Hi,
I'm not active on 365 but was previously. I know there's a wealth of knowledge out there. As a result of my project, I became interested in doing more dance photography. I have a Nikon D60. For dance, I was using a 55-200 mm lens with an SB-600 flash.
There were limitations. I wasn't happy, for example, with the flash shadows. I decided to upgrade and recently bought a Canon 7D, with a 28-75mm lens. (Goes down to F 2.8.) But it can't handle movement in low-light w/out flash.
I wanted to invest in good body. But I'm wondering, should I go cheaper and invest in a good lens? What about the Nikon to Canon switch? I did this primarily because most of my friends are Canon shooters. Do you do dance photography? Can you recommend a camera/lens?
I do dance photography, not professional by any stretch, however, it is rarely the body that can't keep up, but rather the lens. You need at least a f2.8 in my opinion, other wise you will get the blur and graininess you are referring to.
I use the D7000 and get the best results from the the 70-200 f2.8 or the 24-70 f2.8. Now, if you really know what you are doing, these lenses will deliver professional results for sure, much better than you could get from the the nikon 55-200 f4.5. Don't be afraid to boost the ISO, anything below 1000 and the cameras really have not problem processing them without much noise.
I never use a flash for dance photography, mostly, its not allowed, secondly, you would have to be relatively close to the subject for it to properly light the subject without the harsh shadows.
For me, it is simple. I get to the events early, claim my real estate and usually use the 24-70, but there are times when I will switch and use the 70-200. Now, I don't own all these lenses, as this is just for fun for me, but there is a local camera shop that rents them for under $50 for the entire weekend. Someday, I will own them, but for now, it works.
Check out my album, I just put up a bunch of dance pics from the recital, and will be posting more when time allows.
Hopefully this helps you out, if you have any questions, please ask, I will do my best to offer any advice that I might have.
Like @wjw1741 I am not pro but do take a lot of dance and live theater shots. On a Nikon I typically am at ISO1600-2000 with a f2.8 lens to get my shutter speed high enough. Alternatively, if you can use flash, try not to aim directly at the dancer; use bounce, reflect off a wall, do something to help diffuse the light rays and you will diminish the harsh look.
Write a Reply
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
I use the D7000 and get the best results from the the 70-200 f2.8 or the 24-70 f2.8. Now, if you really know what you are doing, these lenses will deliver professional results for sure, much better than you could get from the the nikon 55-200 f4.5. Don't be afraid to boost the ISO, anything below 1000 and the cameras really have not problem processing them without much noise.
I never use a flash for dance photography, mostly, its not allowed, secondly, you would have to be relatively close to the subject for it to properly light the subject without the harsh shadows.
For me, it is simple. I get to the events early, claim my real estate and usually use the 24-70, but there are times when I will switch and use the 70-200. Now, I don't own all these lenses, as this is just for fun for me, but there is a local camera shop that rents them for under $50 for the entire weekend. Someday, I will own them, but for now, it works.
Check out my album, I just put up a bunch of dance pics from the recital, and will be posting more when time allows.
Hopefully this helps you out, if you have any questions, please ask, I will do my best to offer any advice that I might have.