nifty fifty

i've been using 125th sec shutter just fast enough to stop movement.

etaf wrote in post #14623927
soyou will have 2 stops - f1.8 (and little DoF though http://www.dofmaster.c​om/dofjs.html about 10" @ F1.8 around 10ft away )
so ISO = 3200 / 1600 / 800
so 800ISO @F1.8

what shutter speed have you been using

whats the hit and miss - IQ, Noise, blur
or hit and miss - because of the lights changing from lighter to dark ( I have not photographed a band - but have taken a few stage shots at plays - as a member of audience
perhaps a mono pod would help

the light changing mostly.

not much you can do about that, although 2+ stops on a 1.8 may help
whats the noise like at 3200 ISO

f5.6-f4-f2.8-f2....it's over 3 stops difference....

the 35 by samyang is MF only...

what about a sigma 30mm f1.4?

etaf wrote in post #14624258
not much you can do about that, although 2+ stops on a 1.8 may help
whats the noise like at 3200 ISO

Not to bad to me, but an expert might dissagree.

mkfs9 wrote in post #14623835
canon 600d and i want a lense to help take better pictures in low light. Mostly live music band situations, flashing coloured lights ect. Have read about focusing issues in low light. any help would be great. not got lots of £££ the nifty seemed good.

It's a great lens but yes, it does struggle for focus at times in low light.

What about the 85 1.8?

But your the only one that counts really , if happy then thats what matters - when using film , I saw a drummer shot that was pushed processed and the grain actually improved the image in my opinion

so with a 1.8 you may get a lot more keepers as the light changes- can you set auto ISO and a max limit on that camera - then you can set at 1/125th and F1.8 and just shoot

etaf wrote in post #14624348
But your the only one that counts really , if happy then thats what matters - when using film , I saw a drummer shot that was pushed processed and the grain actually improved the image in my opinion

so with a 1.8 you may get a lot more keepers as the light changes- can you set auto ISO and a max limit on that camera - then you can set at 1/125th and F1.8 and just shoot

yes you van set iso auto and select a max value.

etaf wrote in post #14624258
whats the noise like at 3200 ISO

That depends...

The funny (or annoying) thing is, at high ISO noise will be really noticeable in darker colors (less dynamic range in dark area's).

A well lit subject will look fine even at high ISO. But all dark area's will look like crap.

On the other hand, brighter parts seems to have more dynamic range on higher ISO. (more dynamic range in highlights, on low ISO you tend to get more heavy shadows, blown out highlights)


So you are better off shooting low ISO in low light, and slightly higher ISO in more light.

Some shots look ok at 3200, others look like crap on 800

Are you forbidden to use flash? If not, please do! Set a couple of them around the stage - you can control them wirelessly (cactus V5), different groups etc.
But keep a fast lens: you can use ambient light for the background, and flash for your subjects.
Flash + slow lens usually ruins the ambient lighting.