SLR Digital Cameras, which one?!

[philsmove]

As someone too lazy (and weak) to carry a DSLR around, I've decided to buy a Micro Four-Thirds camera.
What's the best focal length for dance photography?

The big advantage of the DSLRs is the speed at which they focus
this is critical if the subject is moving and you are working indoors in poor light
with a DSLR the wider the aperture the faster The camera will focus
and this may be the same with a compact but as far as i can make out, non are as fast as a modern DSLR particularly if you are using continuous focus

I would recommend getting close and going with a 24mm equivalent; you can always crop

My experience of a Four Thirds sensor ( Nikon P7100) is it fine at native ISO, in bright daylight, but hopeless, if you crack up the ISO and try working using unavailable light

[cederic]

With dancing I can zone focus - the MFT multiple means greater depth of field to play with at any given aperture - so autofocus speed is far less of a concern.

I concur however that even the best MFT sensor isn't going to get close to a top-end DSLR, and especially the full frame ones. It's a trade-off I'm willing to make in order to achieve "camera in my coat pocket". The focus speed on a DSLR for me is around 7 hours as I'd have to drive home to get it first.

I'll have a 28mm equiv at around f2.5, which I'll use for street photography. For dancing I want to be further away; I don't want to get in the way, I'd prefer the dancers don't realise I'm there, and even with MFT I want some background bokeh.

In other news today, I found a new shop in Manchester selling nothing but Leica. I didn't dare go in

[cederic]

My experience of a Four Thirds sensor ( Nikon P7100)

Hmm. Nikon Coolpix P7100 is a 1/1.7" sensor, so substantially smaller than 4/3. The current top-end 4/3 sensor has better dynamic range and low light performance than the (admittedly not great) Canon D650 sensor. Still nowhere near the top end DSLRs, but significantly better than most compact cameras.

That sensor is in the Olympus OM-D E-M5, which is too big for a coat pocket, but will also be in the Olympus E-PL5. Add on a pancake prime or zoom and it's ideal for carrying around town, but can take a spankingly big zoom when needed or something in the middle for landscapes. I'm also waiting to see what the Panasonic GX2 looks like when they announce it in November; if it's the same size as the GX1 and the sensor isn't dire then I'd prefer it to the Olympus; if they add in-body stabilisation too then it'll go on pre-order

[philsmove]

Hmm. Nikon Coolpix P7100 is a 1/1.7" sensor, so substantially smaller than 4/3. The current top-end 4/3 sensor has better

and for those of you, like me, get confused by sensor size

here a link to put in your pocket

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?tit ... svg&page=1

i have given up try to understand them and just shoot full frame, which is not, incidentally, three thirds

and MFT does not stand for Managed File Transfer

it means micro four thirds

which despite its name is not a mico version of Four thirds , its is. I think, the same thing

Photography is, of course, nothing to do with taking photographs it all about understand the secret language

[Lynn]

No idea about MFT I'm afraid but if its any help I find using a zoom lens is good for dancing shots as sometimes I want to be in a bit closer and sometimes not so close - I use a 24-70 (on full frame).

Are you planning on using flash? I'm not a huge fan of flash but even with a good low light camera (D700) and fast glass I can't always get fast enough shutter speed. I did do a whole series of tango shots though with no flash. http://www.lynnstanfield.com/titango - but for the performance shots there was overhead lights on (and I was at f2.8 and about ISO2000 I think). At a lot of dancing events there just isn't enough light to get away with not using flash. And using flash means you can't get too far away from your subject (unless you have a really powerful flash, I only have SB600s). If using flash I prefer to bounce rather than use flash directly at dancers so you've also got to think about where you are bouncing it off etc.

[cederic]

I'm really not a fan of using a flash, so I'll see how I get on without one for a bit. I really don't want to disturb the dancers, or intrude on their dance.

I accept that this may prevent me getting any decent pictures at all

[philsmove]

I don't like flash and try to avoid it for l photos that are for my own amusment

but if I am working; its is virtually essentala most clents don't want art farty photos, they want them pin sharpe and thant often means flash

to be honest I don't think flash distracts MJ dances any more than a mirror ball

some pics taken in the pub at Breeze most taken ISO 64000 1/125 @f4 24mm-120

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/me ... 765&type=1

[philsmove]

I don't like flash and try to avoid it for l photos that are for my own amusement

but if I am working; its is virtually essential most clients don't want art farty photos, they want them pin sharpe and Thant often means flash

that should read

I don't like flash and try to avoid it, with photos for my own amusement

but if I am working; it is often essential, as most clients don't want art farty photos, they want them pin sharp and in low light ,that means flash

[Lynn]

I'm really not a fan of using a flash, so I'll see how I get on without one for a bit. I really don't want to disturb the dancers, or intrude on their dance.

I accept that this may prevent me getting any decent pictures at all

Yes, unfortunately it probably will. Unless you want arty, blurry photos.

I'm not a fan of flash either - one of the reasons why I got a D700 was to be able to push the ISO up and still get good images without flash indoors in a lot of situations. But I still need flash for most dance venues.

If you're shooting in the daytime (as Phil's set above) or when overhead lights are on (as in my tango set) and you can push the ISO up high and have fast glass, then you can get away without it and you do capture the atmosphere better.

If its a typical freestyle with little or no overhead lights and low, coloured, flashing lights, then its much harder to get a fast enough shutter speed.

[cederic]

I did do a whole series of tango shots though with no flash. http://www.lynnstanfield.com/titango - but for the performance shots there was overhead lights on (and I was at f2.8 and about ISO2000 I think).

The half-shadow black and white shots midway down are superb - some of the nicest dance photographs I've seen.

[Lynn]

The half-shadow black and white shots midway down are superb - some of the nicest dance photographs I've seen.

Thanks! I made them b&w mainly because the overhead spots were multicoloured, so one couple was greenish, another pinkish etc in the same photos. But I also think it suits the milonga. I think this is one of my favs as I like the lighting in it.

[DavidB]

You can now get the Full version of PhotoShop CS2 for free. http://www.neowin.net/news/adobe-releas ... 2-for-free

[philsmove]

You can now get the Full version of PhotoShop CS2 for free. http://www.neowin.net/news/adobe-releas ... 2-for-free

UPDATE: It looks like the link is currently not functioning,

( the latest all singing all dancing version is CS6)

any one wanting a good professional photo software program , I would recommend Lightroom 4
you can get a 30day trail for free

[cederic]

I'm not a professional but Lightroom is mine and you can't have it. It's wonderful. Get your own copy.

On the camera front, I bought the Olympus E-PL5. It's nowhere near the focus speed or low-light performance of a full frame SLR (e.g. Lynn's D700) but it's tiny and does focus very quickly in decent light conditions.

It's also very good quality images for a 'consumer' grade camera:

Click here for bigger version