Canon 7 D Mark II low light set up help needed.

Greetings
i have just ,moved up from a 600d to a 7 D Mark 11 body
My existing lens are 50mm 1.8 canon and a 18 to 250 sigma
The 7 D mark 11 is different in terms of settings, I am new to photography so this all is a learning curve for me so i am in need of some assistance
firstly i need to set up the camera for my type of shooting which is very low light for live music gigs and sometime in clubs without flash, i also have been told that i could get away using the lens that i have, I have also been told that i need a f 2.8 fixed lens, the 18 to 250 works well in good light with regards to the distance i am away from what i need to take photos of so in other words i need something like the 18 to 250 for the range i need to cover but low light performance as the 1.8
i do appreciate all help that i can get
Thank you

First, you'll not find any zoom lens in the 18-250 mm range with f/1.8 as the max aperture. You'll have to use short range zooms or prime lenses to get such apertures, like the EF 50 mm f/1.8 II you seem to already have. Lenses like the EF 35 mm f/2 IS USM, EF 85 mm f/1.8 USM and EF 100 mm f/2 USM are still reasonably priced. Stuff like the EF 24 mm f/1.4L II USM or the EF 135 mm f/2L USM are significantly more expensive. Zoom lenses with longe range and large max aperture tend to be very expensive, if they even exist.

Apart from that, there's nothing special with the 7D Mark II (it's 2, not 11), compared to what you had before. You can set the max aperture the lens will allow, as long exposure time as the subject can handle and then set the ISO to whatever is required to give you the right exposure. If you want to, you can use the camera's ability to set the ISO for you (auto ISO).

If you want max quality, shoot RAW and do noise removal processing after the fact, in the computer. If you want a quick result, experiment with the camera's internal ability for noise reduction, to see what you like best.

Chevy wrote in post #17769052
Greetings
i have just ,moved up from a 600d to a 7 D Mark 11 body
My existing lens are 50mm 1.8 canon and a 18 to 250 sigma
The 7 D mark 11 is different in terms of settings, I am new to photography so this all is a learning curve for me so i am in need of some assistance
firstly i need to set up the camera for my type of shooting which is very low light for live music gigs and sometime in clubs without flash, i also have been told that i could get away using the lens that i have, I have also been told that i need a f 2.8 fixed lens, the 18 to 250 works well in good light with regards to the distance i am away from what i need to take photos of so in other words i need something like the 18 to 250 for the range i need to cover but low light performance as the 1.8
i do appreciate all help that i can get
Thank you

Heya,

First suggestion: stop buying.

I say this because you say you're new to everything, you shoot night-club and low light event type stuff, and you bought a 7D2. Now, that could be a good thing. Or it could be that you needed something different (like a Sony A7S or a Canon 6D). The 7D2 is good at focusing in low light, and it has decent high ISO performance. But it's not one of the first cameras I'd think of for night time photography in general. But, don't let that be discouraging. If this is the camera for you, and you use it for other things, like action where you take advantage of the high FPS and aggressive AF system, then all is well. But my point is, don't just buy stuff right now, especially if you're new to photography, instead, focus on figuring out photography first, then buy based on what you actually need for your photography.

2nd suggestion: learn high ISO shooting & post-processing.

This is going to matter, no matter what lenses you're buying and/or using. You will be bound to high ISO, so you need to learn to shoot with high ISO exposure in mind. You will want to learn to process high ISO too. This is far more critical for night time event shooting, than it is to buy a really costly wide aperture zoom or prime that will still require high ISO. You will want to explore how to shoot with exposure to the right (ETTR) so search that up, tons of threads and examples. For processing, there are lots of options, but check out TeamSpeed's stuff (search him up) for how to do it in different things. I personally use Topaz DeNoise plugins for photoshop, and I am quite happy with how it cleans up ISO and I shoot at ISO 12,800 without hesitation on smaller sensors, but I expose with high ISO in mind (I over expose to the right). This includes shooting in RAW (or RAW+JPG) so that you have more room in post to correct things (white balance, noise, shadows, highlights, etc).

3rd suggestion: telephoto & wide for event photography is good.

While you may want a F2.8 zoom that is wider angle, you will also want a telephoto that is fast (F2, F2.8 or faster) for the long reach for detail faces/busts/etc on stage when you're not up close. In a club, wider angles tend to be more fun, you're up in close, you're getting the atmosphere. You could explore things like a Rokinon 14mm F2.8 or a Canon 10-18 STM even, as inexpensive options. For telephoto, look at things like the Canon EF 85 F1.8. Keep your 50 F1.8 too. The only thing is, remember, the longer your reach gets, the more shutter speed you'll need to maintain a sharp image, which means a lot more ISO.

