1.8, F1.4 or F1.2. Preferably with some sort image stabilization like VR, IS, OS or VC too.....edit...K10D has in-camera stabilisation....
However, you need to let us know at what range will you be shooting at or how close can you get to your subjects.
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E performance is on e floor, no stage. Its a small enclosed room, and I can go as near as I want. However there's no face light from e lightings.
The venue is at National Museum of Singapore, The Salon. The room will be dimmed, or off, n decorated with e usual stage lights, however I'm afraid it will still be too dark n hard to shoot.
The venue is at National Museum of Singapore, The Salon. The room will be dimmed, or off, n decorated with e usual stage lights, however I'm afraid it will still be too dark n hard to shoot.
sinned79
Senior Member
u definitely need fast lens as mentioned by coolthought.
u can also bump up your ISO settings.
i will suggest that u ask the organiser to let u go to the actual grounds before the performance to do some test shots.
coolthought
Senior Member
I'm totally clueless about pentax... but a quick look at the max iso of K10D is 1600. This is hard to advice you as the amount of stage light is clearly not known. If it is too dark as you said, probably all you can do is to capture shots with nice motion blur showing the performer movement.... then again... I will leave it to the seniors to better advice you.....
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My few cents
Very hard to visualize the stage you are talking about.
Just a empty hall/room with what type of stage lights?
If they throw out enough light when it hits the performer directly (say a ISO200 1/60 f2.8), then you have a chance. Aim to shoot when the performer/s are within the vicinity or are lit up by this stage lighting. The rest of the areas will be dark, but heck! they should not be important right? Trying to expose for everything will certainly be very hard based on what you have described. Expose manually.
Eg.
Lighting gives exposure around ISO200 1/60 f2.8 (direct lighting on performer)
Its possible to set exposure to ISO800 1/250 f2.8 (you increased ISO by 2 stops, and dropped the shutter speed by 2 stops as well to make up for the increase; Giving you a movement stopping shutter speed as well)
Of course you can also have other combination like increased f stop for more DOF (guard against focus inaccuracies)
Focusing can be difficult as well. A few options :
1. AF-C
2. Manual focus. Since you are shooting around the lighted areas, you can pre focus there 1st.
3. Prefocus as #2 (but using AF)
If the stage lighting is really dim, then no choice but bump up the ISO to the max you can accept. Remember that you are to just expose for the performer only and not the whole place (which is real dark)
Gd Luck
Very hard to visualize the stage you are talking about.
Just a empty hall/room with what type of stage lights?
If they throw out enough light when it hits the performer directly (say a ISO200 1/60 f2.8), then you have a chance. Aim to shoot when the performer/s are within the vicinity or are lit up by this stage lighting. The rest of the areas will be dark, but heck! they should not be important right? Trying to expose for everything will certainly be very hard based on what you have described. Expose manually.
Eg.
Lighting gives exposure around ISO200 1/60 f2.8 (direct lighting on performer)
Its possible to set exposure to ISO800 1/250 f2.8 (you increased ISO by 2 stops, and dropped the shutter speed by 2 stops as well to make up for the increase; Giving you a movement stopping shutter speed as well)
Of course you can also have other combination like increased f stop for more DOF (guard against focus inaccuracies)
Focusing can be difficult as well. A few options :
1. AF-C
2. Manual focus. Since you are shooting around the lighted areas, you can pre focus there 1st.
3. Prefocus as #2 (but using AF)
If the stage lighting is really dim, then no choice but bump up the ISO to the max you can accept. Remember that you are to just expose for the performer only and not the whole place (which is real dark)
Gd Luck
Reportage
Senior Member
what lens do you have first?
You will need high ISO. You can adjust your shutter speed depending how fast the action is going, you may need 1/250s or down to 1/100. You can experiment.
Fast lens is critical for AF and shutter speed. So something like 35 f1.4, 50mm 1.2/1.4, 85 1.2/1.4/1.8, 100 f2, 135 f2 would be good. Of course if you are using prime you will be stuck with one focal length so you may need to go wide and crop if necessary. Fast zoom is possible but you will lose one or two stops.
