low light issue

Kermers · 28 Jun 2011

Any advice welcome,

I was shooting at a wedding last weekend and found my 24-105 L to be awesome.

I found it to struggle with focusing in low light during the disco. Is there something I was doing wrong or is it down to the f4 just not being wide enough?

The23rdman · 30 Jun 2011

What body was it on?

John Price · 30 Jun 2011

Did you have flash? if so did you use the infra red focus assist?

markmullen · 30 Jun 2011

John Price said:
Did you have flash? if so did you use the infra red focus assist?

And with some of the later kit I understand you can use the flash's AF light and suppress the flash not to fire.

Kermers · 28 Jul 2012

Sorry guys, been off a while. Lens was on a 5d mk1.

Found the af assist on the flash helps a lot. Not sure if the 430ex2 will suppress the flash not to fire though? Just had to turn it right down and spin it out of the way.

Jayst84 · 28 Jul 2012

Kermers said:
Sorry guys, been off a while. Lens was on a 5d mk1.

Found the af assist on the flash helps a lot. Not sure if the 430ex2 will suppress the flash not to fire though? Just had to turn it right down and spin it out of the way.

Custom function 7 (it's a camera thing, not a flashgun thing): flash fires / flash does not fire.

And yeah, f/4 on the 5D will struggle a bit if it's properly dark.

surfg1mp · 28 Jul 2012

In this situation I hold a small led torch in my hand that I'm holding the lens with. Point it at the subject, focus, point torch away and fire. Works pretty well for me.

Marcus Geezer · 28 Jul 2012

surfg1mp said:
In this situation I hold a small led torch in my hand that I'm holding the lens with. Point it at the subject, focus, point torch away and fire. Works pretty well for me.

What? At a wedding? Really?

Jayst84 · 29 Jul 2012

surfg1mp said:
In this situation I hold a small led torch in my hand that I'm holding the lens with. Point it at the subject, focus, point torch away and fire. Works pretty well for me.

Not going to work in this situation with moving people. Also you'll probably find that annoys people petty quickly

Phil Young · 29 Jul 2012

Can't comment too much because I wasn't there but when I used to DJ weddings I'd imagine if it was like the majority of them I'd be on something like f1.4, ISO 12800...i'm not surprised to struggled.

Next time perhaps a flash and bounce card

surfg1mp · 29 Jul 2012

Marcus Geezer said:
What? At a wedding? Really?

Not at a wedding, no. Actually got the tip from David hobby (not personally). Must say it works pretty well.

Kermers · 2 Sep 2012

It's been a while since this post.

Done a few weddings now with great results. Rear sync is my saviour!!! nice result with some ambient light in there.

Almost bought a 5,000,000 candle watt torch, but thought it wasn't very practical ;-)

Nice tips though, Thanks!