Lens \ flash recommendations for gig photography

Mintyhit

Mintyhit

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James
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Hi guys,

I occasionally review for an online music site and I am starting to get into the photography side of things but I am really struggling to get good results with my equipment (400D with 55-250mm 4/5.6 or 60mm 2.8 macro and the built in flash).

I like to consider myself a fairly competent photographer in natural light but I have very little experience with the low lighting/fast movement associated with gigs in general. It’s frustrating as I know I can get good shots from the photo pit but most of my pictures are ruined by bad flash lighting or blur from the slow lens.

Can anyone recommend me some new equipment? I am enjoying this so much at the moment I am willing to blow quite a bit of money, perhaps a grand or so on a lens/flash. I would eventually like to upgrade my camera body to full frame but I’ll like to stick with 400D for now.

Thanks in Advance!
 
A 50mm 1.4, 85 1.8, 20 1.8.... something along those lines with a 580EX II flash should do you nicely :)
 
NO FLASH.......Gig photography is all about getting the stage lights in as well as the artist.....For most bands the rule is "First three numbers , no flash"......I've never used one at a gig and never will.


Who do you shoot / review for....I'd like to check out your shots :)
 
I shoot a lot of burlesque/alternative cabaret.
I use a 50mm 1.4 & 580 EXII flash as suggested above, and sometimes my 70-200mm 2.8
My partner in crime shoots ambient only with 24-70mm 2.8

This thread here may be of some use to you.:)
 
Wartypig said:
NO FLASH.......Gig photography is all about getting the stage lights in as well as the artist.....For most bands the rule is "First three numbers , no flash"......I've never used one at a gig and never will.


Who do you shoot / review for....I'd like to check out your shots :)
Click to expand...

While that is the general rule of thumb - it is not always so! The last one I shot was Enter Shikari in Manchester at HMV... there was a lady photographer there snapping away with her flash with diffuser on (I know she is well known around the area.. can't remember her name though). We photographed the whole set too!
 
purpleclouds said:
While that is the general rule of thumb - it is not always so! The last one I shot was Enter Shikari in Manchester at HMV... there was a lady photographer there snapping away with her flash with diffuser on (I know she is well known around the area.. can't remember her name though). We photographed the whole set too!
Click to expand...

Not like a true gig was it....In HMV without a real lighting rig and stage....Very few bands let you shoot a whole show although some will....Most venues MEN,Apollo,NEC,NIA,Civic,etc,will have you out on your ear for using a flash..... + flash somewhat ruins the atmosphere of a gig..

I use Nikkor 17-55 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 and get pretty good results.

Show us a shot or two from the Shikari gig please.. :)
 
I've heard the 400D is pretty noisy on high ISO. Are you finding it adequate?
I usually find myself in the ISO800/1600 region when shooting gigs so i find a good ISO performing body is just as important as a fast lens.

I've used a 40D and a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 which was a nice combo.
50mm f/1.8 lenses are great but i find them a bit restrictive especially if you are short of space to move around in. The convenience of a fast zoom like the Tamron is much better in my opinion.
 
If you are on a budget, the Sigma 24-70 f2.8 and no flash...or get a 430exII if you really want a flash
 
Wartypig said:
Not like a true gig was it....In HMV without a real lighting rig and stage....Very few bands let you shoot a whole show although some will....Most venues MEN,Apollo,NEC,NIA,Civic,etc,will have you out on your ear for using a flash..... + flash somewhat ruins the atmosphere of a gig..

I use Nikkor 17-55 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 and get pretty good results.

Show us a shot or two from the Shikari gig please.. :)
Click to expand...

As a matter of a fact, yes it was like a real gig! They have a stage and lighting (not a full set up, but enough...) all set up in a room in the basement. There was easily 200 people in there!

I know the bigger venues won't accept flash, but at the same time, they also have much better lighting therefore negating the need for flash...whereas some venue such as the Roadhouse, you occasionally struggle even with the fastest of (affordable) glass!

I do agree flash can dampen the atmosphere, don't get me wrong... but if used creatively it can also produce some nice results!

Enter Shikari - Still haven't got around to properly editing them!
 
I generally find f/2.8 enough for most gigs with decent lights. A lot of what i shoot is student gigs in college bars, where there isn't the biggest lighting budget in the world, and i can generally get away with 2.8 at ISO 400 or 800 even there.

Personally i use 70-200 2.8 IS, 16-35 2.8 and 50 1.4 on a x1.6 body. I do take a flash for pre/post shots, people outside, etc. I use a cheap one with a cheap radio trigger on it so i can recruit drunken students to be lighting stands without too much fear...
 
