ConcertPhotographer
11-30-2004, 08:34 PM
Hey all, here is my dilemma. I'm sure it's been addressed here before -- but maybe not. I am an avid concert-goer, and love to photograph them in part for a website that I run, and also providing photos of shows for many of the artists.
Here's my dilemma...
As many people know there is nine times out of 10, a no-flash rule. I have a basic digital camera that really has no way to set aperture, shutter speed, etc. I typically go to small to mid-sized venues in the San Francisco area (The Fillmore, Orpheum, Bimbo's, Grand Ballroom, Great American Music Hall, Cafe Du Nord and places in LA like the King King, Viper Room, etc.)
I am never more than 25 feet from the stage (seated) and if standing I am within 10 feet. While the stage is lit well enough to see the artist (even at close range without a flash) the results are minimal, and even when run through photo editing programs, I only gain mediocre results where it is still much too dim to make out -- or its much too bright.
I would like a decent digital camera ($700-900 range) that will give me what I really need. A good optical zoom (greater than 3-4x) would be helpful, but also one that has image stabilization (since getting in a tripod would be next to impossible). I've been told to use cameras (Sony) with night vision but have only found those to be as good as what I have now, and the night shot does nothing to capture the photo using existing lighting.
There was a guy at a show I was at at the Grand Ballroom sitting at the table with me who had a Sony MVC500, and while I liked the results the Mavica produced (captured the picture nearly perfectly) I dont like the idea of having to write to a CD-R and having the lag time (not to mention the Mavica line has been discontinued)
If anybody out there can provide any suggestions please reply here or email me. I'm looking to get the camera in the next week or so ahead of a weeklong trip back to CA where I'll be attending numerous shows in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.
Thanks in advance
Marc
Here's my dilemma...
As many people know there is nine times out of 10, a no-flash rule. I have a basic digital camera that really has no way to set aperture, shutter speed, etc. I typically go to small to mid-sized venues in the San Francisco area (The Fillmore, Orpheum, Bimbo's, Grand Ballroom, Great American Music Hall, Cafe Du Nord and places in LA like the King King, Viper Room, etc.)
I am never more than 25 feet from the stage (seated) and if standing I am within 10 feet. While the stage is lit well enough to see the artist (even at close range without a flash) the results are minimal, and even when run through photo editing programs, I only gain mediocre results where it is still much too dim to make out -- or its much too bright.
I would like a decent digital camera ($700-900 range) that will give me what I really need. A good optical zoom (greater than 3-4x) would be helpful, but also one that has image stabilization (since getting in a tripod would be next to impossible). I've been told to use cameras (Sony) with night vision but have only found those to be as good as what I have now, and the night shot does nothing to capture the photo using existing lighting.
There was a guy at a show I was at at the Grand Ballroom sitting at the table with me who had a Sony MVC500, and while I liked the results the Mavica produced (captured the picture nearly perfectly) I dont like the idea of having to write to a CD-R and having the lag time (not to mention the Mavica line has been discontinued)
If anybody out there can provide any suggestions please reply here or email me. I'm looking to get the camera in the next week or so ahead of a weeklong trip back to CA where I'll be attending numerous shows in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.
Thanks in advance
Marc