larkahn

I'm not a photographer.

'm not considering purchasing a new camera, but continuing to work within the limitations of what I have i.e. a Nikon Coolpix P7800. The venues are either an auditorium with both house lights and stage lights on but not so bright or a classroom which is not well-lit. Subjects are lecturers or people giving speeches. While I might try shooting from different angles, the purpose is for informal marketing-type photos for PR. While the subjects aren't moving much, I realize that there may be hand movement or occasional shifting of position at a podium or on stage. Recently, I tried an ISO of 1600-2000 so I could bump up the shutter speed and cut down on subject blurring. With this camera and its 1/1.7 sensor and 28-200mm f/2.0-4.0 equivalent collapsible zoom unfortunately, there was far too much grain with anything above ISO 800. I'm thinking for the future of trying the following:

1. ISO 800
2. Move closer to stage or front of room and limit zoom to about 50mm so I can use a larger aperture.
3. Continuous shooting to try to capture a few photos with less blur, since the subject isn't moving very much.

If the shutter speed is 1/15 or 1/25 with the ISO at 800, that's very slow, but vibration reduction may help a little. I realize that the vibration reduction is for camera movement, not subject movement.

Comments or additional suggestions would be appreciated -- other than buy a new camera. :-)

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

You haven't said if flash is allowed.
You need to tell us if the size of a DSLR is too big for you. What is your budget if you decide to buy a camera?
There are "bridge" cameras that bridge the gap between DSLRs and point and shoot models. Yours would be considered an older one.

The 1/1.7" sensor is rather small but larger than the typical 1/2.3" sensor of point and shoot models. Smaller sensors are in general less sensitive to light. Larger sensors in general will give less noise for a given ISO setting. Furthermore, that camera model uses older sensor technology. However, if you are interested in a camera with a non-iterchangeable lens and a larger sensor, you will be limited in zoom lens range, although later models do have larger sensors with the same or greater zoom range. Life is a compromise.

You seem to have a handle on exposure and the compromises there, but I really need more info before I could suggest a camera for you. 1" sensors are better at low light, APS-C sensors even better than that, 'tho less common and more expesive in a bridge camera.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

One more thing to try, if you haven't already - get a monopod for your camera. It doesn't need to be an expensive one. Just long enough to bring the camera up to eye level. The monopod will help to stabilize the camera a great deal, which is what you want in low light. Tripod would be great too, but they generally cost more and are not as practical, especially if you want to be able to easily change your position while shooting.

larkahn

Thanks for your thoughts. Unfortunately, being a Peace Corps Volunteer (what we call a LEV, or Life Experienced Volunteer at 67 yrs old), I don't have the funds for a new camera. I do have a Nikon SB-400 flash which might not be a problem. The challenge would be getting close enough to use it. Also, the ceiling is high in the auditorium which would not make it practical for bouncing off of.

larkahn

Great idea! Thanks.I'd forgotten about this possibility. It may be difficult to find a monopod where I am (eastern Ukraine); however, I might experiment using my tripod as a monopod by just extending one leg. It's not an expensive tripod but also not overly heavy. Since the events are not that often, it might be doable as a test. Am I correct in assuming that since the monopod may have a little movement, that I should still keep the vibration reduction on, unlike when using a tripod?

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Getting more light on the subject would certainly help. You seem to have a good handle on exposure. I have been surprised at how effective strobes can be, even at a greater distance than I would have thought. The SB-400 claims to be good for 66 feet.

Eddy Vortex

I use my Tripod as a monopod often by extending only 1 leg but I use a Velcro strap to bind all 3 legs together first so that the legs don't go flopping around when I'm rotating on one leg. Works well:)

larkahn

Thanks. I may give this a try, keeping in mind that I don't want to appear to be intrusive.

larkahn

Thanks.

BebuLamar

Since the camera has VR test first and see if it's OK at 1/15 sec. If so use it and keep the ISO not too high.

Robby418 Loc: Brooklyn, New York

The P7800 is a versatile P&S. I believe you can achieve more from the camera before acquiring or crossing over to another. As a suggestion in addition to the monopod if you haven't experimented already.. A shoot manual or speed priority, raw, and your SB400 with a modifier/reflector. You'll be able to keep your ISO tolerable with the now diffused directional lighting. And raw will benefit through post processing.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Take a look at Topaz's DeNoise AI. Its simple to use and works wonders.

larkahn

Thanks. I will eventually look at raw but my question regarding raw is: Comparing in-camera editing and post processing jpeg editing (with something like Photoshop Elements) with post processing raw, will learning raw post processing really reap enough benefits considering the small sensor size?

Actually, I do have a diffuser cap for the sb-400 flash and have considered making a paper one just to see the difference.

larkahn

This looks interesting. Unfortunately, my notebook's integrated Intel GPU is not compatible with DeNoise. It's an older Fujitsu convertible with i5-2520M mobile CPU with the GPU HD graphics 3000. I also only have 8gb RAM but the graphics card is the main limiting factor for even installing DeNoise. I originally bought this computer because it's got a built in Wacom digitizer so I can do editing with the stylus pen it came with. Refurbished with a 1TB HD, it's built like a tank and cost me about $300 in mint condition. I definitely need to consider a future purchase with a stronger graphics capability. I may also see whether it's worth it to buy an external graphics card.

Robby418 Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Indeed! If I remember correctly, I'm a newly septuagenarian 😎, your P7800 came with its own Nikon editing software, NX2 or NXD which may or not have you minimally editing in camera. Secondly, you might consider investing in an articulating head flash, doesn't have to be Nikon ( don't hate Nikonians...I have both 600 & 800 but use the Nissin brand, Di466, for the P7800 and its predecessor P7700). You can see demos on YouTube. If possible, take your P7800 to the camera store to sample the possibilities. Continued good shooting and learning!!!