ISO HOW HIGH CAN I GO?

I have just started experminting with bounce flash with my 580 EX and 5D. I have a 24-105 IS F$ lens.
I am using A Bounce Card. It seems to work good. However, I have not tried it in a church yet, as most of my shooting is at weddings, you know, high ceilings, big areas.
I know I am going to have to tilt my flash at least 45 degrees, then the next step is to increase my FEC, however, I get know I will get better results if
I increase my ISO from 400 (which I usually shoot ) to 800 I can get better
results with bounce lighting. I also shoot in JPEG because of the limited time I have at my computer, since I have a full time job. Have any of you shot using a higher ISO than 400?
I am afraid if I shoot at 800 and they order anything bigger than 8 x 10 the photo will have to much noise in it to look good
Please, I appreciate all your advice and direction.
Ron

Ive heard the 5D has pretty good performance at high ISO's - better let the 5D club find this thread before you try it though.

papathree wrote in post #2948514
I have just started experminting with bounce flash with my 580 EX and 5D. I have a 24-105 IS F$ lens.
I am using A Bounce Card. It seems to work good. However, I have not tried it in a church yet, as most of my shooting is at weddings, you know, high ceilings, big areas.
I know I am going to have to tilt my flash at least 45 degrees, then the next step is to increase my FEC, however, I get know I will get better results if
I increase my ISO from 400 (which I usually shoot ) to 800 I can get better
results with bounce lighting. I also shoot in JPEG because of the limited time I have at my computer, since I have a full time job. Have any of you shot using a higher ISO than 400?
I am afraid if I shoot at 800 and they order anything bigger than 8 x 10 the photo will have to much noise in it to look good
Please, I appreciate all your advice and direction.
Ron

I have just recently got my 5d and have also been wondering the same thing, I've not shot a wedding with it yet but I have been trialing it at 800 on various other things and am quite pleased with the results. The next wedding is not till may, but I intend to use 800 for (some of) that unless this thread turns my bias.

Davy

Thanks for your honesty, I heard the same, but I don't want to get caught with my pants down. I have always shot with direct flash at weddings, with the diffuser on my QT4D I get good results, but since I am starting to shoot digital with my 5D and 580EX I read that difussion and bouncing is best.
Ron

Ron,

I think you're going to need to get into a few churches, take some test shots and make a few test prints. Even with a 5D, using high ISO and bounced flash vs. lower ISO and direct flash is going to be a compromise. Only experience will help you make the best choices.

Not only will the light, and your ability to bounce flash, vary significantly from one church to another, but with modern sanctuaries and their big windows, it will vary from one day to the next.

As an aside, you would probably benefit from some time studying about RAW workflows and related software. Processing RAW images is not necessarily more time-consuming than processing JPEGs, and your images would likely benefit from skillfull use of that tool. Furthermore, lack of time because of other employment is a poor reason to produce less than the highest quality you can.

If I use my histogram as a guide when looking at my shots can I be pretty well assured that my photo will be a good exposure to print from

I am interested in hearing more opinions on this. I am travelling to Germany to do my neice's wedding in July and could use the advise.

2nd Curtis' post.
For high ISO shooting, you might want to look in the PA section. I rarely get as low as ISO 800

René Damkot wrote in post #2949004
2nd Curtis' post.
PA section

Just wondering what and where this is.

Regards, Davy

I am guessing but pretty sure it is correct, PA refers to the Performing Arts section on the forum.

Canon's best claim to fame is the quality of higher ISO. Shoot some and get them printed and see for yourself. I have shot 1600 and come up with really good images that will print in larger sizes.

I meant I second Curtis' post...
And yep, Performing Arts it is: Click.

papathree wrote in post #2948981
If I use my histogram as a guide when looking at my shots can I be pretty well assured that my photo will be a good exposure to print from

With practice, the histogram is a valuable tool for determining exposure. You can use it to help determine the aperture/ISO required in a given situation. Also keep an eye on the exposure confirmation light on the flash unit.

But it's not a good tool for determining image quality. You'll need to see images on your computer, and in print, to make that determination.

Regarding digital noise from high ISO - This is something that can (and should) be skillfully managed. Proper software and post-processing techniques can make quite a difference. This is one advantage to shooting RAW. If you shoot JPEG and let the camera add sharpening, with the idea of minimal post-processing, you don't have much opportunity to manage the noise (sharpening makes digital noise worse). But if you shoot RAW and run it through some noise reduction software before sharpening, you will see an advantage.

I just shot a wedding last weekend and used my 5d quite a bit at ISO 800. The images are fine and as long as you can get some light in there from your strobe to give it some contrast you'll be fine too. Just for added security if you run them through a noise filter in the post processing you will be good to go. The 5D was made for that sort of thing........no worries

i shoot my 5D regularly at iso 3200. as long as your exposure is spot on, you'll be impressed with how little noise.

I generally try to avoid flash during a wedding ceremony. The last wedding I shot was in a brightly lit sanctuary and flash was not needed. But I couldn't have done it with an f4.0 lens without really getting up in the ISO. Curtis has the proper advice I believe. You've got to get to the church at the time of day you will be shooting and see what you have to work with.