Wartypig said:
Who do you shoot / review for....I'd like to check out your shots :)
Click to expand...

I was writing for The Fly but I couldn't get the gigs I wanted so I am now working with a start-up site called GigJunkie. I would love to show you some of my shots but I haven't really got any worth posting yet, hence my problem. I will be sure to post a few when I get some results I can be proud of.

Mangelwurzel: Yes I do find ISO 1600 (max on the 400D) quite noisy for that matter, it's a right hassle. I am guessing if I get a fast lens like the 50mm 1.4 as suggested I should be able to keep it to a reasonable 800?

Otherwise I guess I’ll just have to invest in a new body earlier than I thought. Damn money pit hobby. :)

Great link to that thread by the way, really good read.
 
purpleclouds said:
As a matter of a fact, yes it was like a real gig! They have a stage and lighting (not a full set up, but enough...) all set up in a room in the basement. There was easily 200 people in there!

I know the bigger venues won't accept flash, but at the same time, they also have much better lighting therefore negating the need for flash...whereas some venue such as the Roadhouse, you occasionally struggle even with the fastest of (affordable) glass!

I do agree flash can dampen the atmosphere, don't get me wrong... but if used creatively it can also produce some nice results!

Enter Shikari - Still haven't got around to properly editing them!
Click to expand...

Please don't think I was trying to poo poo you....It's just that I tend to type in the same way that I speak and it doesn't always translate well...

Big venues and bands do indeed have better lighting (apart from Motorhead who're always backlit) and I see your point about flash adding at times , but not for me...This was taken at JB's in Dudley (not a big venue) and I could never get a shot like this with flash.

DSC_0455.jpg
 
Mintyhit said:
I was writing for The Fly but I couldn't get the gigs I wanted so I am now working with a start-up site called GigJunkie. I would love to show you some of my shots but I haven't really got any worth posting yet, hence my problem. I will be sure to post a few when I get some results I can be proud of.

Mangelwurzel: Yes I do find ISO 1600 (max on the 400D) quite noisy for that matter, it's a right hassle. I am guessing if I get a fast lens like the 50mm 1.4 as suggested I should be able to keep it to a reasonable 800?

Otherwise I guess I’ll just have to invest in a new body earlier than I thought. Damn money pit hobby. :)

Great link to that thread by the way, really good read.
Click to expand...

Thanks....Look forward to seeing your work.

I'll look up GigJunkie. :)
 
most places are no flash so as has been mentioned...get used to that!

you can use a flash at close quarters and retain the background lighting but it's fluke when I do it :P

fast glass is nice, on a cropped canon..50mm is handy for most things but wider such as 30mm is better if you're in the pit and under the band almost!
 
DizMatt said:
most places are no flash so as has been mentioned...get used to that!

you can use a flash at close quarters and retain the background lighting but it's fluke when I do it :P

fast glass is nice, on a cropped canon..50mm is handy for most things but wider such as 30mm is better if you're in the pit and under the band almost!
Click to expand...

expose for the ambient and dial down the flash!

the last time i shot a gig (probably 3 years ago?) i used flash, and got reasonably good shots mixed with ambient coloured lighting. its entirely possibly, and if you're allowed to use flash it can really add a bit of extra fill to the normal lighting. id love to be able to shoot a gig with flash today, certainly with what ive picked up on off camera flash over the last year or so!

can upload a few shots if anyone is interested, as ive recently found some small jpegs of this gig on an old hard drive
 
The 450D was noticeably better in the ISO performance of the xxxD series. I jumped from the 350D to 450D for the low light improvements and I'm happy with the 1600 for the money I paid. Clearly, I'd like a better camera but we cant all afford a nice 5d

Couple of other things which I felt improved my snaps in low light without flash. (Apologies if you know any of this)
- Buy a prime lens, the recommendations by purpleclouds are pretty good choices. The Sigma 30 1.4 is also a nice lens although it may be a bit wide and cropping high ISO images gets messy
- Either shoot in AV mode or Manual
- If you're not shooting in RAW, give it ago. You can retrieve alot of detail in post
processing.
- Try a program like Noise Ninja to remove noise and grain from high ISO images if its noise thats a problem and not blurring

Having said that, a grand will buy you a second hand 5D and will leave you just enough cash for a used 50 1.4 :) Unfortunately, you'll have to sell the macro lens but you'll be ready for the 100 2.8 ;)

Sam
 
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