gig photography

Cook my sock

on a newer nikon (which apparantly handle high iso quite well), with a 50mm 1.8, is around a 1000 pushing it for the iso? i reckon it will handle it, might go higher, but dont want to get home to pictures noisier than the gig itself on the big screen! ill try a few different iso/shutter speeds/aperture combinations, but what would you guys reccomend?

charybdis

Cook my sock wrote: »

on a newer nikon (which apparantly handle high iso quite well), with a 50mm 1.8, is around a 1000 pushing it for the iso? i reckon it will handle it, might go higher, but dont want to get home to pictures noisier than the gig itself on the big screen! ill try a few different iso/shutter speeds/aperture combinations, but what would you guys reccomend?

You can't make arbitrary generalisations about things like this. It depends on a large number of variables, not least of which is the entirely subjective one of what you consider acceptable.

Shoot at as high an ISO as you need to get a good exposure. Underexposed images at a lower ISO will be noisier than well-exposed images at a high ISO.

AnimalRights

OP you don't say what model but pretty sure 1000 will be fine but as previous person said a few things come into it, lighting etc
What venue?

melekalikimaka

should be dandy, 800 or 1600 is usually the figures tho. new nikons noise have improved greatly.

Thecageyone

D200 user here, lovely camera, does the job for me in 90% situations ... but ... pum up the ISO and bye, bye quality.


I presume you got at least a D90+ ?

Though funnily enough, old D40's handle noise better than my D200, I have seen proof first hand. They're just like toys though

Cook my sock

probably should have mentioned model. Its a d5000! I know there's other factors but i specifically meant iso... Some had to go above 2000 ten work. They seen ok from the lcd but we shall see when they are on the big screen!

smelltheglove

Havent used that model but in all honesty I would rather not go above 800 on my d300. There are noise reduction techniques you can use in pp if required but I try not to need that.

It is very sujective on the lighting though, I mean smaller bands have stage lighting but no key lighting or rarely key lighting, when there is some key lights then bobs your uncle, its handy enough.

magicbastarder

i've gone to 3200 on the d300. it's certainly usable.

smelltheglove

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've gone to 3200 on the d300. it's certainly usable.

Oh no, I couldnt, I just couldnt do it, I have tested a couple of times and then switched right back. I am just so afraid of not getting a clean image.

Will you link me a high iso pic so I can see it, pretty please.

DotOrg

Cook my sock wrote: »

on the big screen

it depends on what your final photos are being displayed on. do you print your images, only view in full screen on a computer, or view in smallish size on a computer?

I've shot at 6400iso and on a computer screen they look great. If correctly exposed, I've printed images from 3200iso and they also look great

Cook my sock

I usually just kkep them on my computer! although if anyone ever wants a print ill get it done for them or email it to them, the photos actually turned out quite well, some I had to put up to 4000!! they arent overly noisy unless you zoom in alot, with some i think it actually suits the photo! i'll post one in here when they are finished uploading!

magicbastarder

smelltheglove wrote: »

Will you link me a high iso pic so I can see it, pretty please.

i only have small versions, no full sizes ones up at the moment.

stroma.org/kevin/virgen

most of the shots were greyscaled because of the sodium light cast rather than noise.

Cook my sock

album here

smelltheglove

Thanks Magic

I really have a thing about high iso, always have had, I know with Slash I shot at 1600 but I think the key light killed a lot of the noise and anything I did notice I cleared up afterwards, I was nervous as hell as I had never ever ever shot that high before.

Cook my sock

well that one above is @ 4000 without any pp, just exported as jpeg!

mehfesto

I shoot above 2k regularly with the D700 - infact it was the reason I bought it. Gig photography with poor ISO control -in Ireland at least- is pretty damn difficult. I look at snappers in the States, IK, Germany and feel so jealous. Until then, I have my high ISOs!:

This was at 3,200.


as was this one


and this was 2,000


Only the first one was shot and edited RAW, so it really says a good bit about the noise control. Even large, they're pretty good, clean images!

The Snipe

Depending on the lighting onstage you can get some pretty good shots, if there is any spot lighting, (Mightn't be the right term, please correct me on it) for example, its often done with colored lights, it can add nice warm glows to it example is this, was shot at ISO 800 and f2.8 on a Canon 400D with a 50mm 1.8

AnimalRights

mehfesto wrote: »

I shoot above 2k regularly with the D700 - infact it was the reason I bought it.

5D II has pretty similar ISO capabilities as the D700 and again the effect on the artist you get obviously is down to what particular light happens to be on out of the set of basic coloured spots in such a basic venue, in this case it's the blue.

Paranoid Visions

ISO 3200@small venue with basic spotlights.

Blood or Whiskey

ISO 3200@large venue with proper lighting.

Cook my sock

Definate fan of your work, these are the kind of results i'd love to get