Need Expert Camera Advice! Do I Buy Photoshop?-11/13/12

[mom2rtk]

okay, guys, i have a question.

DD15 wants to go to disney on ice this weekend, and DH agreed. so, what is the best way for me to capture this?

it will be indoors, at a civic center, and i've found, so far, that the best way to get shots indoors is on full auto (when i try to do it manually by setting the ISO, aperture and shutter speed, the shutter always stays open too long, even when the camera says i have it set correctly, and the photo is blurry and overexposed).

is there a better way? should i just use my zoom lens on full auto?

First off, check your local arena's camera policy. It varies here depending on which arena it's at. The one it has been at the last couple of years here in our town has metal detectors, so no sneaking anything in. They allow only lenses up to a certain length here. Yours will probably work, but you will want to be sure so you don't have to take your camera back to your car.

I have had good luck using my 50mm f/1.8 lens. It's not long enough, but I'd rather have a fast lens than a longer lens.

I'm thinking you have the kit lens and zoom. Neither of these is fast. So you're going to have to run out and buy one or make the most of what you have.

Shoot wider so you can get a wider aperture. The more you zoom in the smaller your maximum aperture is going to be. You can do one of 2 things:

1) pick a shutter speed that will stop the action. Put the camera in shutter priority and adjust aperture and ISO until the exposure is balanced or

2) put it in aperture priority and set it to the largest available aperture.

Don't be afraid to bump it up to 3200 ISO. I probably wouldn't go much higher though. I haven't been very happy with my 6400 shots.

Remember if you can get sharp shot, you can always crop it down later.

Good luck!

 

[havoc315]

okay, guys, i have a question.

DD15 wants to go to disney on ice this weekend, and DH agreed. so, what is the best way for me to capture this?

it will be indoors, at a civic center, and i've found, so far, that the best way to get shots indoors is on full auto (when i try to do it manually by setting the ISO, aperture and shutter speed, the shutter always stays open too long, even when the camera says i have it set correctly, and the photo is blurry and overexposed).

is there a better way? should i just use my zoom lens on full auto?

If you shoot in full auto, be sure to turn OFF the flash. The flash won't provide any help. And it can actually do harm, if it fools the computer into using a lower ISO.

At the very least, I'd set the ISO manually -- You can try a couple different settings, but probably a minimum of 1600. (3200 or 6400 would work better but would introduce more noise).

You probably need to be in P mode to manually set the ISO.

I'd go 1 step further, and switch to A-mode. Aperture priority.
And then I'd set the aperture as large as possible -- 4.5, 5.6.. whatever your lens will allow. (smallest possible number is the largest aperture).

You can start with the zoom lens. Remember, if you "zoom" in to 200mm, you will really need a shutter speed of 150-250 to get sharp images. With the action on the ice, maybe even more like 200-400.

So if the settings recommended are making the shutter speed still go too slow or the images are too dark, then you may have to:
1 -- Increase the ISO. That will let you get more light, at faster shutter speeds.
2 -- Zoom out. With your zoom lens zoomed out, you can get by with a slower shutter speed.
3 -- Switch to your kit lens. Which probably has a slightly wider aperture, and less focal length. So you can shoot at an even slower shutter speed, and keep brightness and sharpness.

Alternatively, instead of shooting in A mode -- You can try keeping ISO on auto. Turn off the flash. And switch to Shutter priority mode. if planning on zooming in, then set the shutter speed to 1/200. Try taking a few pictures. If they are too blurry, you will need to increase the speed even more -- Try 1/400. If the pictures are too dark, then you will need to increase the ISO, zoom out, switch lenses (as above).

 

[havoc315]

I have had good luck using my 50mm f/1.8 lens. It's not long enough, but I'd rather have a fast lens than a longer lens.

Everyone should own a "nifty fifty." More valuable than any typical kit lens or cheap zoom lens.

 

[hakepb]

For learning sake, I would take a few pictures in sports mode. Then see what settings the camera used... Then try to optimize the results. The biggest disadvantage of a sports mode is a higher ISO / shutter than you really need (and higher ISO is noisier) so if the camera is choosing ISO 3200 and a 1/500 shutter, you might be OK trying ISO 1600 1/250 shutter.

I think events like that often use spotlights so make sure your metering the center (skater) rather than the arena's dark ice.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think events like that often use spotlights so make sure your metering the center (skater) rather than the arena's dark ice.

I completely forgot that point. The pics I used to take on auto always washed out the skaters' faces. For this very reason. All the black background fooled the camera into overexposing the photo. OP, you'll want to use spot or center weighted metering. It will have a big impact.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Everyone should own a "nifty fifty." More valuable than any typical kit lens or cheap zoom lens.

Amen. By far and away, simply the greatest VALUE in Canon's entire and vast lens lineup.

 

[momof1princess]

First off, check your local arena's camera policy. It varies here depending on which arena it's at. The one it has been at the last couple of years here in our town has metal detectors, so no sneaking anything in. They allow only lenses up to a certain length here. Yours will probably work, but you will want to be sure so you don't have to take your camera back to your car.

