EOS nightclub settings

Photolistic wrote in post #2626569
(using the flash sucks)

Not for portraits in a nightclub, it doesn't

René Damkot wrote in post #2626796
Not for portraits in a nightclub, it doesn't

fair enough.

well using a monopod in a club of 5000 people... have fun with that but thanks for the advice on the other parts

Oh ok... Well the club i shoot at only has 3000 people.

sismastery wrote in post #2625588
On one if the forums I frequent is a guy who does a lot of nightclub shooting and always produces great results, some of his work can be found HERE with exif data so you can get some ideas for settings.

see this is what im talking about. This is what i'd love to acheive in my shots.. Im using a canon 350D, with the kit lense. The only other lenses I own is the EF 100 macro and the EF 70-200mm IS lense.. Is my kit lense ok for these kind of shots, and is it just the settings i need to change. my shots come out really bland, and nothing special about them at all..

Kit lens would be your best bet focal length wise. Have a look at the linked site, and click an image. On the bottom of the page there is 'Additional information'. It tells you the image was taken with a 400D. Click 'more properties', to get to know ISO, f/stop and focal length used.
Most images could have been taken with the kit lens more or less, at least it offers the focal length (few exceptions). Mostly a wider f/stop was used (f/2 or f/2.8), but you could use a higher ISO to compensate for that, so the same shutterspeed could be used.
Flash output would then also be the same.

I would think an eternal flash was used, but that's not strictly necessary. With the built in flash, light would be a bit more flat, but also, shadows would be smaller.
IMO the built in flash would have enough power at these close distances...

Only thing that might be problematic would be AF, since the AF system has a lot less light to work with, because the kit lens is slower. (If the AF assist is a flash burst from the on board flash, I would not want to use it)

Wait a sec: I see the 580 in your sig.... No problem then

Go out and practice! (That one will probabely make the biggest difference )

yea man well read this thread and hopegully you'll learn a lot

Excellent thank you.. think i've read this post 10 times over so far just to let all the info sink into the ole brain..

Glad you started this thread, as i was only talking about this a couple of hours ago...

hehe no worries, I have since been experimenting on the motorway from the bridge where all the cars go past with there lights on. Most fun to start learning how to use the curtains on the flashlite , although i still dont really know difference between 1st and 2nd except for how long the flash is on for from what i see in the manual :P

here are my settings when i cover events at night clubs (i use a XTi and 5D)

M mode
shutter any where from 1/3 to a full second
f stop 2.8 (16-35mm L and/or 24-70mm L)
flash bump up to +1 (580)
iso 100

try to use the lights in venue as background to make the picture more interesting.

i shoot alot of clubs for a New Zealand based website called www.nzrave.com

i use a 30d with sigma 24-70 f.8 and 550ex flash

I generally use iso 320 f3.2-4.5 and a shutter speed of between 1/20 to 4 seconds with flash compensaion -1.

If there is no light no matter how long the exposure is you wont see any blur its really simple. Make sure you shoot with the lighting behind you (generally the stage) this gives great ambient backgrounds and sharp foregrounds easy as.

Dont bump up the iso, most think you need to but you dont need to at all

you use a f/2.8 macro zoom lens for your nightclub shots? Can i ask, do you not find the lens somewhat in these conditions, as most people have always told me in a nightclub a fast prime is the better choice

canonboy wrote in post #2627703
i still dont really know difference between 1st and 2nd except for how long the flash is on for from what i see in the manual :P

It determines where the subject is in relation to its own motion blur.

Use first sync and you get a frozen subject then the subject continues to move while the shutter is still open giving the (undesirable) effect of the blur overtaking the subject.

Use second sync and the shutter opens, the subject moves then the flash freezes the subject just as the shutter is closing causing the subject to appear to have left motion blur behind it. Much better!

ah so 2nd is best for a desierable blur motion effect yet still retaining the clarity of the subject itself

canonboy wrote in post #2625424
Ah for fast prime im sporting a canon 50mm f/1.4 USM

do you think i should not use the lens cap when in nightclubs or keep it on to reduce flare

You should get a solid rubber lens hood to deflect some of the beer/vomit/fingers/... I would also be wary of using a shoe mounted flash, a hammerhead on a solid hinged bracket is a way better way to survive.

Night clubs love black paint, bounce? Forget it...