EF-S 15-85mm owners: how do you use this lens in low light situation

Hi everyone, this is my first question here.

I'll be shooting in low light situation with my EF-S 15-85mm lens. But as you now it is a slow lens. I was wondering if some of you are doing night shots with this lens and how you manage to do it (without flash as I don't have one).

If you have some examples...

Thanks guys for your advices!

Tripod would seem to be the obvious answer here. What's wrong with the flash on your 7D?

adamo99 wrote in post #14669517
Tripod would seem to be the obvious answer here. What's wrong with the flash on your 7D?

I won't use a tripod on this shoot session. Nothing is wrong with my internal flash but I don't know if it will have enough power (sorry for the noob question but... I'm a noob ^_^).

Thanks for your answer.

You don't say what you mean by "low light situation." If you mean shooting things that don't move--e.g., sunset shots of a skyline--use a tripod and cable release with a slow shutter speed. Those shots are rarely taken at wide apertures anyway. If you are talking about shooting images of people in a low-light situation, you need a flash or a very high ISO (meaning, lots of noise). The onboard flash is not good for this. Not only is it not very strong, but direct flash is generally unpleasant for shots of faces. Indoors, your best bet would be a bounce-able flash.

You're right. It will be some street photography (people and architecture). I won't be able to get a external flash (as we're doing this tonight). I'll use my prime instead. I'll let you know about this first experience.
Thank you all for your advice.

For that use the 50 1.8, you'll get the best results with it for street. For architecture you're going to need something much wider, 24 1.4 or less, Especially with a 7D.

Use the 50 and ignore any shots it won't be able to take and move on. Or walk backwards if within reach.

for shooting static subject, it's ok with the IS. shooting moving subject under low light, then forget it

For night shots with my 7D and 15-85 I usually to set ISO 3200, Av mode to f/3.5, -1 Exposure Compensation, and try to brace the camera against something solid. I also generally use manual 3500 Kelvin white balance.

Good advice Mike!

msowsun wrote in post #14670257
For night shots with my 7D and 15-85 I usually to set ISO 3200, Av mode to f/3.5, -1 Exposure Compensation, and try to brace the camera against something solid. I also generally use manual 3500 Kelvin white balance.

klimraamkosie wrote in post #14670427
Good advice Mike!

x2

I was just getting ready to ask if anyone on here has ever heard of ISO? Don't be afraid to bump it up, newer cameras are great at higher ISO. Don't believe everything you read about it being a bad thing.

Best way I've learned to shoot in low light with different lenses is to, well, practice! Wait until it's dark outside and do some target practice around the house with the lights down, see what settings work, see what doesn't. I've found my technique has improved over the years simply by taking pictures of random junk like this. With the IS on the 15-85 you've got a cushion, so that should help as well.

I have no problem cranking up the ISO to 6400 or even 12800 on my 60D in low light situations where I want either a small aperture or high shutter speed. As long as the picture is reasonably well exposed -- not underexposed -- my noise-reduction software, DxO v/7.5, reduces the ISO noise to an acceptable level. The noise almost disappears when I view a picture at full size on my 1920x1080 monitor. True, I find the noise unacceptable when viewing at 1:1 (pixel peeping,) or at full size without noise reduction.

Using high ISO allows me to take pictures in most low light situation that I encounter.

Thank you everyone for your feedbacks. I finally used the 50mm only. I now know that my zoom lens wouldn't make it in some situations.

You were right, the 50 was too long for architecture so I moved on and did only street.
I think I'm gonna save money and buy something wider.

Very nice shots is such low light situations!

Anyway, I'll have to try shooting more by night. Thanks again for all your comments and your help!

blackjack999 wrote in post #14669507
I was wondering if some of you are doing night shots with this lens and how you manage to do it (without flash as I don't have one).

Then buy one?

Or bump ISO to have a noise fest.

Like others have said, IS will save you a bit with static object,

For people and things that move? Forget it.

Do you understand Guide Numbers ? And the relationship between ISO and your effective flash distance ?
Your built in flash has a rating of 39 feet/12 meters at ISO 100. With your lens at f/5.6, that translates to 39/5.6 or 6.96 feet. If you double your ISO twice, you basically double the distance. So going to ISO 400- your effective distance that it can properly light- is about 14 feet. Double it again- to 1600 ISO, and you get about 28 feet. Would I keep going beyond that- probably not- it'd probably be time to get an external flash. Primes sound good- until you figure out that you might need to stop the lenses down to get a satisfactory DOF. At that point- the fastest prime in the world won't help you- you will need more light! Yes, you can bump up the iso and deal with the noise- but at some point- you will need an external flash.

With a relatively recent full frame, you might be able to go higher on ISO without resorting to flash- but only to an extent. Think like a 5D II / 5D III.. But at some point, a flash is called for.