I have had good luck using my 50mm f/1.8 lens. It's not long enough, but I'd rather have a fast lens than a longer lens.

I'm thinking you have the kit lens and zoom. Neither of these is fast. So you're going to have to run out and buy one or make the most of what you have.

Shoot wider so you can get a wider aperture. The more you zoom in the smaller your maximum aperture is going to be. You can do one of 2 things:

1) pick a shutter speed that will stop the action. Put the camera in shutter priority and adjust aperture and ISO until the exposure is balanced or

2) put it in aperture priority and set it to the largest available aperture.

Don't be afraid to bump it up to 3200 ISO. I probably wouldn't go much higher though. I haven't been very happy with my 6400 shots.

Remember if you can get sharp shot, you can always crop it down later.

Good luck!

thank you! it does say "no professional cameras", so i might not be able to take it in, i don't know.

If you shoot in full auto, be sure to turn OFF the flash. The flash won't provide any help. And it can actually do harm, if it fools the computer into using a lower ISO.

At the very least, I'd set the ISO manually -- You can try a couple different settings, but probably a minimum of 1600. (3200 or 6400 would work better but would introduce more noise).

You probably need to be in P mode to manually set the ISO.

I'd go 1 step further, and switch to A-mode. Aperture priority.
And then I'd set the aperture as large as possible -- 4.5, 5.6.. whatever your lens will allow. (smallest possible number is the largest aperture).

You can start with the zoom lens. Remember, if you "zoom" in to 200mm, you will really need a shutter speed of 150-250 to get sharp images. With the action on the ice, maybe even more like 200-400.

So if the settings recommended are making the shutter speed still go too slow or the images are too dark, then you may have to:
1 -- Increase the ISO. That will let you get more light, at faster shutter speeds.
2 -- Zoom out. With your zoom lens zoomed out, you can get by with a slower shutter speed.
3 -- Switch to your kit lens. Which probably has a slightly wider aperture, and less focal length. So you can shoot at an even slower shutter speed, and keep brightness and sharpness.

Alternatively, instead of shooting in A mode -- You can try keeping ISO on auto. Turn off the flash. And switch to Shutter priority mode. if planning on zooming in, then set the shutter speed to 1/200. Try taking a few pictures. If they are too blurry, you will need to increase the speed even more -- Try 1/400. If the pictures are too dark, then you will need to increase the ISO, zoom out, switch lenses (as above).

i'm going to have to print all of this, so i don't forget it! thank you!

For learning sake, I would take a few pictures in sports mode. Then see what settings the camera used... Then try to optimize the results. The biggest disadvantage of a sports mode is a higher ISO / shutter than you really need (and higher ISO is noisier) so if the camera is choosing ISO 3200 and a 1/500 shutter, you might be OK trying ISO 1600 1/250 shutter.

I think events like that often use spotlights so make sure your metering the center (skater) rather than the arena's dark ice.

thank you!

 

[havoc315]

I completely forgot that point. The pics I used to take on auto always washed out the skaters' faces. For this very reason. All the black background fooled the camera into overexposing the photo. OP, you'll want to use spot or center weighted metering. It will have a big impact.

Big issue on auto. But as you shoot under more of a manual control, you can adjust the exposure yourself. If it looks too bright on the LCD screen, re-adjust accordingly. For challenging exposure, I prefer to simply control it myself, instead of finding just the right spot to set the spot meter.

Also, if you shoot in RAW and use Lightroom, you get a lot of room to correct exposure issues. (within reason of course).

To OP -- this talk about spot metering. If you focus the camera on a very bright spot, it could make the camera compensate and make the picture too dark. If you focus on a dark spot, it could make the camera over-compensate, and make the picture too bright. So you want to point the camera at a spot with just the right lighting, and lock in your spot meter at that point. It will then use that as the reference point for setting the auto exposure.

 

[havoc315]

thank you! it does say "no professional cameras", so i might not be able to take it in, i don't know.

If that's what the literature says, then no problem. They wouldn't consider the T2i to be a "professional" camera.

The T2i with a basic kit lens, is very much an amateur consumer product.

 

[boBQuincy]

If that's what the literature says, then no problem. They wouldn't consider the T2i to be a "professional" camera.

The T2i with a basic kit lens, is very much an amateur consumer product.

Although we know the T2i is a consumer grade camera, and even though Canon lists it as such, the droids that make these rules and implement them generally consider anything with interchangeable lenses to be "professional". Chances are the T2i will not be allowed in.

If it does not look like a dSLR (such as a small mirrorless) the chances of it getting in are much better.

 

[mom2rtk]

Although we know the T2i is a consumer grade camera, and even though Canon lists it as such, the droids that make these rules and implement them generally consider anything with interchangeable lenses to be "professional". Chances are the T2i will not be allowed in.

If it does not look like a dSLR (such as a small mirrorless) the chances of it getting in are much better.

