Need Suggestions for shooting theater...

[majimikate]

Hi all,

I need a little help with shooting my son's high school theater production. I will be shooting from a dark room (the gym) and cannot use the flash and I'm trying to capture movement (dancing etc). I'm shooting with a Canon digital Rebel XT and would like suggestions for settings...all of them

I tried several modes and got lots of blur...all help will be much appreciated!!

Thanks for all your help!!

Chris

 

[Steve's Girl]

Hi all,

I need a little help with shooting my son's high school theater production. I will be shooting from a dark room (the gym) and cannot use the flash and I'm trying to capture movement (dancing etc). I'm shooting with a Canon digital Rebel XT and would like suggestions for settings...all of them

I tried several modes and got lots of blur...all help will be much appreciated!!

Thanks for all your help!!

Chris

I am definitely no expert - quite the oposite, actually. But my fist questions would be:

1. Are you using a tripod?

2. What lens are you using? Particularly what is the aperature range for the lens?

3. What ISO are you using?

A tripod combined with a fast lens and high ISO will move you in the right direction. Others will be able to give you much better technical info.

 

[boBQuincy]

If your camera is set to any of the "easy" modes it may be limited to 400 ISO. Try the Av setting, set the ISO to 1600, and the lens to wide open. This will give you the fastest shutter speed possible for the conditions.

A faster lens will help a lot. A monopod or tripod will help if the source of the blur is camera movement, if it is subject movement only the faster lens will help.

 

[tinksdad]

Boy, those venues are tough!! Our daughter dances and I've gotten very few "good" pictures in that type of conditions.

Bob's nailed it as good as it gets. Tripod, high ISO and the fastest lens you can get. f/2.8 or better!!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Phew! I'm glad I took the time to open this. From the title I thought it was some crazy John Wilkes Booth thing.

As stated before, for static shots, a tripod is invaluable. For shots involving moving subjects, there is no substitute for higher shutter speeds. The shutter speed required will vary depending upon the focal length of the lens, the distance of the subject, and how much it is moving. I would suggest shooting at your highest ISO and setting the aperture on your lens as wide as possible. Having lenses with wide maximum apertures helps a lot.

 

[terryX]

I used the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens for this shot. I need to go back to my history settings but I want to say it was at 800 or 1600 ISO. Hand held.

DCA Hyperion Theater.

 

[majimikate]

Okay, sorry I forgot that all important other info...

Yes, I'll be using a tripod, I do not want to shoot in any auto mode, most likely (and I was afraid that this was the problem) I'll be using a Canon 75-300 IS f4-5.6 lens (I need the reach to get any individual actors) which is too slow of a lens....I sort of knew that but I was still hoping

I do have a 50mm f1.8 which I could probably try if I can get close enough to the stage...any and all suggestions are appreciated!!

Thanks so much for all your help!!

Chris

 

[MICKEY88]

Okay, sorry I forgot that all important other info...

Yes, I'll be using a tripod, I do not want to shoot in any auto mode, most likely (and I was afraid that this was the problem) I'll be using a Canon 75-300 IS f4-5.6 lens (I need the reach to get any individual actors) which is too slow of a lens....I sort of knew that but I was still hoping

I do have a 50mm f1.8 which I could probably try if I can get close enough to the stage...any and all suggestions are appreciated!!

Thanks so much for all your help!!

Chris

do what I do, cheat...

ask the theater advisor if you can shoot the dress rehearsal, using flash and offer them a disk of pictures, I've done this the past few years at our high school and I also make a slide show, and they show it in the auditorium and out in the hall, before the actual show,,, they are happy and I get great pictures much easier...

 

[Steve's Girl]

Okay, sorry I forgot that all important other info...

Yes, I'll be using a tripod, I do not want to shoot in any auto mode, most likely (and I was afraid that this was the problem) I'll be using a Canon 75-300 IS f4-5.6 lens (I need the reach to get any individual actors) which is too slow of a lens....I sort of knew that but I was still hoping

I do have a 50mm f1.8 which I could probably try if I can get close enough to the stage...any and all suggestions are appreciated!!

Thanks so much for all your help!!

