Small but powerful: Hi, Im a ballroom dancer. Ive just taken over the responsibility for our chapters web site. I need to be able to take sharp, clear, well lit photosfrequently...

BRdancer Loc: Carlsbad,CA

Hi,
Im a ballroom dancer. Ive just taken over the responsibility for our chapters web site. I need to be able to take sharp, clear, well lit photosfrequently from across a large ballroom floorin rooms that dispense a garish yellow/orange glow. I currently use a Canon Powershot SD1300 IS. I like its small size and ease of use but am unhappy with its grainy/blurred zoomed photos & videos. I also spend a lot of time fixing indoor night shots taken on the fly of moving bodies in bad yellow light. Dancers dont have pockets. Soooo . . . . .small, easy to use, and powerful. What would you suggest? Under $500

jjbrenner Loc: San Angelo, TX

BRdancer wrote:

Hi, br Im a ballroom dancer. Ive just taken ov... (show quote)

Hi, BRdancer.
Sounds like a tall order, but know if it can be done, you will have the solution come to you from this group. There are many professionals who photograph in extreme conditions, and they're unbelievably knowledgable. I wish I could be one of the helping ones, but find myself in similar situations and will look forward to the Hoggers' suggestions. Jim

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

I am not familiar with the SD1300, but might an exploration of the settings menu turn up a remedy. Experiement. I have the Canon Powershot A1400 that I got refurbished from Canon for under $100 before shipping. Check the Canon web site for their refurbs available. Mine is one of the last P&Ss to have an optical view finder. It also takes AA batteries which is a blessing.

BRdancer Loc: Carlsbad,CA

Thanks

BRdancer Loc: Carlsbad,CA

Thanks. Will check out the Canon web site.

Mr PC Loc: Austin, TX

You might be able to use a custom White balance setting in your camera. Or, if the camera can shoot RAW, you can try different WB settings in Lightroom or similar software after the fact. If it's JPG, you need to get it right during the shoot, because the camera will apply the WB setting to the picture as the camera processes it and you may not be able to overcome having the wrong WB. Good luck!

BRdancer Loc: Carlsbad,CA

I've tried adjusting the white balance for photos with some success on close ups but not very successful for zoom or videos. My current camera does not do RAW but the reviews I've been reading in prep for next purchase include the importance of RAW for really sharp photos. Just having a hard time weeding through all the reviews to make a wise choice for the needs I listed. Thanks for your help!

R.G. Loc: Scotland

A lot depends on how important the zoom is. If you think you need 200mm or so to shoot across a dance floor it limits the selection quite a bit. You can get compacts from Sony and others that max at 100mm but that mightn't be enough for you.

If you really need something like 200mm my suggestion would be a Panasonic LF 1. It has a very good Leica lens and is well featured, including Nighttime and in-camera HDR modes as well as being able to shoot RAW and has the full PASM options. I have had one myself for a while and it has taken some excellent pictures. I take it to work with me because it is properly compact.

Unusually it's dearer in the US than in the UK ($470 US as opposed to £209 UK). Below is a link to the Amazon UK site (which I think you should be able to buy from).

Amazon UK site -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-DMC-LF1EB-K-Compact-Digital-Camera/dp/B00CJC02DW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1442047892&sr=1-1&keywords=panasonic+lf1

TeeKay

BRdancer wrote:

I've tried adjusting the white balance for photos with some success on close ups but not very successful for zoom or videos. My current camera does not do RAW but the reviews I've been reading in prep for next purchase include the importance of RAW for really sharp photos. Just having a hard time weeding through all the reviews to make a wise choice for the needs I listed. Thanks for your help!

You might consider a Canon G16. It has RAW capability and a fast lens. It also focuses reasonably quickly.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

I have a Sony P&S which has been an excellent back-up camera. They have a new "bridge" camera which is supposed to be good in low-light - can do very high iso shooting, in-camera HDR, etc. Very reasonably priced:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DSCH300-Digital-Camera-Black/dp/B00HTTKSZC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1442052076&sr=8-4&keywords=sony+powershot

Impressionist

Check a Sony a5000 or used a6000 from a reputable dealer. Will take to the Ball room and beyond. You like the size and options.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

BRdancer wrote:

Soooo . . . . .small, easy to use, and powerful. What would you suggest? Under $500

You have a good price limit, so that's a start. Be sure to get a camera with a viewfinder. A larger aperture would help, as would good ISO performance, but large aperture lenses alone would cost over $500. Buying used or refurbished will keep the price down. Since getting quality images is your goal, don't be concerned about convenient size or weight. If you have to go big and heavy, so be it. When you narrow down your choices, read reviews and do comparisons. Check back here with any other questions that come to mind.

http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu
http://www.imaging-resource.com/cameras/compare/

Grnway Loc: Manchester, NH

Hi BR,
You're shooting under situations that would challenge even the most well equipped professional. I could see a few off camera flashes, with gels to neutralize the yellow orange light, and still requiring post processing.

However, I think that Impressionist's suggestion of the Sony cameras seems reasonable. Brand new, the a6000 is over your budget, but it also has the option of interchangeable lenses, should your budget allow in the future.
With your current budget, I'd go for RAW and low light capability. You'll still need to "fix" in PP but I think you'll have to get used to that anyway.

waegwan Loc: Mae Won Li

BRdancer wrote:

Hi, br Im a ballroom dancer. Ive just taken ov... (show quote)

I'd think a big part of the problem is not having enough flash to reach that far. I'd recommend getting a strong inexpensive flash like the Yongnuo YN560 III then getting a camera body to use it on. Whether it is a Canon or Nikon or whatever. Just thinking about ballroom dancing that I have seen the dancers are moving pretty fast at times and the lighting can be dim or otherwise not right for still photos. You wan't sharp photos you are going to have to work in lower ISO range which means you need more light. Maybe I'm way off base but that is what I'm seeing in this issue.

ddonlewis

BRdancer,
Let me first say that there is a tool for every job. You have basically asked for a small camera that will take SHARP, CLEAR, WELL LIT photos across a LARGE ballroom floor. This camera doesn't exist. Whatever SMALL camera you buy will produce pictures like you have that are grainy and somewhat out of focus. I won't go into why small cameras can't handle the job. To get the quality you want you need a DSLR. They are great in low light, and are the standard for fast action. You won't find 1 pro sports photographer that doesn't shoot a DSLR. Same for pro indoor photographers. A great deal currently is the Nikon D3200 at B&H (see attached web site). Currently $280 off so you get it and 2 lenses for $498. I think this would do a good job. I limited this on your budget. Yes, this probably bigger than you want, but you have a job that requires a bigger tool.