digital cameras for dummies question...

ivegotabrokenface
ivegotabrokenface Posts: 78
edited July 2006 in Given To Fly (live)
for the first time I'm gonna take my digital camera to tonight's show... I should've taken it to SD... would've been some great pix. anyway, what picture setting do you use for an arena with all the weird lighting and what not?...... thanks in advance for any advice.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Sharon_Hearts_PJ
    Sharon_Hearts_PJ Bristol, PA Posts: 1,383
    ivegotabrokenface wrote:
    for the first time I'm gonna take my digital camera to tonight's show... I should've taken it to SD... would've been some great pix. anyway, what picture setting do you use for an arena with all the weird lighting and what not?...... thanks in advance for any advice.
    The key is no flash (doesn't help you if you're any further than 10 rows back), and holding the camera PERFECTLY still. Sometimes you get lucky.
    Also wait for really bright lights on the stage (certain songs use more white lights than others, those are the ones you want).
    Oh, and digital zoom doesn't do much for you if you want clear photos when you go to look at them on the computer.
    Does your camera have manual settings or is it all automatic?
    *Rock and/or Roll!*
  • goldenegg
    goldenegg Posts: 371
    First ... TURN OFF THE FLASH!!! Flash pictures are completely useless at concerts. The air is filled with smoke to assist with lighting effect. The flash with light up the smoke, resulting in a useless picture.

    Since there's very low light, you really want a camera with manual control over shutter and aperture settings. You'll want a slow shutter speed to get as much light as possible. Since you'll be hand holding the shot, you don't want to use a shutter speed slower than 1/30 for a wide angle shot.

    If this is your first time bringing a camera to a concert and you're not close to the stage, be prepared to have relatively useless pictures at the end. Most people take photography for granted. It's not always point-and-shoot, especially in low light (no pun intended) situations.
  • ivegotabrokenface
    ivegotabrokenface Posts: 78
    thanks for the info. I'll either be a couple rows off the floor next parallel to the first couple rows of the floor, or I could be half-way back on the floor, so I'll have good seats either way. I can do manual settings or use their (kodak) scenario settings i.e. beach, action, flowers etc. but anyway, sounds like number one thing is not using the flash.
  • goldenegg
    goldenegg Posts: 371
    ivegotabrokenface wrote:
    thanks for the info. I'll either be a couple rows off the floor next parallel to the first couple rows of the floor, or I could be half-way back on the floor, so I'll have good seats either way. I can do manual settings or use their (kodak) scenario settings i.e. beach, action, flowers etc. but anyway, sounds like number one thing is not using the flash.

    Half way back on the floor won't get you much. There's going to be extremely little light getting to the camera. You want to avoid using the zoom, as it will required an even slower shutter speed.

    Don't bother with scenario settings. None of them will help in a concert setting.

Categories