Chris

If you use the 50mm, can you crop some of the pictures? I would think as long as you are not printing them in a large size that you could crop. This may be better than the slower lens. Good idea to go to the dress rehearsal. At least you could practice and see what works best.

 

[boBQuincy]

As you already figured out, f/5.6 will probably not do. Some camera stores rent lenses such as 70-200 f/2.8, which would be ideal for stage photography.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Okay, sorry I forgot that all important other info...

Yes, I'll be using a tripod, I do not want to shoot in any auto mode, most likely (and I was afraid that this was the problem) I'll be using a Canon 75-300 IS f4-5.6 lens (I need the reach to get any individual actors) which is too slow of a lens....I sort of knew that but I was still hoping

I do have a 50mm f1.8 which I could probably try if I can get close enough to the stage...any and all suggestions are appreciated!!

Thanks so much for all your help!!

Chris

It can be done nicely with f4 and even 5.? I have the 70-300 IS but the IS does nothing when the subject is moving except make a clear background.
Learn the show so you will know when to expect the pauses in the motion. By getting there for rehearsals you can do that (but who has time) and use flash while practicing. But props are usualy half done the house lights may be up etc... Nothing compares to actual show night shots. I stand to the side all the way up front with a tripod and ball head. then shoot at ISO 1600 anywhere from 50 feet to 120 feet. I was worried about the shutter slap when someone is singing but no one seems to hear it.

1600 and a good noise program

this is flashed during tech week (wife was the director)
Pirates of Penzance

Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 200mm
Exposure Time: 0.01s (1/100)
Flash: Flash fired, compulsory flash mode
Exposure Program: Aperture priority
Exposure Bias: 0


they do some great sets at this church theater:
these are show nights

Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 1600
Focal Length: 75mm (guess: 135mm in 35mm)
Exposure Time: 0.01s (1/100)
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Exposure Program: Aperture priority
Exposure Bias: -0.67

this last show was lit pretty well. not llike in the past:


sony 717 and Godspell

Make: SONY CYBERSHOT
Aperture: f/2.4
ISO: 320
Focal Length: 35.6mm
Exposure Time: 0.0333s (10/300)

I hope you do not mind all the pics...
The digital secret to great shots.....
use it like a machine gun! Try everything and se what works best. then only show the best!

use the smallest ap for fastest shutter. If you are far enough away to need the 75-300 your DOF should be deep enough to cover a good amont of the actors.

post some of the pics when you get them,
MIkeeee

Mikeeee

 

[majimikate]

Hey Mikeee,

Beautiful shots of the show!!! I'm taking a run at "Kiss Me Kate", the lighting is okay, not great. BUT, you have given me hope!! I'll try on Friday night...cross your fingers for me...and THANKS!!!

Chris

 

[MICKEY88]

at our HS, dress rehearsal is full set, costume and lighting...it's a full run thru of the show..

shouldn't that be largest aperture for fastest shutter speed..
......

But props are usualy half done the house lights may be up etc... Nothing compares to actual show night shots. this is flashed during tech week (wife was the director)
Pirates of Penzance



use the smallest ap for fastest shutter.



post some of the pics when you get them,






MIkeeee

Mikeeee

 

[JR6ooo4]

at our HS, dress rehearsal is full set, costume and lighting...it's a full run thru of the show..

shouldn't that be largest aperture for fastest shutter speed..
......

Correct, thanks Mickey88,
I wrote that wrong.
Smallest ap number (large hole) must have been what my mind was thinking at the time.

MIkeeee

 

[FergieTCat]

On the Canon S2 IS, the ISO only goes up to 400.

Any ideas how to get good stage shots with that setting? Should I set the F stop and let the shutter speed bounce, visa versa, or set both??

 

[JR6ooo4]

On the Canon S2 IS, the ISO only goes up to 400.

Any ideas how to get good stage shots with that setting? Should I set the F stop and let the shutter speed bounce, visa versa, or set both??

correct, set the AP to the lowest number. It will also give the least DOF. But the more distance between the camera and the subject the larger the DOF. If you are back in the audience, like 60 feet away, the DOF could be several feet or more (I did not run it thru a DOF calculator) which should be enough to cover most of the main characters on stage.

Mikeeee