Indoor pics?

[Laurelin]

What settings do you guys use?

My house is really dim so any settings I've tried come out really dark or the shutter speed too low.

[HoundedByHounds]

speeeeeeedlight, point it up. Big aperture...ISO400-800 or even higher...just play around and see. But the speedlight...will change your life.

[Chewbecca]

Originally Posted by HoundedByHounds

speeeeeeedlight, point it up. Big aperture...ISO400-800 or even higher...just play around and see. But the speedlight...will change your life.

I could NOT agree more.


Laurelin,
Are you asking in regards to your to your D300 or D60?

I have an SB400 (should be all you need, unless you want to use it off camera, then you could get an SB600) and an SB600.
Since I've gotten my SB400, that sees way more use than my SB600, but that's because I'm not doing professional-style photography. I like my indoor snapshots to look nice and evenly lit, that's about all I am requiring from my indoor flash work.

For whatever reason, and I'm unsure WHY it does this (unless my D60 is possessed), but when I use my SB400 on my D60, it automatically raises my ISO to 800 or higher. I do NOT know why. But that's ok, since there is proper exposure, my pictures don't get that high ISO grainy look to them.

My D300 is well behaved and doesn't raise ISO on me when I use my external (speedlite) flashes.

ISO 800 on my D60 looks about how ISO400 does on my D300.

[Laurelin]

Originally Posted by Chewbecca

I could NOT agree more.


Laurelin,
Are you asking in regards to your to your D300 or D60?

I have an SB400 (should be all you need, unless you want to use it off camera, then you could get an SB600) and an SB600.
Since I've gotten my SB400, that sees way more use than my SB600, but that's because I'm not doing professional-style photography. I like my indoor snapshots to look nice and evenly lit, that's about all I am requiring from my indoor flash work.

For whatever reason, and I'm unsure WHY it does this (unless my D60 is possessed), but when I use my SB400 on my D60, it automatically raises my ISO to 800 or higher. I do NOT know why. But that's ok, since there is proper exposure, my pictures don't get that high ISO grainy look to them.

My D300 is well behaved and doesn't raise ISO on me when I use my external (speedlite) flashes.

ISO 800 on my D60 looks about how ISO400 does on my D300.

I'm just talking about my D60. I don't have a D300 but I've borrowed one twice now. It's fun but it's a bit much for me right now. It seems less temperamental than the D60 though.

For example... we were in an aquarium taking pics. So no flash allowed. Dad was using the D300 and got some nice looking shots. I tried every setting I could think of and I couldn't get a single pic to turn out as anything but black.

[SizzleDog]

I use a faster lens - f/1.4 - kind of pricey for a good one, but well worth it!

[Laurelin]

How do you know the speed of your lens?

And what's a speedlight? LOL

I'm a total newb. I need to read a manual but my attention span is like... nothing. I just play around until it looks good but indoors it's still a pain.

[Saje]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

How do you know the speed of your lens?

And what's a speedlight? LOL

I'm a total newb. I need to read a manual but my attention span is like... nothing. I just play around until it looks good but indoors it's still a pain.

a speedlight is a flash.

What gear do you have?

[Saje]

Depends on what I'm shooting but I always try to do it by a window during the day. I have the 50 mm 1.8 (not as cool as sizzle's lol) and I'll open it right up if I think I can get away with the depth of field. If it's at night then I am forced to use my flash. <sigh> Can't wait to get a diffuser

[Laurelin]

I have a Nikon D60 and currently just the two kit lenses. (AF-S Nikkor 18 55 mm, and AF-S Nikkor 55-200) I'm thinking about a new lens but don't know what to buy. I can get decent pics with my flash but they're not the best.

[Saje]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I have a Nikon D60 and currently just the two kit lenses. (AF-S Nikkor 18 55 mm, and AF-S Nikkor 55-200) I'm thinking about a new lens but don't know what to buy. I can get decent pics with my flash but they're not the best.

Neither of your lenses are considered 'fast.' They are good lenses. Very flexible. But a 'fast' lens is one that you can open up wide. To a f1.4 like sizzles or an f1.8 for mine. It really allows you to get a lot more light in and work with different shutter speeds. You can also fade out the background a lot more.