jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

You want both a camera with good low light performance (see https://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/best-low-light-camera/) and a lens with a wide maximum aperture (such as f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.8).

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

For this play, I sat in the front row and used a Nikon D500 with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. I was quite pleased with the results. However, even in quiet mode, my granddaughter on stage could hear the camera. I may try my Sony a7iii next time with a Sigma 50-100/1.8 lens because that camera is COMPLETELY silent.

(Download)

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

There are a lot of possibilities from a lot of manufacturers. So:

Do you own a camera now? If so what is it and what lenses do you have?
Do you have a press pass or other "in" to the concerts?
What kind of concerts? Classical, rock...?
Do you have a budget?
Are you doing more than posting on social media? (Will you need to provide large prints?)
Do you have a pressing timeline?

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

I agree with the post the Sony a7s II is the king of low light. I own it. The D850 a appears to be an amazing camera but all the Nikons I used over the years could never so what this camera can. I had the D800. Shooting in theaters and events is difficult as best. Producers and managers do not want guest to have access to the show. And photo taking can be distracting for others who have spent a lot of money for the seat. I often wonder why people want to photograph a concert performance. If their is a professional
reason alright. Do you have permission.
I have talked about one of my favorite cameras. The bridge Sony RX10 III. This camera is very good
with a F2.4 24- 600 lens. Something we dont talk about much is the software design of cameras.
This camera seems to have good low light performance. I have had RX100 cameras I own the Mark 4 now
seems to have that magic trick. Honestly I am not sure why certain cameras adjust to low light well.
Obviously we must be losing some quality but have not had a problem with the look.
The one thing I need at an event is reach and wide. It has to be a zoom. Good luck.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Oh. I forgot to say Welcome to the Hog!

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Welcome. You didn't state what kind of concert. I might choose differently for a rock concert than for, say, a violin recital.

I do not agree with some of the suggestions you've received. We here tend to be rather opinionated and we often defer to our own brand rather than recommend what we know would be best, so keep that in mind.

I suggest you take a look at DxOMark camera sensor scores, paying particular attention to the "sports" column. You can read up on what all the numbers mean (DxO has a page explaining them), but for good low-noise performance in low light, the sports score is what you should consider primarily. Another possible consideration might be silent shutter, depending again on what you are shooting (this is not something DxO rates, however).

Lens choice is also a consideration, but I would not put that first. It really is on par with camera choice (lipstick on a pig and all). You'll want a fast lens, which means a lens with a large max aperture (which means low f-stop number). A lens with at least f/2.8 at the length you'll be shooting is a good bet. Keep in mind that many zooms have a variable aperture, meaning that at the widest zoom angle it might be f/2.8, but at its longest, it might be an f/5.6.

Here's a link to the DxOMark page with all cameras 2010-on ranked by low light performance: https://www.dxomark.com/cameras/launched-between-2010-and-2018/launch_price-from-0-to-45200-usd#hideAdvancedOptions=false&viewMode=list&yDataType=rankLln

canon Lee

HI Jim. Foucs on the lens. It's all about using the right lens. The camera body is by todays standards all equal in functions. Learn what a "fast lens" is! learn what "focal length" is! learn what a "prime" lens is! Learn what a "fixed aperture" does! To get the best photos you will need more than one lens.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Pixel 3 smart phone. Please don't be offended as this is just my opinion and you asked for it.

You may not be able to get in with a serious looking camera and the fact you are asking is an indication of you skill level.

davidb1879

Re: mpdallen "best camera." I own a panasonic lumix FZ 300 and I love it for many reasons. However, in low light you will have to up the ISO. Depending on how large you print the images, noise may occur. To a large extent noise can be eliminated in post processing, but if they permit it I would use a DSLR with a full frame sensor and a fast lens. If this is a one occasion shoot, then you might consider renting the equipment. Davidb1879.

davidb1879

Re: mpdallen "best camera." I own a panasonic lumix FZ 300 and I love it for many reasons. However, in low light you will have to up the ISO. Depending on how large you print the images, noise may occur. To a large extent noise can be eliminated in post processing, but if they permit it I would use a DSLR with a full frame sensor and a fast lens. If this is a one occasion shoot, then you might consider renting the equipment. Davidb1879.

tdekany Loc: Oregon

Which camera takes the best highest iso, lowest noise photos that is better than the A7sII? Thank you.

