foxfirerodandgun Loc: Stony Creek, VA

I have been asked to take pictures of a wedding rehearsal dinner at a local eatery and would like some suggestions on settings. I'll be using a Nikon D7200 with a choice of two kit lens, AF-S 1:4-5:6G, 55-200mm and/or, AF-S 18-70mm 1:3-4:5G. I don't plan to use my SB-800 flash unit and really don't want to use the pop up flash either unless absolutely necessary. My initial thoughts are:

1) Auto ISO
2) Aperture priority

or possibly

1) ISO 1000 to 1600
2) f/5.6 to f/11

It will be at night and the room will be low light and possibly with candles. I'm not sure if it will be florescent or tungsten lighting. I try to stay away from this type of photography due to some miserable results in the past. But this is for my son & his family so I really don't have a choice. Any & all suggestions are welcomed. "Pops" bacon is kind of on the line here.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

If the bacon is involved, is it too late to rent an f/2.8 lens for the event? If you don't want to use flash (a questionable decision), you should expect to need to be between f/2.8 and f/4, something neither of your lenses allows for. Limiting the ideas to your two approaches and no new equipment, assure you set a minimum shutter speed, say at 1/60, so the camera doesn't drop the shutter too slow in Aperture priority. You can probably go slower for VR-enabled lenses, but you need to consider subject movement as well.

ClarkG Loc: Southern Indiana USA

I think a flash will be undoubtedly needed! If you don’t have an external flash (that would be best), you need to buy a Gary Fong “Puffer” flash diffuser that does a very good job diffusing and softening the pop up flash. It fits into your existing hot shoe. They’re about $25. I think it’s www.garyfong.com ? If that’s wrong, Google Gary Fong Puffer. You’ll love this diffuser!

ClarkG Loc: Southern Indiana USA

I just Googled “Gary Fong Puffer” and they’re only $18.95 and you can get it thru Amazon, B&H Photo, and Adorama.

kmpankopf Loc: Mid-Michigan; SW Pennsylvania

Practice, practice, practice. Can you find somewhere, like basement, with low light and see what you can live with? On my D7200, I can go ISO 800 without issue, but anything higher needs some TLC. I have the software for that - do you? Would help a lot. I would also revisit the flash decision. The SB is a nice unit and there are many options outside of using the flash straight on. Bounce it! Last wedding I was invited to, the hired shooters used flash. They used a bounce card. Not painful. Again practice. I think showing up, even as a favor, without having some idea of how to attack or experience with this is not fair to everyone including you.

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

Use a flash and only bounce lighting. You may want to kick up the ISO to 1600 or higher, so that you can get some ambient light. Consider attaching color correcting gels to your speedlight per this website:

https://fstoppers.com/strobe-light/how-color-match-strobes-any-lighting-condition-8076

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

The way you specified the lenses, taking all the information down from the front element, as well as your general questions, gives me the impression you may not be knowledgeable about the exposure triangle, have a clear idea of the effect of changing apertures, or the importance of wide apertures in low light. You also didn't indicate the mode you normally should in. If you lack a clear understanding of the exposure triangle and a good working knowledge of when and how to adjust shutter speed, aperture and ISO in varying lighting conditions, than keep the camera in P mode and use the SB800 as a bounce light for EVERY shot. Put your effort into composition.

Neither of the lenses you have are likely to give you very usable results at night with very low lighting, especially candle light without a flash. You will probably have to shoot at ISO 6400 or above meaning lots of noise, and/or keep the shutter speed low, meaning the likelihood of images that are not sharp or even blurry. Your camera is fine for the event, your lenses are not. If you can beg or borrow a fast 35mm f/1.8, or f/1.4 lens, that would probably work well in your situation. You will have to zoom with your feet. Just remember, if you shoot a fast f/1.8 or f/1.4 lens with the aperture wide open, the depth of field will be shallow. Plan group pictures accordingly.

