NEED YOUR SUGGESTION: shooting in a dark location

[retronesphoto]

I'm shooting in a dark location in about 2 weeks... Limited light. I have a flash, but I dislike using it, and I'm not so sure how to use it.. So basically I play around with it and eventually get it to flash the way i like it to.

Anyway, I have a Canon Rebel XS/1000D/Kiss F. I can shoot at ISO 1600. I have a f/1.8 lens and a I was thinking about renting a f/2.8L 70-200mm USM IS Lens.

Would that really be ideal? I need a versatile zoom and not a prime lens for this matter, and 50mm f/1.8 won't help unless i'm always moving up to people.

I have my sigma 18-200mm lens, but minmum aperture to shoot is f/3.5 at 18mm, and f/6.3 at 135mm-200mm which is truly a problem.

I like the idea of having the f/2.8L to shoot with because of its aperture... But will that really do me any good in the dark with LIMITED lighting... Shooting at f/2.8 ISO 1600? Not sure of what the shutter speed is, but I really wouldn't want to see myself shooting a slow shutter speed.

The amount of light that will be present is about two small candles lighting up a 20ftx20ft room.

I really need YOUR suggestions. Then again, I can always use my flash... But I really don't like the fact that when I shoot,the image at 10MP on a 2" screen and it looking amazing. When I look at the image on the computer, it looks completely horrible.

What do I do? Please help!

[sk66]

You're going to have to learn to use lighting....two Lux (candles) for 400sq ft isn't enough for any lens.....ISO 1600 will help, but will also have a lot of noise....

[Doug Pardee]

I'm afraid that there is no simple "buy this and you can shoot in darkness" solution, nor is there a simple "do this and you can shoot in darkness" solution.

Low-light photography is a skill that takes a lot of experience. Even then, there are many situations where it's simply not possible to get the photo that you want.

If using supplemental lighting is a possibility, that would be the way to go. Again, though, using supplemental lighting (using it well) is a skill that takes a lot of experience. For ordinary snapshots you can often get away with just switching on the flash and using it in full auto, but for many other situations you need a deeper knowledge of the subject. Learning how to set up and control supplemental lighting is a more complicated subject than learning photography.

If you can provide details about the specific situation, perhaps we can provide some guidance for that situation. Also, an example or two of your flash photos would help; you should also tell us what you don't like about them.

[FullAperture]

Get an off camera flash trigger and receiver kit. Works wonders and your pictures won't look like point and shoot shots. Visit google strobist and find some youtube vids. Get some CTO (orange) filters for you flash and shine them where the light would originate from. This will give your shots a natural looking light direction and color. OH and take a small flash light with you to make auto focus work better in the dark conditions. Little tricks I've picked up from others along the way.


BUT if that's not what you wanted to hear there's always plan B. Go on eBay, and auction off one of your kidneys. You know, the bean looking things. (don't worry its safe as long as you don't die) With your newly aquired riches buy a Mark5 II for awesome ISO performance. I've heard amazing stories about the low light quality of that beast at ISO 3000+. Internal organs in exchange for unsurpassed photographic quality. Sign me UP! (PS: I don't ecourage the implementation of Plan B)