Mold Camera Club
“Lighting and Imagination” -
It may seam perverse, but I set off on Monday 2nd November to the Club’s “Lighting and Imagination” evening, not with the intention of obtaining the best shots possible, but to see what sort of results I could get from a £300 camera (Fuji S100fs) hand held using high iso, (up to 10,000). The results are on this page and you can see larger versions by clicking on them. Press F11 for a full screen view. Make your own judgement and perhaps let me have a few of your camera’s high ISO shots to put on this site for comparison!
The evening was very well supported and as is becoming the norm, the car park was full at 7.30 pm. Our meeting room was no less busy and several of our members had clearly been hard at work setting up lighting systems and subject matter. After a few welcoming words from Bob it was time to set up cameras and start clicking!
For some members it would no doubt have been their first experience of using professional lighting, but more experienced members were always at hand to offer guidance. There is nothing like getting stuck in though, experimenting with your camera’s settings and learning by trial and error.
I started off not expecting too much with a few shots at ISO 10,000. Not surprisingly, quality at this setting (and 6400) was severely compromised. Bob’s welcoming words were shot at 3200. Still a rather doubtful!
Don’t expect too much! ISO 10,000. f2.8; 1/200sec, 28mm.
Bob’s welcoming words of wisdom. ISO 3200, f4; 1/60 sec; 120mm.
I tried one more shot at ISO 10,000. F4; 1/300; 120mm.
But things got better as the evening progressed and I settled down to ISO 1600.
I found that image stabilisation controlled quite slow exposures even on a long lens, so that 100th sec.on 400mm focal length was quite useable.
I played with different exposure metering options and settled for Spot Metering. I found this gave me a good exposure on the subject regardless of whether the background was black or white.
I also tried various white balance settings. With “live view” you can see what changing the setting does to colour as you change the setting and before you take the shot. I found that manual setting gave good results, but that Auto nearly always produced the right balance without my help, so after experimenting I left the camera to it.
Leaving my tripod in its bag I spent the evening dodging between subjects taking shots over the shoulders of serious folk striving for perfection. I of course have been there and will return, but I have learned a little more about the limitations of my camera and how to extract the best from.it in difficult circumstances.
I guess it is time to raise the JPG/RAW question? All these shots were taken as JPG files. I know the experts will tell me I could have done better if I had used RAW and I now wish I had taken some shots in RAW for comparison purposes. I do use RAW when I am being “serious” it’s just that the extra time needed and large file sizes put me off using it full time.
Conclusion: Better results from iso 1600 than I had expected. While low iso is undoubtedly best, I shall not shy away from using higher iso settings as much as I have done in the past!
Plenty of volunteers, an array of props and lighting options made for an interesting evening. ISO 1600; f4.8; 1/115 sec; 260mm.
Flavours of Haloween!
ISO 1600; f5.3; 1/117sec; 400mm. WB:tungsten.
ISO 1600; f5.3; 1/60sec; 400mm; WB: Tungsten.
All the shots on this page were taken hand held at high ISO without flash
Bob and Janet (straight from the coven I assume?) enjoy a cup of tea. ISO 1600; f3.9; 1/20sec; 100mm. WB: Auto.
How do we get all of our subject sharp and yet get the background nicely out of focus? Simple! Take your own blurred background with you! ISO 1600; f4.1; 1/50sec; 140mm. WB: Auto.
ISO 1600; f4.5; 1/140 sec; 212mm. WB: Tungsten.
Thanks to club members who worked hard to set up the evening bringing lights and photographic subjects (which changed as the evening progressed) for us to try our hand. I’m sure we all learned a little more.
Phil P.
Message from your webmaster:
It would be possible for me to set up a forum or blog to allow members to comment on articles such as the above. Would you like that facility? Do let me know and if there is enough interest I’ll set it up. Phil.