Gone from film to digital and need help!

[ccbtoddlvsdisney]

Could someone please help me? We are leaving in a week for DW and I have been online researching how to take good photos at DW, but all the talk about shutter speeds and aperatures has got my head spinning. I have a Digital Nikon D80 with a 18-55mm lens, a 70-300mm lens & a 28-100mm lens that I use from my Nikon N65 35mm film camera. I need specifics on how to get good photos of the shows you can't use the flash in like the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I know also on some rides you can't use your flash so what's the best settings for those. Also, can I use my flash at the Christmas show in the Galaxy Place Theater? Should I just go and take pictures and pray for the best or really concentrate on the quality and miss out on the opportunity to have a fun time. I'm really stressing out about this. This will be the last trip we make for a few years and we've not been when it's been decorated for Christmas before and I want to make sure I get a lot of good photos. Please help!

 

[spinetnglr]

Try the Sticky at the top of the threads page titled Equipment Recommendations / Photo Techniques there are links in the first post on tips for fireworks, indoor shows, parades etc.

 

[ccbtoddlvsdisney]

Thank you so much. This will be such a great help. I might have found it if I wasn't so frustrated!

 

[spinetnglr]

Your welcome. I have read thru all Mark Barbieri's tip threads more than once . There is lots of practical first hand tips there from the people who post here often. Have a great trip!!!

 

[ukcatfan]

Do you have the ability to pick up the 50mm f/1.8 before your trip? I no not use Nikon, but I believe it is around $100-125. That would be a nice low cost lens for the low light situations. I doubt you will need your old lens at all. You have the entire range covered already. I would save the weight and leave it at home.

 

[boBQuincy]

The best settings for dark areas are: highest ISO your camera can do without excessive noise; widest aperture your lens can go to (Av mode or whatever Nikon calls it).

This will give the fastest shutter speed you can get under the circumstances. A monopod or tripod will usually help a lot.

 

[seashoreCM]

By the way, the same rules apply to digital as apply to film, including the use of ISO settings and the generality that the higher the ISO, the grainier the picture. (DSLR's tend to have less grain for same ISO compared with point-and-shoots.)

A super fast lens is very desirable for low light or nighttime or indoor photography. Go for the F/1.8 if you can. In turn these fast lenses opened to maximum aperture need accurate manual focusing.

Get up close. The more zoom you need to use, the smaller the effective maximum aperture.

When both you and the subject are perfectly still, a not-so-fast lens together with a tripod works well too. Focusing does not have to be that accurate and in the F/8.0 or smaller aperture range you can get material at a range of distances in reasonable focus at the same time.

As far as being serious about photography goes, you'll have to choose between that and just taking in and enjoying the park.