dSLR for low light

[tkinnj]

Hi,

I appreciate all of the other posts on camera selection, they've been very helpful. I'm finally upgrading from my 35 mm slr and a point and shoot digital to a dslr. My main issue is low light pictures. I take a lot of pictures at kids events - concerts, plays etc - and am looking for a dSLR that i can count on in an auditorium, without a flash, to take low light shots.

First off, I'm waffling between Nikon and Canon. My investment in existing lenses is small so that's not much of a consideration.

I'm tempted to go the lower end route with either the Nikon D5000/Canon Rebel t1i. From the reviews, the bodies aren't as durable (with kids around, that's always a concern - not that I'm expecting any dSLR to be kid proof) and the ISO levels might not be adequate. I'd hate to pick one of these up and find out halfway through the school year that they're not giving me the quality of picture I'm looking for

I was narrowing my choice to the Nikon D90 but with what I've been reading (pre-release) about the Canon EOS 7D, it may be worth waiting for.

So, not having experience with these cameras, my question to the community is, for good quality low light pictures, what level of dSLR do I really need to look at? The price tags of the lower end models obviously appeals but I'd rather spend the extra bucks for a camera that I'll be happy with for an extended period of time than have to upgrade quickly.

Thanks for your help

Tom

[Samanax]

Originally Posted by tkinnj

So, not having experience with these cameras, my question to the community is, for good quality low light pictures, what level of dSLR do I really need to look at? The price tags of the lower end models obviously appeals but I'd rather spend the extra bucks for a camera that I'll be happy with for an extended period of time than have to upgrade quickly.

For low light photography you need to concentrate on the lens first and then the body. You'll want fast lenses (lenses that have large aperture openings and constant aperture if you're looking at zoom lenses). The kit lens that come with most bodies are generally not considered "fast" lenses and not really suitable for low light photography. Bodies that have very good high ISO performance is important too, but you can always clean up image noise with noise reduction software if necessary.

The Nikon D90 is said to have good high ISO performance. Full frame bodies like the Nikon D700 and Canon 5D or 5D Mk II tend to do well at high ISO too.

Newer entry level DSLRs aren't too bad at high ISO either, just not as good as their higher class siblings.

But you do need fast glass to shoot in low light.

[PowerPix]

I can vouch for the Canon 50D shooting very well in low light, even with a kit lens. Can only imagine with a better lens what it could do.

[LoveDSLR]

Originally Posted by tkinnj

From the reviews, the bodies aren't as durable (with kids around, that's always a concern - not that I'm expecting any dSLR to be kid proof) and the ISO levels might not be adequate. I'd hate to pick one of these up and find out halfway through the school year that they're not giving me the quality of picture I'm looking for
...

So, not having experience with these cameras, my question to the community is, for good quality low light pictures, what level of dSLR do I really need to look at? The price tags of the lower end models obviously appeals but I'd rather spend the extra bucks for a camera that I'll be happy with for an extended period of time than have to upgrade quickly.

Kid proof and low noise high ISO performance: Nikon D3* (ISO 6400). Very expensive and heavy. Good for almost everything. Otherwise, wait for Canon 1D4 series.

Low noise high ISO performance: Nikon D700 (ISO 6400). Expensive. Good for low light fast actions.

Nikon D300*/D300s/D90/D5000 (ISO 1600-3200). Affordable. D300/D300s Auto Focus is better for fast actions.

Canon 7D (ISO 1600, 3200 ?). Good for fast actions.

"At ISO 3200 and beyond you'll run into increasingly unmanageable amounts of digital dandruff (white pixels spread throughout darker areas) and plugged shadows." Rob Galbraith. ISO 3200 sample: http://www.robgalbraith.com/public_f...00_Profile.jpg

Canon 5D Mk II* (ISO 3200). Not that great for fast actions (kids!!!).

* My gears.