We can only guess about the actual amount of ambient light that will be available. Regardless of the lenses you use, bring the flash with you. You can always choose not to use it, but you will regret it if your don't have it with you.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Your lenses are slow aperture wise and you will have to use slow shutter speeds and quite high iso if you don’t use a speedlite. Given your situation I would plan to use the speedlite.

SkyKing Loc: Thompson Ridge, NY

...the lenses you have are too slow for this type of event...you either need to use flash or get a faster lens...we have photographers on this site complaining about camera performance using f2.8 in low light conditions...neither of your lenses can compete without a flash...you can get an af-s 50mm 1.8 G lens for under 200 dollars at Amazon in 2 days if you don’t want to use flash...

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

I would steer clear of any flash modifiers for speedlights or popup flashes. They don't really help soften the light, and they will reduce output from 2-3 stops, which will eat batteries and increase recycle times. The quality of the light (soft vs hard) is entirely dependent on the "size" of the light - or put another way, from the point of view of the subject, how large the light appears to be. Small flash modifiers do not make the light any bigger, and nearly all I have used suck up light. If I am able to put the light close up to the subject, say a couple of feet or so, something like a Rogue Flashbender 2 XL can do a decent job, as will the Better Bounce Card XL - as long as you don't get the light more than 5 ft away from the subject. Smaller lights will give you harsh deep shadows, while larger lights will give you great soft shadows which are very flattering, especially for women. I have always gotten better results when I bounce the light away from the subject, like a ceiling, wall, or large person wearing white clothing.

Look at these sites for some tips.

https://neilvn.com/tangents/wedding-photography-tutorials/

https://strobist.blogspot.com/

But there is a lot more to doing what you are planning than just setting the camera up with some settings that might work. If you're starting to smell the bacon b\frying, then be a good Pops and hire someone who is more comfortable, preferably someone who has done this sort of shooting before. It may cost you a few $$$, but your bacon will remain intact after the event.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Bright primes are what most would recommend. Renting may be a possibility if you don't want to spend a lot.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Your lenses are too slow to not use the SB800, which is a fine flash and will work flawlessly with your D7200. I shot weddings with a pair of them for a decade and they will do the job for you.

twowindsbear

The solution is extremely simple:

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL!!

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

The biggest problem you are likely to face is that you have no control over where the ambient light is coming from relative to the faces of the guests and participants. The second problem is that you have no control over its color. That's also true if you bounce the flash. The third is that there probably won't be nearly as much of it as you would like.

Your SB-800 came with a diffusion dome. It works very nicely, preserves full automation and communication between the camera and flash, and will produce very nice images, even if not quite the same as off-camera flash. Now is not the time to be trying to learn some completely new and fancy techniques. You will just be nervous, which will make your subjects nervous, and end up disappointing both you and them.

So use what you know, have fun at the event, interact with everyone, since it sounds like you will know many or most of them, and have a great time. Don't worry and don't stress.

If you decide you want to do something like this again, you can approach it with understanding and learn what new techniques you want to learn then.

Low Budget Dave

To capture the image properly using your wide lens at F3.4, and 1/60, you will most likely need ISO 12,800 or higher. If you use a tripod, and get people to sit really still, you can move the shutter speed down to 1/30, which will bring your ISO down to (about) 6400, which is still pretty high, but usable.

But remember that every assignment is an opportunity to buy a new lens. The key to shooting by candlelight is fast glass, and in this case, the Nikon 35mm F1.8 DX is less than $200, and will allow you to (roughly) cut those ISO numbers in half.

I recommend buying the lens and bringing also the SB-800 flash just in case. You can always crank the power down, and point the flash at the ceiling. It is better to have a few photos come out that don't emphasize the candles than to have no pictures come out at all.

I also recommend that you spend a few hours ahead of time testing the different settings, in full manual, so you know what you are getting. If the restaurant won't let you test, then set up a bunch of candles at home and test there. Under no circumstances should you be testing out the settings once the dinner has started.