Which camera settings to use for long, low light shots

[Ladyhawke]

I am a new owner of a digital Rebel and now a Canon 100-400 IS lens. I am doing some research and self testing but would like to ask anyone's opinion of the best place to help learn which combination of settings produce the best results for taking photos of deer at 100-300 yards in low light. I understand you can have various settings with the same result but I am just looking for suggested combinations.

[robertwgross]

I have that lens, but 100-300 yards is Way out there! At that range, even with that lens, a deer is only a tiny object in the frame.

But I digress. I've shot deer in the evenings, like two hours before sunset. In the shade, I will go to ISO 800, and in the sun, I will go to ISO 400. Assuming the deer are single or in a tight cluster, then I don't need any depth of field to speak of, so I let the aperture go almost wide open and let the shutter go as fast as it can go. Obviously, if the deer are spread out more, or if I need to get more foreground and background in focus, then the aperture goes to more f/8, but that is a considerable distance that you are asking about.

---Bob Gross---

[Ladyhawke]

From most of our stands, 100-150yds is probably the max and even those are only a few. We have a few areas I can try to reach out and touch. I just figured I would ask the extreme and see what was suggested with what I had. I am not asking for miracles, although good pics that I could enlarge would be nice.

Even for closer shots, I need to understand the relationship between all of the various settings to obtain what I am desiring. I was out yesterday in a ladder stand in the backyard taking photos of birds and my dogs and trying various settings and comparing results. I noticed that I had not varied the ISO very much though so need to try that too.

Thank you for you reply.

[robertwgross]

Even for closer shots, I need to understand the relationship between all of the various settings to obtain what I am desiring.

The best way to understand the relationship of aperture and shutter is to take a traditional photo composition class at a local community college or adult education center. However, traditional film photography tends to concentrate on using one film speed at a time. With digital, of course, we can shift our sensor sensitivity shot by shot.

Basic camera settings are explained in every basic photography book. Then you have to practice that until it becomes second nature.

---Bob Gross---