Lukabulla

Hi,
Was at an event recently .. The light was very poor there.
I used a D300s with SB600 flash on full power .. P mode in Raw .. spot metering .iso 500
I tried Center and Evaluate but the image was too dark
You can see on my pix untold Noise ..

but my friend who was there with his Fuji XT10 with a miniature Flash on top.
He got good well lit shots without noise !!

Have I done something wrong ?
Is it a pitfall of the D300s ?
Is it just ' Hard Cheese ol' Chap ' ?

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

Very hard to discern anything with such small images. If you re-submit and click [] STORE ORIGINAL we could see the full size image.

lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

My experience with the D300 is that it does not do well with low light situations, although I do not find much issue until ISO increases to 800. Nikon has greatly improved in that area and the problem virtually disappeared when I decided to upgrade and expand to full size sensor D800.
Technology improves, one learns the limitations of one's equipment, and noise reduction software exists - - - although if not used judiciously all detail disappears.

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

Well, the X-T10 is a way newer camera with a better sensor and newer processing software.
If you want better low light shots you need to get a newer model camera.

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

Noise is not a function of high ISO. When you understand that raising the ISO is just an electronic compensation (like raising the volume on a stereo) for low light, you can understand that the the signal to noise deteriorates with underexposure. If you were to properly expose your image, then there will be less noise. I successfully took pictures with my D300 with ISO 1600 and sometimes higher, but only when I used shutter speeds and apertures to allow enough light to hit the sensor.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

To follow Gene's point, we could say more about your options in the exposure if you'd stored the originals and we could evaluate the three exposure parameters.

Capn_Dave

Now I am just waiting to read the responses to Genes post.

berchman Loc: South Central PA

It seems that you think your shots are so meritorious that it's necessary to write across the center of them lest someone steal them and sell them for big bucks.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Don't use any mode but Manual with flash. Put flash in TTL mode, ISO at 400, F4.5, 1/200 shutter. The TTL feature will control the light on the subject for proper exposure. The high shutter speed will control and reduce the effect of ambient light. You can change the F stop for DoF or increase the ISO to get a bit more range from the flash. The TTL flash will adjust its output accordingly. I also use a Lite-Scoop on my flash to soften it. Never have a problem with noise in D7000.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I agree that the D300 was not a friendly camera when it came to noise. Sensors in the past, for one reason or another, did not perform to perfection in low light. It is not recommended to use matrix metering indoors, it works much better outdoors as fill-in flash. Center weighted metering does not share very well either. With many cameras when using spot metering the camera reverts to TTL and TTL is precisely what you were supposed to set in camera in flash mode especially when bouncing the light. If you were using manual flash the flash output was fixed to whatever it was set. Program and TTL should work well with the SB-600 and if too dark do not be afraid to raise the ISO speed beyond ISO 500, especially for bouncing. I do not understand what you mean by working the camera flash at full power because the flash except in manual flash mode works automatically increasing or reducing the power within its limits according to the aperture set.
The Fuji XT-10 is a more modern camera than the D300 and has better technology and a better sensor. Flash is useful but it is not the magic light that will get all of the images right. It needs help at times.
The other flash setting is TTL-BL. Use that only outdoors for fill-in.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

First off, the "snap shots" you presented are ok. Don't see anything wrong with them. You shouldn't be too critical of noise when snaps are concerned. If you were doing studio photography, that's a different story. But you aren't, so I wouldn't concern myself. Second, it sure sounds like you could use some better understanding when it comes to using flash. I bet your camera could have done better if you had just simply put it in full auto mode. Same for the flash. Reason I say this is you say your using spot metering. Why? Nobody uses spot metering in an environment like this using flash. No need. If your image was too dark using evaluative or matrix, then you have some of your settings wrong.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

I don't see noise so much as poorly focused images. The reason your friend got such good shots is because his EVF shows a bright image even in poor light, and focusing is more accurate (manually) if you can SEE the image in the viewfinder. You need to get an XT-10. So simple. so controllable and so reliable. It is little , lightweight and not expensive either!

tommystrat Loc: Bigfork, Montana

Why ya gotta be like that?

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

Yes, why? Why do people behave on line in ways they would never attempt face to face?

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind