photography gurus - need some advice
 

I am so excited that I got the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 for my birthday. It is really sweet, though I find I'm stepping forward more after using the 50mm for 9 months now. I'm used to a tight crop, but glad to be able to get more than 1 person in a shot now.

So here's my issue and I feel really dumb. My low light photos are sucking - as in too much noise and often out of focus faces. Technically, I understand why. I'm using Program Auto + Auto Focus, so the aperture shoots to the max (smallest number), the ISO bumps up and the shutter speed compensates to those values. I get it, the depth of field is too shallow, the ISO is too high.

I'm not talking super low light concerts - just indoors somewhere, at night or without much natural light. For the most part, the exposure is great - not too light or dark - but I'm not getting anything that resembles "crisp".

I've experimented with manual focus and that seems to help a little, but often times I don't have time for manual, so I need to rely on a quicker change of numbers.

Do you have a rule of thumb for your indoor shots where you don't want the DoF to be too shallow?

In using the calculator on this page, I think I would need to bump up to 2.8 to get one face clear and 4 to get 2. (They always say aperture = 2x the people, right?) But then what's the benefit of having the 1.4 if only taking a photo of a domino on a table is going to benefit. I think I am missing something.

Edited to add - this problem was noticed mostly with the 50mm f/1.8 lens. According to the calculator I linked above, the problem should be less so with the 30mm lens. I haven't shot enough with the new lens to compare.

the benefit of having the wider lens is the fact that the lens shoots best at 2 full stops smaller than it's widest setting so for a f/1.4 that would be at f/2.8 for getting the most crisp focus.... So, even though I have a 50mm 1.4 I usually keep the aperture set to 2.8. So for the kit lens, it would be f/7+ which would be impossible to get an indoor picture with. At 50mm I usually only shoot one kid at a time so 2.8 works for me. I usually have to bump up the ISO unless I'm near the patio door... so a lot of times I drag my kids to the dining room to play whenever I want to take pictures of them in natural light. Otherwise for indoors I usually have my external flash on and bounce the light. I have vaulted ceilings so I have to bounce the light at a wall behind me instead of the ceiling.

I would try switching from Program mode to Aperture priority mode and maybe change your ISO setting to auto and see if that helps.

Oh girl, I have no advise but I am watching this thread for answers with you! :)
I am attending a photo school on vday weekend. If we don't have answers by then, I will ask and let you know! :)

Tara

This has always been my biggest problem. And I'm still looking for help, even after taking a couple classes. :unsure:

Well I'm not a photography guru but since I use the Sigma, I'll share what I do.

I know you mentioned you shoot in program mode...do you know what shutter speed you're usually at? Is it possible it's too low and that's why the photos aren't crisp more so than just the aperture?

I usually shoot using auto focus in aperture mode. Indoors in low light, I always start with at an aperture of 1.8. Then I keep an eye on the shutter speed and adjust the ISO to keep it at the level I need to handhold the camera. I try to keep my shutter speed above 1/80 but I've gotten decent shots as low as 1/30. I know a lot of people might not do this, but I'm not afraid to bump my ISO up all the way to 1600 on my Rebel XT. Yes, it'll get you more grain, but I'd rather get a clean shot with grain than a blurry shot. I almost never shoot at 1.4 unless it's really really dark.

As far as focus, in low light you really want to focus on an area of contrast - some kind of edge or point where the camera can really lock in the focus. If it's hunting around a lot, I usually try focusing on something slightly different.

The thing with low-light shooting is that it's always going to require a tradeoff. Either you embrace a smaller dof or you accept more grain. There's only so much magic the settings in your camera can do. Stepping back from your subject will increase the DOF too but that won't help if you're dead set on getting a cropped in shot. I usually just embrace low-light for what it is and just accept that I won't have as many options as I would during the day. Think of it as an opportunity to get creative with your DOF. :D

If you're really wanting to use higher apertures, you might just need to get more light, either within your house or by using an external flash so you can bounce the light around. I don't use a flash so I can't offer advice on that but I know others here do. A tripod may help as well but I don't have one of those either, haha.

Like I said, I'm no expert so I'm sure someone else may have better advice, but this is what works for me.

Heather - that tip about a lens being sharpest two full stops closed, that's very helpful, thanks!

Lynnette - your question about shutter speed I think was right on. i compared some images that were taken during the day indoors vs at night indoors, in the same house, both with the 50mm lens. the day time shots were usually f/2 - f/2.2 with a shutter speed of 1/50-1/60 and an ISO of 200. no grain in any of these obviously, but i'm not happy with the crispness here either.. i think that is the DoF issue (but according to Heather's tip, that means the 'nifty fifty' is sharpest at f/4?).

then nighttime shots, those were all at f/1.8 (a few at f/2), ISO 800 and 1/40 to as slow as 1/15 (eek!). so the lack of focus is hand shake blur definitely. i guess a speedlight is next on my wish list.

I have the same lens and struggle with the same issues in my house. Since it's cold here right now most of my shooting happens in the house. The day time isn't so bad but even early evening can drive me insane. I decided Tuesday to just bite the bullet and buy a speedlight so I am hoping this will help although now it just adds one more thing to learn to my already growing list.

A general rule of thumb for shutter speed is to not go below the length of the focal length of the lens. So for the 30mm on a crop body you wouldn't want to go below 1/(30x1.6)=1/48 or basically 1/50. It's not a hard and fast rule but it's a good place to start in determining whether you're on the right track. I think some of it is really just practice because I know I manage to get low-light shots now that I probably wouldn't have when I first started out.

Speedlights are easy. Attach it, turn it on, and shoot. Stick the head up towards the ceiling, and you're done.

I do NOTHING with my speedlight, except as above, and my shots are 543543654x better indoors in the winter at night.

Thanks all! I'm going to a blogging conference next week (Blissdom) and I really want to take some great photos.

BTW, I went over to the DPS forum (not that impressed - its all men!), and I heard the 30mm f/1.4 nicknamed the "dirty thirty". LOL!

That sounds easy enough. Thanks Col! I did order a how to book with it. I would love to eventually get into some OCF so we'll see where it all goes. I am so excited now to get it. It's supposed to be here Saturday and I can't wait.

I pretty much always have to use my speedlight indoors to get a decent photo cause the lighting in our house is just awful, and I agree with Col they are super easy to use! I have the 430EXII so I just set it to ETTL (Auto mode) and point it whichever direction I want the flash bounced. Oh I also recommend getting some good rechargeable batteries for it otherwise you'll go through batteries like crazy if you use it a lot :)

Just wanted to update that I got my speedlite and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I have no idea how I lived without it this long. I have been frustrated to no end for years with my indoor shots and this thing has made a world of difference.

YAY!

Ditto! I adore my speed light!