That's exactly how our arena defined "professional camera". That's the other reason I started using my nifty fifty. It's such a small lens, it made the camera look more like a bridge camera than a DSLR.

 

[mom2rtk]

Big issue on auto. But as you shoot under more of a manual control, you can adjust the exposure yourself. If it looks too bright on the LCD screen, re-adjust accordingly. For challenging exposure, I prefer to simply control it myself, instead of finding just the right spot to set the spot meter.

Also, if you shoot in RAW and use Lightroom, you get a lot of room to correct exposure issues. (within reason of course).

I've been very happy with just adjusting my metering. I don't recall if I did spot or center weighted, but it did just fine with that adjustment. I prefer not to go full manual with this, instead allowing the camera to make adjustments to compensate for the scenes that were more brightly lit than others.

 

[momof1princess]

That's exactly how our arena defined "professional camera". That's the other reason I started using my nifty fifty. It's such a small lens, it made the camera look more like a bridge camera than a DSLR.

i don't have a "nifty fifty". maybe i should just leave my new camera at home. i'm certainly NOT leaving it in the car in downtown birmingham.

i guess between my cell phone and DD15's P&S olympus, we'll be okay.

wanted to take pics of the last football game tomorrow night, but i'll be in the concession stand the whole time. maybe i could sneak away during halftime tomorrow night, just for a few minutes.

 

[mom2rtk]

i'm certainly NOT leaving it in the car in downtown birmingham.

That has always been my concern as well. You might get in with the camera, but if you don't..... you have to trek back to your car and leave it there unattended for the evening.

Another alternative might be to call the arena and ask them to define professional camera for you. That seems to be a moving target at our arena. For a couple years it was "no interchangeable lenses" then it changed to "no lenses over 3".

I really do miss the good old days when they let in any cameras. I love shooting Disney on Ice.

 

[havoc315]

Interesting. If you google camera policy for Disney on Ice, you get varying experiences.

If you just walk in with the camera, I'd say 50-50. I wouldn't fear leaving it in the trunk of your car. Only would get stolen if the whole car is stolen, in which case the camera wouldn't be the big issue.

 

[mom2rtk]

Interesting. If you google camera policy for Disney on Ice, you get varying experiences.

If you just walk in with the camera, I'd say 50-50. I wouldn't fear leaving it in the trunk of your car. Only would get stolen if the whole car is stolen, in which case the camera wouldn't be the big issue.

I think the problem is with how each arena interprets it. Heck, it also depends on how each attendant interprets it. I saw plenty of DSLRs in the crowd when we were there after having a hard time smuggling my own in.

I wouldn't have an issue with it in the trunk of a car if it was there when I arrived. My issue was having people see me walk back to the car and leave it there.

Here's my practical tip of the day to the OP. If you decide to bring it and get denied at one entrance....... try another entrance. Not that I've ever done this you know.........

 

[havoc315]

I think the problem is with how each arena interprets it. Heck, it also depends on how each attendant interprets it. I saw plenty of DSLRs in the crowd when we were there after having a hard time smuggling my own in.

I wouldn't have an issue with it in the trunk of a car if it was there when I arrived. My issue was having people see me walk back to the car and leave it there.

Here's my practical tip of the day to the OP. If you decide to bring it and get denied at one entrance....... try another entrance. Not that I've ever done this you know.........

I'd also say bring it in very matter of factly. If you get challenged, then push back politely, politely ask if there is a supervisor you can talk to. The minimum wage person checking bags might just give in. And if your zoom lens appears "big," I might skip the zoom lens, for fear of it making the camera look "too professional."

If challenged, I'd reply something like, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to cause any trouble, but I thought the policy only applied to professional cameras....this is just a cheap refurbished amateur camera.. and I know I saw other people bringing in simple dSLRs.... I'm parked far away... "

 

[momof1princess]

thank you, everyone! my car is an SUV, so there's really no way, short of covering with a jacket, to hide the camera if it were left in the car.

however, i think i AM going to put it in my camera bag and see what happens. i'll have DD15 carry my purse (she always leaves hers at home, so she can spend mommy and daddy's money LOL), and put the camera bag over the arm opposite the attendant-maybe they won't notice it...lol.

 

[mom2rtk]

thank you, everyone! my car is an SUV, so there's really no way, short of covering with a jacket, to hide the camera if it were left in the car.

however, i think i AM going to put it in my camera bag and see what happens. i'll have DD15 carry my purse (she always leaves hers at home, so she can spend mommy and daddy's money LOL), and put the camera bag over the arm opposite the attendant-maybe they won't notice it...lol.

Let us know how it goes. I'm always on the lookout for a new technique for getting my camera into Disney on Ice!

 

[momof1princess]

hey, guys! i got my camera into the BJCC for Disney On Ice-oddly enough, the woman was more worried about the bottle of water in my hand, lol.

i got some GREAT pics! about 600-700 of them! no joke, lol. i'll try to post a few tomorrow! i took them in sports mode, with my 55-250 lens, and most of them turned out beautiful!