Fast lens is critical for AF and shutter speed. So something like 35 f1.4, 50mm 1.2/1.4, 85 1.2/1.4/1.8, 100 f2, 135 f2 would be good. Of course if you are using prime you will be stuck with one focal length so you may need to go wide and crop if necessary. Fast zoom is possible but you will lose one or two stops.
You really need to go down and test the lighting. Do some test metering first. Don't they have something like a rehearsal or something?
If you do not have fast enough lenses to get to the shutter speeds you need, you better start calling friends to borrow a lens, or start calling equipment rental companies.
If you do not have fast enough lenses to get to the shutter speeds you need, you better start calling friends to borrow a lens, or start calling equipment rental companies.
it is a room, with no windows to be exact, but they have stage light lighting in the room. there is no stage, the performance is actually on the floor. the lightings programmer was told that the subject was more on the music but not on the performers, there are lighting, but no face light. he is not very willing to reprogram the lightings. im so sad, especially that my friend is having high hopes and expectations of me. sigh...
i was there already, now im super gan chiong.
i've come to realized that singapore dont have a lot of companies renting pentax items.
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Reportage
Senior Member
have you seen through the rehearsal?
what you can do is ask if the light beams can be brighter...ask the stage manager if possible.
If cannot, see if anyone will lend the 50-135 2.8 SDM as the range is just about right for the performance unless you are familiar using the manual/auto focus primes. Can use kit lens + flash for the after-show shots.
Last option would be to rent a system like the 5D + 24-70 f2.8 combo.
But most importantly of all, will the camera shutter sound affect the overall ambience of the performance in which case no choice but video record the performance and then do screen grab. not as good resolution but i dont think anyone will complain if at 4R size.
what you can do is ask if the light beams can be brighter...ask the stage manager if possible.
If cannot, see if anyone will lend the 50-135 2.8 SDM as the range is just about right for the performance unless you are familiar using the manual/auto focus primes. Can use kit lens + flash for the after-show shots.
Last option would be to rent a system like the 5D + 24-70 f2.8 combo.
But most importantly of all, will the camera shutter sound affect the overall ambience of the performance in which case no choice but video record the performance and then do screen grab. not as good resolution but i dont think anyone will complain if at 4R size.
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the clicks are fine, cuz the music is loud. the 50-135 2.8 SDM is so expensive, even if anyone were to lend me, i will be scare to handle it.
cannot. the lighting programmer dont wanna change the lightings. i've seen the rehearsal already and took some test shots. it was horrigible! he keep on say sorry only, but no actions. idiot.
ya ya, i've planned to bring the tripod, but to move it here and there will be a headache. half the audience are sitting on e floor.
im so anxious until i plucked out my small toe nail. *cries*
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sinned79
Senior Member
pentax got any prime lens (like 50mm f1.8 or f1.4)?
maybe u want to pm night86mare for help. He is a very experienced pentax user.
pentax got any prime lens (like 50mm f1.8 or f1.4)?
maybe u want to pm night86mare for help. He is a very experienced pentax user.
i have the pancake 40mm f2.8 n the tamron 90mm. will these do?
i only got to see, cuz i rushed down today after family dinner. so i didnt take pictures.
sinned79
Senior Member
You can try your 40 mm at f2.8 with iso 800 using av mode (let av mode decide the shutter speed in this case). If your cam is a crop body then i dun think u need your tamron anymore (u wun have time to change lens anyway) as long as u are very near to your subjects ( just take a few steps back n forth for the focal length needed)
but i am not sure how is your cam noise tolerance at iso 800 though.
I will suggest u go down n do some test shots n use the best settings u can so actual day wun fumble.
but i am not sure how is your cam noise tolerance at iso 800 though.
I will suggest u go down n do some test shots n use the best settings u can so actual day wun fumble.
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one option would be to take shots of the full dress rehearsal rather than actual performance... then use the flash as necessary, subtly... you would be able to capture better images, and you would also not disrupt the actual performance and distract the audience with your movements...
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