IDguy Loc: Idaho

Preparing for grandson’s birthday tomorrow. Considering which camera and lens to take. Would appreciate ideas to help my decision. I will take only one camera and lens so as to focus on the event and not camera fussing. Party will be indoors in relatively bright house.

Camera choice is Z6 or Z50.

I have an SB700 flash. I used it with Z6 and Z 14-30 at recent party for one son. I wasn’t happy with results I achieved. Lighting and perspectives unsat. I don’t want to use it this time.

Lens choices include Z 14-30 (f4), Z DX 16-50 VR (f3.5-6.3), Sigma F DX 17-50 VR (f 2.8) with FTZ, Z 24-200 VR (f 4-6.3).

I am leaning towards Z50 w Sigma f2.8 VR 17-50 with ISO fixed at 400. It gets bulky and heavy with FTZ but that isn’t much of a concern for indoors. Z 50 pretty noiseless at ISO 400.

ELNikkor

Go with your leaning. I would not even use the SB 700, just the camera flash set to -1, IS0 1600, 1/60 shutter speed.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

If you feel comfortable with Z50 w Sigma f2.8 VR 17-50 with ISO fixed at 400.Go For it.

Paul Diamond Loc: Atlanta, GA, USA

Two problems as you shoot wider than 35mm/28mm/24mm -
1) Distortion of people/walls/etc. nearer the sides of the field of the image.
2) Rarely does anyone have a flash unit that will evenly cover a wide angle field of view. Even if you bounce the light off the ceiling or a card on the flash, coverage of a very/extra wide field of view is a likely problem.

Wedding photographers have made the Nikon 24-70 zoom very successful as the wedding/group lens of choice.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Thanks. Yes, those were my issues with using 14-30 and flash.

I sold my 24-70 after getting the 24-200. It takes equal quality images but doesn’t maintain the f4 minimum fstop. I won’t need a range beyond 50 mm on FX for this application.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

The Z50 starts getting noisy at ISO 1600.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

If it was me, I would use the Sigma (can't believe I am saying this) and do the following with your flash.
Turn the flash so it aims behind you and up 45 degrees. Shoot on the camera in manual and leave the flash on TTL, play in your house lighting using this combo and adjust your shutter speed (I like to use 1/30 to 1/60 sec. and adjust your ISO and f stop ( I like to stop down 2 stops) so adjust the ISO until you get good exposures, then your set.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

Pistnbroke Loc: UK

If that flash was on a D850 or similar the iso would go to 4x the base iso as soon as you turn the flash on. I use base iso 200 giving iso to 800 and shoot at f5.6 with the 14-xx lens Make sure the flash programme is on FP 250 or whatever is highest. Point the flash directly at the subject. Remember a flash photo has two light sources, the ambient and the flash, you don't want the flash to overpower the ambient. Test and compensate with + or - before you go . Never had a problem at hundreds of weddings. I only use a SB400 for even the biggest venues.

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

I would go before the party and try out Bill's advice on the Z6. See if you are comfortable and it works for you. I would also try out without the flash and see where your ISO goes in Auto ISO.
On another note...we have 'communicated' regarding the 24-200 recently. I just got mine..but kept the 24-70 f/4, for just this reason. I'm not sure how it will actually compare to the 24-200 (35-70 range) indoors; but will test this out..eventually.
Have fun!

User ID

Any of those combinations would work about equally well. Being lazy, I would definitely just assemble the smallest possible outfit.

For more challenging projects you might need to fuss over choosing the right kit ... but a birthday party ? Piece of cake !

User ID

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

I'd suggest that the lighting issues you had with the flash was likely because you didn't use ceilings and walls for bounce. I would not rely on using any lens in that setting wide open, because of lack of depth of field. Getting comfortable wtih the SB700 in bounce mode will make a huge improvement in the lighting.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

Lots of good advice here. Two things stuck out for me. I wouldn't even bring a flash. Unless the parties in a dark room you shouldn't need it and usually it makes the light garish, boring and annoying to those being flashed. Also, ISO 400 won't do it if you are inside. Don't be afraid of 1600 (or whatever you need.) The worry about noise is always over rated here. It's not really an issue with modern cameras and mostly caused by under exposure anyway. Shoot at whatever setting it takes to get the exposure right then shoot for expression and composition.
...Cam

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Good afternoon!

I'm sure that the birthday party is over by now, but for future events, I'd like to recommend that you take some time to study Section E of the manual that came with your SB-700. It discusses four options that will help you address flash situations like you encountered today.

The first is the discussion of illumination patterns that begins on page E-3. Your flash is capable of three patterns...Normal, Center Weighted, and Even. They determine whether there is some natural falloff from the center of the frame, enhanced falloff (to subdue backgrounds in portraits, for example), and Even (which seeks to eliminate lighting falloff). You have to read carefully, because these options have differing limits of effectiveness at the wide end, and they are spelled out in the manual.

The second is the built-in bounce card, which is built into the flash above the window and simply pulls out to use. It is discussed on page E-12. I don't use this option very much, because it seems to cost too much light, and it can be difficult to estimate just what color of light is going to come back from ceilings and walls to the subject.

The third is the built-in flip-down Wide Panel, discussed on pages E-14 & 15. I find this a very good and easy to use option which produces quite predictable results. It disperses light from the flash to cover various extreme wide angle focal lengths. Coverage is tied to the light pattern that you have selected, so you have to pay attention to that.

Finally, don't forget the diffusion dome that came with your flash. Instructions are on pages E-9 and E-10. You can use the dome with the head in either a 'bounce' orientation (usually around 45 degrees) or facing directly forward. I frequently use this approach, usually with a head-on orientation. The dome will spread the light, soften any shadows, and also significantly improve the overall characteristics of the light from the flash, even when not used at a bounce angle.

I also use a Custom Brackets CB Junior to get my flash off the camera by almost a foot (in either portrait or landscape mode), but since the original owner's kids have taken over the company, I don't know that this model is still being produced, but some used ones are still available occasionally. A lot of what is currently made is bigger and heavier, it seems to me.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Well the lens choice was OK. But my experimenting with other settings led to another disappointment. I do much better with my usual settings.

A major problem was using matrix metering and fixing the ISO. It led to low shutter speeds even though I kept aperture low. The VR on the Sigma lens was’t up to it and there was subject movement.

I tried one of the area focus modes. I won’t do that again.

The lighting was difficult because it was very bright outside. Combined with matrix metering people exposures weren’t great.

I tried using jpeg since it was just people pictures. That severely limited my ability to adjust for the above. Back to RAW.