low light wrong ISO setting :doh:

[size13]

Had the chance last night to take some very low light pictures of a friends tuscan.

The first was taken near a light, so isn't too bad.
the second was taken in near pitch back with a distant light source
After, I realised that I'd had the camera set to ISO 80. Would 100 or 200 have helped?
I can't seem to brighten them up much as there just isn't the info there to brighten, so these are out the camera - just resized.

Both taken at 2.8 for 8 seconds no flash




Other comments welcome

>>> Edited by size13 on Tuesday 11th January 12:04

[FourWheelDrift]

size13 said:

Would 100 or 200 have helped?

[size13]

FourWheelDrift said:

[luca brazzi]

I doubt there's much you can do, as if the details are not there in the first place, you may well be stuck.

You could try using Levels in photoshop to see what is available. Just tried that with your image, and there is a little bit of information available, but not much.

Using 100 ISO would have helped marginally from 80, while 200 would have given yielded twice the amount of light captured.

Try again using 30 seconds and ISO 200, with f4...and keep adjusting the ISO until you get a picture that pleases you.

ie. if:

30s f4 ISO=200, is too dark, increase to ISO400
if its too bright, then reduce ISO to 100, and if that is still too bright, then either reduce time to 15 seconds, or increase aperture to f5.6.

Good luck.
LB

[size13]

luca brazzi said:

I doubt there's much you can do, as if the details are not there in the first place, you may well be stuck. You could try using Levels in photoshop to see what is available. Just tried that with your image, and there is a little bit of information available, but not much. Using 100 ISO would have helped marginally from 80, while 200 would have given yielded twice the amount of light captured. Try again using 30 seconds and ISO 200, with f4...and keep adjusting the ISO until you get a picture that pleases you. ie. if: 30s f4 ISO=200, is too dark, increase to ISO400 if its too bright, then reduce ISO to 100, and if that is still too bright, then either reduce time to 15 seconds, or increase aperture to f5.6. Good luck. LB

Thanks, unfortunately I can only go to 8 seconds on this camera!
Need an oportunity like it again too! Might have to experiment on a different car.

Ta

[Mad Dave]

Pick up a cheap film SLR mate - get some Reala ISO100 film and have a play with that - you really need long shutter speeds to get the detail.

I took these:

www.davidhambly.co.uk/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=lowlight

With a 23yr old Minolta, that can now be picked up on ebay for £40ish - its well worth it if you want to get some decent shots, IMHO.

[size13]

I do have a Sigma film camera too

I wasn't expecting to take any pictures last night, but the guy has just bought this and I thought it would be a good test - looks like I failed!

[size13]

Mad Dave said:

I took these: www.davidhambly.co.uk/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=lowlight With a 23yr old Minolta, that can now be picked up on ebay for £40ish - its well worth it if you want to get some decent shots, IMHO.

My church picture wasn't so bad, but again it was only ISO 80

[cliff123]

Are ISO 80 100 and 200 your only options. If you can I might suggest even going for something a little faster. ISO500 you might not yeild the best quality image (ie dirt grain in the image) but personally I find that sometimes this adds to night images. Nice car though.

[size13]

cliff123 said:

Are ISO 80 100 and 200 your only options. If you can I might suggest even going for something a little faster. ISO500 you might not yeild the best quality image (ie dirt grain in the image) but personally I find that sometimes this adds to night images. Nice car though.

400's the max, but like I said in my first post, I'd left it on 80 by mistake - which was a doozy by me

[Mad Dave]

For lowlight stuff, I like to use the slowest film I have - that way you get a nice long exposure which pulls in all the atmosphere. As you can see from my gallery though, i'm far from experienced with lowlight stuff!

[trackdemon]

It helps to use a higher ISO for sure. Here's one I took at ISO50, a lovely shot of a Ferrari Enzo, nightime, no light source. Think I may have used slightly too fast a shutter speed though:



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Sorry, couldn't resist

>> Edited by trackdemon on Wednesday 12th January 12:44

[Mad Dave]

Ha Ha, smartarse

If you don't want to use flash, or want a fast shutter speed then of course a higher ISO is needed - but if its a stationary vehicle, you may as well whack the camera on a tripod and use a really long shutter - IME the results can be really nice.

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

trackdemon said:

It helps to use a higher ISO for sure. Here's one I took at ISO50, a lovely shot of a Ferrari Enzo, nightime, no light source. Think I may have used slightly too fast a shutter speed though: . . . . . . . . Sorry, couldn't resist >> Edited by trackdemon on Wednesday 12th January 12:44

Taking the lense cap off would help too!