Low Light & DSLR
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- mg33
I'm possibly going to buy a new camera before I go on vacation in a few weeks, and I'm thinking about a Nikon D60. Great reviews, within my price range, etc.
I've used my stepdad's D80 and was really impressed. I've been using a Panasonic Lumix 6MP for a couple years now, point and shoot but with a 10x optical zoom and Leica lense. It's really a great, very reliable smaller camera to have with me all the time and I've gotten some great photos with it.
But I'm wanting to upgrade for the obvious reasons, and one thing I want to be able to do is shoot low light photos, bands, outdoor shots, long exposures, etc. with much better quality than I can with my current cameras.
Any tips, suggestions, trial and error stories, methods, etc. any of you use with this camera or similiar DSLR's to get really good, rich photos in low light? Even suggestions on edits in Photoshop are fine.
Much thanks.
- autoflavour0
get a good lens
- ismith0
As above, get a fast lens.
- wjc0
Ditto, a fast lens. I use a Nikon D40 and, in low-light or shallow DOF shooting, a f/1.8D 50mm. That will get you going.
By the way, the biggest difference between the D40 and D60 is resolution. You will still have to use manual focus on any non-AFS lens from Nikon.
For the money you are going to spend on a D60, I would look at the D80 which should be dropping considerably now that the D90 is out.
Otherwise I would get the D40, save some cash and buy more lenses.
Just my thoughts.
- mg330
What are the main differences, wjc, between the D40 and D60?
- skelly_b0
As they are saying, you want fast glass, which probably means a nice spendy prime lens. Also, look at how well the camera handles higher ISOs. I have the D50 and it gets noisy in a hurry. But the newer models are much better about this.
- sikma0
manfrotto......
- ********0
D700!
- tkmeister0
I was trying to shoot in low light last night with my D300 + 35mm 2.0. Couldn't get the result I like in a very dim light setting. I was wondering how it would have been if i was using D700+50mm 1.4.
- it should be better.. but better to do side by side testing********
- it should be better.. but better to do side by side testing
- mg330
In the short term I might be fine with the typical lens that the D60 comes with, since this would be mostly outdoor shots - we're going to Miami, and a cruise to Turks & Caicos and Bahamas. Plenty of outdoor stuff, well lit, etc.
I realized in the last few days that I need to do some reading up on lenses and such to become more familiar with all of this.
I will mention as well that what I'd really like is this:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/080…
Sadly I am not rich.
- tkmeister0
I love the idea of having a Leica. BUT, leica has a Panasonic sensor which isn't that great and has a lot of noise. I personally think Leica should have partnered with a different company. If the Leica D-lux 4 produced amazingly stunning result that's equivalent to their competitors, I would be all over it.
- ********0
M8 has Panasonic? D-lux4 i admit sucked. I had it loved it cause it was pretty but hated it cause of noise
- geoffism0
this is not meant to strike up a canon vs nikon debate, but I shoot with a 30d, and for low light, I use a 50mm/1.2 L USM (got a great deal on it too). I used to shoot with a 1.4 and that worked great too.
- mg330
If I'm correct by observation both here and on a couple photo sites:
Glass is to Lenses as Ink is to Tattoos
Ex: "I'm going to get new ink this weekend."
YESLOL?
- mg330
To my post above, just read this:
"You certainly do not buy a great body and cheap glasses, do you?"
"would be a shame to waste such a machine on a cheap glass."
"The 5D sounds awesome, but my investment in glass and the 5D being slightly out of my price range"
"that said, i do have nikon glass and have used nikon for the last 17 years..."
"Don’t forget that the body is only the begining, you’ll have to invest a lot more on external flash, good glass, maybe grip and more and more..."
- Most of my glass is from the '70s and is 100x better than any new budget stuffismith
