Some low res live music shots... opinions wanted

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

09/13/2007 09:14:38 AM · #1

Here are some shots from Japhy Ryders show at metronome in Burlington. Was a great night to shoot, Higher Ground, the larger venue in town brought over a ton of lights and fog machine. The images are low res and a bit small, this is the size they use for their website and I didn't resize them for DPC. Let me know what you think. Which is better the black and white or the color version of the last 2 images?

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Message edited by author 2007-09-13 09:15:23.

Apple iPhone 5

09/13/2007 09:22:29 AM · #2

Originally posted by Jmnuggy:

Let me know what you think. Which is better the black and white or the color version of the last 2 images?

I prefer the B&W

09/13/2007 11:48:17 PM · #3

Do you need such a high shutter speed on those last couple? Or even the last 3?

Its hard to tell from the small pictures, but turning down your ISO from 1600 would give some better shadow/highlights.

09/14/2007 08:54:17 AM · #4

Those are all shot at 1600 ISO around 1/30 - 1/100 shutter speeds. Can't really go any slower or any lower with ISO.

09/14/2007 12:34:37 PM · #5

Originally posted by Jmnuggy:

Those are all shot at 1600 ISO around 1/30 - 1/100 shutter speeds. Can't really go any slower or any lower with ISO.

I must have misread. I dont have the exif viewer on these school computers but I could have sworn one of them said 1/1000. Apparently I added 1 too many zeroes. Oops.

As for the pictures, I prefer the first and third ones. I dont have a histogram to confirm it or anything, but there seems to be more overall contrast in the first picture than in the second and I just dont like the color tone of the second one ( Personal preference here though... ). Also, for whatever reason, the third one looks, to me, to be sharper than the fourth one. This is again personal preference, but I like to B/W my images that dont have much color contrast to begin with ( read: the 4th picture ).

Looks good though all around.

Message edited by author 2007-09-14 12:38:15.

09/14/2007 01:03:30 PM · #6

I could only hope to be shooting at 1/1000 at that venue. If that were possible, I could shoot at 200ISO. These are really low res and don't do justice. There is a lot more contrast and overall appeal with the larger files. The 3rd one has a different color to it, but thats what the lights did at that time. This was my first chance to really test the 24-70 2.8L in low light. Absolutely amazing compared to the sigma equivalent I was using. These were all shot wide open at 2.8.

What I really noticed is that with this lens, Neat Image seemed to do a better job reducing the noise. With these and others Ive shot since, NI seems to keep more detail intact and smooth much more noise. Anyone else have similar experiences?

09/14/2007 11:10:37 PM · #7

Haha well Im not sure why but its showing 1/1000 for your shutter speed on those last two and 1/800 on the second one.

EDIT: Shows those numbers in Opanda and EOS Viewer.

Message edited by author 2007-09-14 23:11:55.

09/15/2007 01:47:48 PM · #8

I went back to check, you were right. I didn't realize I got that fast, I don't have time to really check, the lights change fast so its really just shutter speed adjustments to get proper exposure. Its funny because with 10 photos if the original files, I went from 1/80 to 1/1000. The last two images, there was a bright white spot casting that light right at me and to get any detail in Jeremy (guitarist) I needed the 1/1000, then the light changes and Im back to 1/30.

09/16/2007 01:33:24 PM · #9

Just keep an eye on it in the viewfinder and when it gets high like that, just turn the ISO down. Lower ISO almost always = better. Less noise, more DR..just cant go wrong!

09/16/2007 01:46:49 PM · #10

I know that, but with music shots, you can't adjust that much that fast. In a series of 10 photos I went from 1/30 to 1/1000. I am a slave to the lighting.