Forced to use ISO 1600/3200 (trip report)

[Longwatcher]

Take into account for a moment that I am by experience a studio photographer. This translates into ISO 100 ALWAYS and studio lights.

Now put me at athe DragonCon Science Fiction Convention with a Press Badge (I asked, they gave, although I was surprised when I actually recieved it the week before the Con).

Now it is time for the costume contests and I can't use flash and the lighting is way too dark over most of the stage (actually it is too low over all the stage, but even darker in the front). I am about 75 feet from the stage on a balcony (this is actually the best location for photography allowed for this event).
I have a choice between my 70-200/2.8L IS and the 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS. I of course go with the 70-200 because I know the 100-400 would be at f5.6 frequently if I used it. I have other lenses, but they are way shorter.

I take a few test shots and to my horror 1/250 and f5.6 (my standard) are just not doing it (not that I really expected them to). I cautiously up the ISO to 400 (the point I normally consider to be a limit). Still not enough. I take the aperture to f2.8; I can now see things, but not good enough. drop the shutter to 1/80th (which is the slowest I think I can go and still capture some moving people). closer, but still way too dark. SO with much consternation I up the ISO to 800 and then 1600. At 1/80, f2.8 and ISO 1600 I am finally getting an acceptable exposure (just barely hitting the right of the histogram).
For part of the contest, I opt for the optional "H" mode of ISO 3200 (after remembering how to set my camera to allow this) and this allows me to go to 1/125, f3.5.

After all that I decide to take the slight exposure hit in the interest of overall picture quality and end up between 1/80 and 1/125, f3.5, ISO 1600. Because looking at the histogram that puts it into the fixable category (curve goes just past 50 percent mark) and seems to improve the odds of good shots very noticeably in review mode. Lastly, I time my shots to coincide when the contestant are in the brightest area of light.

The only lens that Canon has that might have done any better would have been the 200/1.8L, but not being a zoom I would have missed a few group shots while trying to change lenses. Darn glad I had the 1DsMKII with DIGIC II to get the cleaner ISO 1600 shots. I can just picture the shots from the 10D, 350D, Fuji and Noinks I saw (some with shorter lenses) standing next to me.

So for the first time, except for some test shots playing with the camera, I had to actually use the higher ISO settings, which is why I spent the extra money for the 1DsMkII instead of buying the Kodak SLR/C. I definately got my money's worth this trip. I think I shot the majority of shots over ISO 400 on this trip. highly unusual for me and I just hate using anything over ISO 100 routinely, but am really glad that I had the capability I did.

On a interesting side note, I found that under those conditions my batteries did not last nearly as long as they normally do BY A LOT. I normally get about 2400-3000 images under studio conditions per battery, this trip I was getting worried because I only got about 900 images off the first battery (of course I was running IS for part of that) and my second was running real low when I got home. I have learned that if I do this again next year, I am taking my battery charger. However, the impressive part is with two batteries I still managed to shoot the whole convention.

Also, I had one artist who offered to trade camera for orginal artwork, I declined.(although I may possibly part with my 75-300 IS for some of his work, we'll talk later, good artist, but not parting with my 1DsMkII any time soon)

One other important lesson learned, always take at least two pictures of any person of interest or in costume if at all possible. When I took two I always got at least one good shot, when I took one I lost a few to misc. things (like people's heads or other body parts blocking the shots) or my flash not charging fast enough. Speaking of flash, my rechargable AA batteries did the best, my digital max batteries, which work great for studio or runway shows had some issues and did not work as good as normal. I went through three sets of AA batteries at the Con and almost needed a fourth set.

Final note: I am hoping to have at least some of the shots (if not all) up on my web site by the end of this up coming weekend, the last archive disc (total 7 DVD) was being written when I left for work. Oh yeah, that was one great Science Fiction Convention.

Thus my adventures in photography at DragonCon 2005.

[René Damkot]

ISO 3200 _and_ flash? Must have been pretty dark
'ld like to see some pics!

[Longwatcher]

Originally Posted by René Damkot

ISO 3200 _and_ flash? Must have been pretty dark
'ld like to see some pics!

Never ISO 3200 AND flash at same time.

ISO 1600/3200 for times I could not use flash.

When I could use flash I stayed between ISO 100 and 400. However, the fact I even needed to use ISO 400 with the 550EX flash occasionally is a testament to the range I had to take the pictures at in the convention center.

As mentioned pictures should be available this weekend sometime
www.longwatcher.com (it will be off of event page or maybe main page (after intro page))

[Jesper]

I have a friend who is a professional jazz guitar player and I sometimes make photos at his concerts. Most of the time those concerts are in small, dark clubs, with terrible coloured lights. Makes a nice atmosphere in a club but it's a disaster for photography.

I never use ISO 3200 on my 10D because it's just too ugly, and I already hate the noise that I get with ISO 1600. I use Neat Image to cleanup some of the noise, but still the images often remain quite blurry.

I'm waiting to see tests of the 5D's high ISO performance...