djet Loc: Burbank, CA

No problem at all. Do your stuff.

EJMcD

Amen Larry. I never recall ever shooting anything at ISO 32,000, If I did it was most likely a mistake. I guess it might be somewhat useful for nighttime surveillance work.

EJMcD

Here it is. Just a quick and easy minor improvement. There are probably others with better editing skills than I. Unfortunately, we can't have Leonardo come back for a touch up to his original work.

10MPlayer Loc: California

Here's an example of what I was trying to say. I had to shoot the image from the side and below. I straightened it and adjusted the transform setting to make it square. It was quite dark in the room with the paintings nicely lighted with museum quality lighting. My camera is a few years old but it still makes nice images. I can't blame my lack of enthusiasm for my images on the camera. It's just that the difference between seeing a beautiful Ruebens painting up close in the museum and seeing a processed photo of it is huge. I'm sure a better photographer with better equipment could do a better job. But even a skilled pro can't bring out the beauty comparable to seeing it in person.

Years ago we went to an impressionist show in Portland, ME and I was blown away by the brightness of the colors and detail in the brush strokes, seeing the artist's works in person. We saw paintings we knew and had seen printed in magazines for most of our lives but until we saw them in person we had no idea how much a magazine photo leaves behind.

My point is, I would rather enjoy the paintings in the moment than spend my time in the museum trying to get the best angle for a photo. That's me. Plus there's the problem of trying to work around other museum visitors who are usually oblivious to you, especially the ones holding up their iPads while their friends mug for the camera, trying to get themselves and the painting in the frame. I gave up when I was trying to get a picture of the Mona Lisa a few years ago and large crowds of tourists were do that. Again, that's me. Maybe you are more patient and maybe it means a lot more to you to get that image captured. I don't have the patience.

original image

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post processed image

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EJMcD

Museums are always a gamble and a challenge. You never know how many people choose to go on the same day as you. My policy is to always get there a half hour before the doors open and I never go on a weekend. If you move quick when they open and you know exactly what you want to photograph and where it is located, you've got a good chance of getting a fine image.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You're probably right. That high an ISO is unusual. I needed it to minimize the twitchy behavior of a nervous little bird. However, with a D500 and some care post processing you should be fine. There is a camera category that is notoriously bad at high ISO - those with 1" sensors.

However, it is possible to get decent results, shooting raw and with a little care in post processing.

This image was taken with a Sony RX10M4, 1" sensor. 1/60, F3.5, ISO 6400. It was noisy, but detail retention was decent. Processed as a raw file in Capture One, so if your light level is at least EV3.5 or higher, you shouldn't have any issues with the D500.

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(Download)

EJMcD

I know my D5 is not affordable nor desirable by everyone but I gotta tell ya, it sees well in the dark.

twowindsbear

Google says:

Dimensions: 15′ 1″ x 29′ 0

EJMcD

WOW...if I were planning to photograph it, I'd bring along my 14-24mm.

EJMcD

djet: One more time. For the benefit of the OP please tell us as much as you can about how you took the image of the original painting....camera, lens focal length, ISO, SS, Aperture. distance to the wall, etc.

Hip Coyote

We think alike. Like you, my wife and I travel quite a bit. I rarely take photos of a single piece of art. One can easily just get a post card. In fact we buy them just for that purpose.

I will take photos of people enjoying art or perhaps a different perspective of an entire art installation that would not be available. But a single hanging piece of art? Nope.

Continuing in the contrarian theme, I use m43 gear. With excellent IBIS and a rather fast lens, I can shoot relatively low ISOs and do quite ok. The point being one can hand hold an IBIS camera for up (and sometimes more) than a second. Add to that de-noise programs and the photos turn out ok.

I prefer people to be in my photographs...so why not try some longer exposure stuff indoors? To me, a painting on a wall (other peoples' work) is just not something I would want to shoot...but include people in that and its different. IMO, the point is to try to see what other people do not rather than seeing what everyone else sees. I included a few examples.

Finally, leave the tripods home. No museum, church or anywhere else except maybe a garden somewhere is going to allow it. Its only common sense. You are not going to have time, the crowds dont want to deal with it, the docents dont want to deal with it and if you are in a group, they dont want to deal with it. You will find that you walk a lot in Europe...so just take a camera. I know I am kinda preachy on this...but strong opinions! Cheers and happy shooting.

ISO 800, 0.8 second SS, f4 (m43)


ISO 200, 1/6 second SS, f4


ISO 200, 1/2 second ss, f6.7 (to reduce the light but keep ISO low.)

louparker Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

Just so you know, it's "Milan" in English and "Milano" in Italian -- not "Malan."

EJMcD

Yeah, that's why they make chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and sometimes neopolitan for those who can't make up their mind. We all get to choose what we like to do and spend our money as we see fit.
I'm pretty sure we've established a tripod is not a viable option. Personally, I don't know of any Art Museum that would permit the visiting public to set up a tripod. If they did, it certainly wouldn't hold the camera still because everyone would be tripping over it.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Ray, the big question is, considering the restrictions, why do you feel a need to photograph this artwork. I should think just the thrill of being there and seeing it would provide a lifetime of great memories. If you need to bring home a photograph, why not just purchase a postcard? Perhaps I'm just being too practical.
--Bob

Hip Coyote