4th suggestion: practice. practice. practice.

Again, practice with what you have, learn the craft, then buy stuff so you're not just spending tons of money and realizing later you bought stuff and need/want something totally different in 6 months. Experience will give you a lot more edge on what you're getting into, rather than just reading stuff.

Very best,

The 7d mk II is probably the best Canon camera right now for low light photography. Its extremely low thermal, read, and pattern noise are great for very low light levels and especially long exposures. Used properly, it is even better than the 6D for astrophotography and some other applications. I would argue that if you are not shooting at low ISO (which you are probably not, in low light conditions) it's better than the Sony or Nikon cameras.

This article explains why the new mk II is so good, in technical terms.

Here is another article which explores the tradeoffs in choosing a better camera or a better lens for low light work.

Of course, you can't just stick a kit lens on the camera and start shooting; as with any setup, there is an optimum lens, illumination, etc. to maximize exposure when light is restricted. The sensor performs well if operated so as to minimize noise and receive enough photons on target - there's more to it than just leaving the shutter open longer. The above articles, while technical, explain what needs to be considered.

thank u kindly sir.

Thank you sir greatly appreciated

GregDunn wrote in post #17769296
The 7d mk II is probably the best Canon camera right now for low light photography.

Not true. It's still APS-C sensor, and still the Canon 6D kills it. I have these two + 5DIII, the 6D is the only one I will grab for night time stage photography. Sure, the new 7D will work but it's not the best and there will be fewer keepers and more work to do in post processing.

I primarily use EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II and 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, versatility of telephoto lenses are a must IMO. Most events will only allow photographers in the pit for 2 songs, you want a variety of photographs and have no time to change to prime lenses.

What Malveaux said, every word. Especially the practice part and post-processing. Stage performance, with varied brightness and color lighting, often with lots of smoke and relatively fast action is a challenge both in shooting and processing. Hit up as many local venues as you can and fire away, you will learn quickly and then know where to go with equipment augmentation.

I agree with everything that Mal said except - stop buying.

Gentlemen,
thank you for your input, greatly appreciated, about buying, i had to break the bank for this machine, so for while, buying will have to stop just have some change for a 2.8 lens now, this choice i cannot make a mistake because then im'n done so i have to really make the right choice for the lens now, i will appreciate all the help i can get to make this decision, this time I humble ask for all the help to make this decision please, again, thank you kindly for all that have taken the time to share their knowledge.
Thank you
regards.

The one limiting factor when buying is money. If you don't have a ton of money for a 2.8 zoom then the next best thing is a 85 1.8 ($400), 100 2.0 ($400), 135 2.0 ($900) or a 200 2.8 ($700) fixed lenses.

I think it's implied by the topic and opening post that we are discussing APS-C bodies at this point. There was no discussion about considering changing formats. In that sense, the 7D2 is the best Canon camera in its APS-C lineup.

- Learn how to shoot in manual exposure;
- Learn about your camera and your lenses;
- Study composition and light;
- Learn about famous photographers;
- Practice, study, practice, study, practice, study, practice, study, practice, study, ....
- Avoid forums or photography gear websites like the plague;
- Do not listen to DxOMark crap.

Nonetheless, the statement I corrected was sufficiently generic to be inaccurate.

If I were shooting a lot of low light events, It would not be with a 7D2. My opinion is its good till 6400 ISO and that setting will need noise clean up for most professional use. I would be looking at a full frame sensor for low light work and 5D3 or 6D would be at the top of my list for canon products

But if thats all i did, I would be looking into the Sony sensor

love my 7D2 but not for low light work

The 7d2 is definitely not one of the better tools for the job, but neither is it incapable. If it's the tool you have, then it's the tool you have. F/2.8 is often fast enough or even more than enough, but then again, there's nothing versatile about it when it's too slow. And if you shoot in enough bars and clubs, sooner or later it WILL be too slow.

What FL is right will depend on your location and style. It's going to take some trial and error on your part. With your current lenses you'll probably get more mileage out of the 50mm. The bad news is that it will be too tight for some shots on the 7d2, and you'll likely miss focus more than you'd like. As was said before, practice and hone your processing skills.