Photographers, what's your compromised variable?

Looks to be way too much noise reduction applied to that image you posted. It'll look less blurry if you leave more noise in the image.

benesotor wrote in post #9882929
I realise using a flash is the best thing to do... but unless I buy one, I can't have a flash for wednesday.

Experiment with using onboard flash as fill flash. Expose for the ambient light and dial in a lot of negative flash exposure compensation. Even onboard direct flash can look good in moderation.

I mentioned using the popup flash cause it is nothing like the old popup flashes on previous bodies. Cut a couple pieces of plastic milk jug to use as diffusers and it will look really nice. You don't have anything to lose.

Gary Fongggg

krb wrote in post #9882470
A noisy but sharp picture is generally better than a blurry but clean picture.

+1.

Given the choice between the two options, I'll take noise over blur every time. Noise can be dealt with by exposing to the right and NR in post; there's nothing you can do to "fix" a blurry photo.

Pop-up flash isn't the most elegant solution, but it would allow you to shoot at a lower ISO and it's better than having blurry, motion-smeared images. You're faced with trade-offs no matter which way you go.

sorry. get a flash.

If your getting paid to do an event, and it's indoors - flash is a MUST.

mikeyp76 wrote in post #9886018
If your getting paid to do an event, and it's indoors - flash is a MUST.

Not getting paid.

Anyway thanks for the tips on coping without a flash!

benesotor wrote in post #9882462
Hard to explain in just a title, but I'm interested to see how photographers manage low-light photography (specifically events).

High-ish ISO + flash when proper.

Max ISO when necessary.

It's not rocket surgery.

cdifoto wrote in post #9886122
High-ish ISO + flash when proper.

Max ISO when necessary.

It's not rocket surgery.

Is that a combination of rocket science and brain surgery?

In the shot you posted the trouble is that there is a lot of depth with their hands. If you'd cropped their faces the shot would look better. To get 1m/3.3ft of depth of field at that distance is going to be tough or impossible without a flash.

With moving subjects, a fast shutter speed is a must. Blurring pictures are throwaways so even Av with fill flash may not work, you'll get ghosting with a dragging shutter. If you're going to use flash there a fairly fast shutter speed is still probably a must, at least 1/60th.

Without a flash all you can really do is set the ISO high to 3200 or 6400, set the shutter speed to an acceptable amount and hope you can use a narrow enough aperture to get sufficient depth of field. With enough NR you can clean up 6400 or even 12800 in post up to a point. For people shots they don't need to be completely sharp, a bit of grain or mush from NR can help to clean up complexions.

Do try the popup flash. Used properly it can work, especially with an inexpensive or free (napkins, paper towel, milk carton, wax paper, tape, whatever) diffuser and/or bounce card (index/business card and rubber band works). Just bring a spare battery if you're going to use a lot of onboard flash.

Compromised variable for me is ISO like others have said.

And after that, would be light source, meaning that I would rather use a flash in most cases than completely lose the shot to motion blur.

I don't understand why new photographers are always afraid to use flash. I think everyone goes through this phase; I know I did.

Cesium wrote in post #9887158
I don't understand why new photographers are always afraid to use flash. I think everyone goes through this phase; I know I did.

Well I'm not 'new' to photography as such, It's just not my full-time profession, maybe n00b was misleading. But I have shot events using flash, even in broad daylight.

And I'll happily use a flash when I can... it's not me not wanting to use one, it's me not being able to use one.
Anyone who has a speedlite, I'd be more than happy to borrow it!