Possible to shoot good images at night without a camera stand?

[Soulblade88]

Usually when you turn up the iso the pictures will look more grainy so perhaps use software to reduce the graininess?


For those with dslrs you would change to a better lens, turn up the iso but the lens will reduce the graininess right?

 

[SkyStrike]

Usually when you turn up the iso the pictures will look more grainy so perhaps use software to reduce the graininess?

For those with dslrs you would change to a better lens, turn up the iso but the lens will reduce the graininess right?

The grains are caused by high iso noise. If there's any part of the equation that lens affects the iso is the widest aperture the lens can go. But if you have set the aperture to f8, changing any lens also won't help in reducing the iso ( assuming shutter speed is constant)

 

[Soulblade88]

The grains are caused by high iso noise. If there's any part of the equation that lens affects the iso is the widest aperture the lens can go. But if you have set the aperture to f8, changing any lens also won't help in reducing the iso ( assuming shutter speed is constant)

so the best situation in this case is if you need to take pictures at night without a stand or you know there isn't a place for you to put a camera stand is to just turn up the iso then use say lightroom to edit the pics to remove the iso grains correct?

 

[Bamboopictures]

You can shoot at shutter speed 1/125 ISO 20,000 without much grain noise with Sony A7s. Flashless photography at night. Caveate is megapixel is limited to 12MP.

 

[Soulblade88]

You can shoot at shutter speed 1/125 ISO 20,000 without much grain noise with Sony A7s. Flashless photography at night. Caveate is megapixel is limited to 12MP.

Don't own a sony A7. So i guess i need to incoporate some techniques like standing still holding elbow close to the side breathing out when take picture?

 

[pinholecam]

Can't run away from physics and the fundamentals.
High ISO is a boost in the signal levels and that will mean more noise.
Even a faster lens is just letting in more light with a larger f-stop, but that is at the cost of DOF (if taking scenes where you want more DOF)
And even then, poor light is usually non-shaping and not very interesting, good lens or not (assuming you intend to take a pict with a person)


Best case, aim for the ISO that you can accept (use normal viewing as a guide; or printing if you intend to do that)
Then select the f-stop that gives you the shutter speed that is reasonably holdable (brace or find support if possible).
Determine if you really need to expose for the blacks (that helps keep shutter speeds down if you don't need what is in the dark areas)
The parameters are interlinked, so you may have to play around and compromise between them of course.

 

[Turbonetics]

Usually when you turn up the iso the pictures will look more grainy so perhaps use software to reduce the graininess? For those with dslrs you would change to a better lens, turn up the iso but the lens will reduce the graininess right?

As mentioned that grains are caused by higher ISO. To reduce grains means to reduce ISO,using PP to reduce grains is at the cost of sharpness. There are a number of ways that can help, but what are the things that u shoot at night? Sometimes it is better to invest in a tripod if u are looking for better quality photos.

 

[catchlights]

just bring a tripod and use it, if you don't have any, time to buy one.

if tripod is not allowed, think about alternative camera supports, (before you go out to shoot or find whatever available at the scene)
you are not a robot, even with wushu training, you won't able to hold the camera as steady as a proper camera support.

if too lazy or forget to bring tripod, just blame yourself and accept whatever outcome.

 

[shierwin]

just bring a tripod and use it, if you don't have any, time to buy one...

TS is never keen to get a tripod.

 

[Soulblade88]

TS is never keen to get a tripod.

I have tripod but sometimes no time to set it up or the place not easy to set it.

 

[catchlights]

I have tripod but sometimes no time to set it up or the place not easy to set it.

the solution is very simple,

just don't shoot anything that require to set up a tripod.

 

[SkyStrike]

I have tripod but sometimes no time to set it up or the place not easy to set it.

When's there's no time, you will come back another day when you have time to shoot, to shoot it properly.

 

[catchlights]

let me explain again, If I find set up a tripod is troublesome, spending time to salvage a photo is even more troublesome,
since I don't want to spend time on doing the less troublesome thing now, than why should I even bother to do more troublesome thing later?

how about just pack up the camera and go for kopi?

 

[Turbonetics]

let me explain again, If I find set up a tripod is troublesome, spending time to salvage a photo is even more troublesome, since I don't want to spend time on doing the less troublesome thing now, than why should I even bother to do more troublesome thing later? how about just pack up the camera and go for kopi?

Actually I find that posting a thread to ask about ISO and night shoot issue is more troublesome than getting a proper set up done. Haha

 

[tecnica]

i guess you are better off continuing with your random snaps.

 

[Soulblade88]

let me explain again, If I find set up a tripod is troublesome, spending time to salvage a photo is even more troublesome,
since I don't want to spend time on doing the less troublesome thing now, than why should I even bother to do more troublesome thing later?

how about just pack up the camera and go for kopi?

You are on holiday in a location where you cannot set up the tripod?



Ok what you mean is cameras today aren't good enough to take nice pictures at night unless they are perfectly still.

 

[catchlights]

You are on holiday in a location where you cannot set up the tripod?

You are on a holiday, not a photo safari, just snap whatever you can and lower your expectation.

Ok what you mean is cameras today aren't good enough to take nice pictures at night unless they are perfectly still.

there is no modern camera can turn some anyhow snap photos into a masterpiece yet.

even the most skilful photographers still have to work within the limitation of cameras, regardless pro grade or consumers gears.

 

[Nehalem]

Possible to shoot good images at night without a camera stand?

Yes, it is possible.

Usually when you turn up the iso the pictures will look more grainy so perhaps use software to reduce the graininess?

It is not "usually", it is "every time"--you turn up the ISO.
Yes, software can further reduce noise.

For those with dslrs you would change to a better lens, turn up the iso but the lens will reduce the graininess right?

Yes, we would change to a "better lens" BUT, it is to turn down the ISO--not turn it up. You can buy better camera if you want lower ISO noise. I have shot Nikon Df and Canon 5D Mark III and the ISO 12,800 shots from these cameras look like ISO 1,600 from D7100.

 

[Turbonetics]

You are on holiday in a location where you cannot set up the tripod? Ok what you mean is cameras today aren't good enough to take nice pictures at night unless they are perfectly still.

U still haven't mention what are u shooting in the first place. And also it is not always about how old or new the camera technology is, it is about what quality of photos u are looking at and how much effort u are willing to spend just for a photo/shoot.

 

[Kermitfm]

A good photographer will make the best use of his/her tools for the occasion. The picture quality is relative. Let me use an extreme example. A war correspondent will never have time to set up a tripod and if his image capture the situation with good sharpness and atmosphere, it is a winning shot, never mind graininess caused by high ISO. However a fashion photographer or landscape photographer, capturing an image without a tripod for low iso and good detail is a no-no if the light levels are low.

For me, I will set the depth of field necessary for the shot, then the shutter speed as high a possible for handholding and then use the appropriate ISO. I think rescuing the by post processing noise is possible but not image blur cause by camera shake or poor focusing. The operative word here is 'rescuing'.

For travel, I will bring along my mini tripod and maybe a t-shirt (to act as a bean bag) for those one-in-a-thousand night time shot.