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

The a7S, a7iii, a7Riii, a9... A bunch do. Follow the link I posted. The a7Sii is ranked 13th overall (11th if you exclude medium format).

Don't get me wrong -- the Sii is an excellent low-light performer, but not quite as good as several others (although the top dozen are so close we probably couldn't tell any difference).

Here's that link again: https://www.dxomark.com/cameras/launched-between-2010-and-2018/launch_price-from-0-to-45200-usd#hideAdvancedOptions=false&viewMode=list&yDataType=rankLln

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Stage productions are illuminated so if you can see the stage action, so can your camera. The only thing a flash would do is to illuminate the backs of the audience heads in front of you

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Some have remarked that the theater will block you from using a camera. The main reason is the copyright rights of the production, the choreography, the performers, and everything else on stage. They would block cellphones if they were obvious enough to be noticeable. I have read that some producers have tried monitoring sites like Facebook, Instagram, etc to discover illegal use of copyrightable material.Everone on stage deserves to be paid for whatever benefits that flow from their work. No?

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Provided you can get access with the camera of your choice....It's actually pretty easy to shoot stage performances. The lighting is usually a lot brighter than you think... Often more than adequate for autofocus and images with shutter speeds fast enough to stop motion, without having to use ridiculously high ISOs that spoil image quality. Super large aperture lenses may not be needed, either.

Many mirrorless cameras can shoot silently because they use an electronic shutter, instead of the mechanical shutter and moving mirror as used by DSLRs and the source of most of the noise those cameras make.

Next question is focusing... and the efficiency of that depends upon both camera and lens.

Based on the above, a truly superb setup would be the Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless camera. The EOS R can shoot absolutely silently. Set the camera to AI Servo continuous focus mode for silent operation... in One Shot focus mode for stationary subjects the camera emits a "beep" when focus is achieved, but that also can be turned off for silent operation. Image Stabilization also emits a little noise, but that and the noise of the USM drive are only noticeable when really close to the camera.

Further, the EOS R can focus in as low light as -6 EV (starlight). This is 3 stops lower light than most DSLRs can do and 5 or 6 stops lower than some of them.

In addition, the EOS R's metering system is good to -3 EV (moonlight). That's also 2 or 3 stops lower than the metering systems of most DSLRs.

Shooting in a theater, another advantage of most mirrorless is that they have an electronic viewfinder, which can be set to assist seeing to compose and shoot in even very low light conditions. The optical viewfinders DSLRs use rely upon ambient light, so cannot function this way. The downside to electronic viewfinders is that they draw power continuously while in use. For this reason, most mirrorless cameras can only take about half as many shots per battery charge as a similar DSLR can take. There is a battery grip available for the EOS R, which allows use of two batteries, as well as providing a secondary set of controls that are useful for shooting with the camera in vertical/portrait orientation

The "kit" lens offered with the EOS R is the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. That would probably be adequate for most stage lighting. And USM or "ultrasonic motor" focus drive is extremely fast and nearly silent.

For truly low light conditions, there are also RF 28-70mm f/2L USM and RF 50mm f/1.2L lenses. Those are sold separately, instead of being offered in kit with the camera. The 28-70mm is the first zoom in this range to offer f/2.0 max aperture (others are f/2.8 at best).

The EOS R with 24-105mm kit lens costs $3400 (body alone costs $2300).
The BG-E22 battery grip for the EOS R costs $400.
Additional LP-E6N batteries for the the camera cost $64 each.
RF 28-70mm f/2L USM lens costs $3000
RF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens costs $2300

There are also adapters that allow Canon EF lenses (DSLR) to be used on the EOS R. There are currently around 60 EF lenses ranging from 11mm to 800mm. Canon themselves offer choice of three adapters: a plain one for $99, another with a control ring that can be programmed for different functions for $199, and a drop-in filter versions with either polarizer ($299) or variable ND filter ($399). According to Canon, there is no loss of performance adapting EF lenses. There are other manufacturers starting to offer lens adapters for the camera, too.