Settings in Church

PinkChick

Hi, I have a canon ixus 75 camera and i was wondering if anyone could advise me on settings needed within a church (or dark building). These types of pics never work for me. They always come out too dark. Any help appreciated as it is a problem I seem to encounter again and again. Thanks.

Borderfox

bring a tripod, I was shooting a wedding last week and the settings in the church went from ISO 1600 1/200th of a second and f2.8 to ISO 6400 1/100th and f2.8. Stick the camera on the tripod (even one of the small table top ones, I got one in M&S for €10) and let the camera work it out for you, put it on a timer too.

mikeanywhere

Depends on what you are doing ie wedding or general picture taking.

PinkChick

Two examples situations I have been in when I have come across this problem. One would be a wedding or christening and the second would be going to see a cathedral and trying to take pictures of the altar etc.

When you say bring the tripod and let the cam do its job, do you mean leave it on auto? would the auto setting on a compact be good enough?

CandidSoul

For a wedding it's probably best to set a high ISO (800), a fairly wide aperture (low f number) and use the inbuilt flash. I find anything higher than ISO800 produces grainy results. (Even with these settings, if the subject is too far away then the output may still be too dark)

If you want to use ambient light in your second example (cathedrals) - use a tripod. If you set the aperture value the camera will decide on TV. For example if you chose f8.0 the camera might discern a 1.0" exposure. If using a tripod camera shake isn't an issue.

Borderfox

Nearly all the Churches I have been in wont allow flash and I end up at the higher end of the ISO.

Leaving the camera on auto would be fine for interior shots

CandidSoul

Borderfox wrote: »

Nearly all the Churches I have been in wont allow flash and I end up at the higher end of the ISO.

Are you serious? I haven't been denied using flash yet but then again I don't usually ask (I adopt the - ask for forgiveness rather than permission approach ) Having said that I was photographing a wedding in a tiny little chapel recently so felt obliged to ask for permission but it was granted no problem. I wonder are they just more laid back here in the West?

I'm just wondering what kind of results you get using ISO6400 in a dark church? Would you be able to get a good quality 10x8 print from it?

And rather than using ISO1600 at f2.8 and 1/200th would you not prefer to opt for say ISO800 and 1/100th? or even ISO400 and 1/50th if using a tripod? I'm just curious because I find that I really don't get anything usable from the 5D with > ISO800 (esp in a dark church).

mikeanywhere

CandidSoul wrote: »

Are you serious? I haven't been denied using flash yet but then again I don't usually ask (I adopt the - ask for forgiveness rather than permission approach ) Having said that I was photographing a wedding in a tiny little chapel recently so felt obliged to ask for permission but it was granted no problem. I wonder are they just more laid back here in the West?

I'm just wondering what kind of results you get using ISO6400 in a dark church? Would you be able to get a good quality 10x8 print from it?

And rather than using ISO1600 at f2.8 and 1/200th would you not prefer to opt for say ISO800 and 1/100th? or even ISO400 and 1/50th if using a tripod? I'm just curious because I find that I really don't get anything usable from the 5D with > ISO800 (esp in a dark church).

I always ask the priest before the fun starts and have never been refused (yet)!!!

I always shoot natural light and always at a max of 800ISO. The odd occasion I use flash is for the very important stuff ie lighting candles, exchange of rings etc

Dades

Interesting stuff...
Have a nieces Christening on Sunday!

Think I'll flash first and ask later...

mikeanywhere

Dades wrote: »

Interesting stuff...
Have a nieces Christening on Sunday!

Think I'll flash first and ask later...

That should be ok as they don't last that long.

I have been to two weddings where the priest has specifically told the photographer they are not to take any more pictures using flash, so its always nice to ask rather being made a fool of in public.

Dades

mikeanywhere wrote: »

I have been to two weddings where the priest has specifically told the photographer they are not to take any more pictures using flash, so its always nice to ask rather being made a fool of in public.

Ah, but you're not a fool if you can then whip out a fancy lens and look like you know what you're doing with the settings on your camera!

mikeanywhere

Dades wrote: »

Ah, but you're not a fool if you can then whip out a fancy lens and look like you know what you're doing with the settings on your camera!

Very good!!

Borderfox

I always prepare for the worst, the last three weddings I have done they wouldnt allow flash. Some are nice about it and some are not, I dont want to go back to a church after p***ing off the priest to do another wedding!! I will post a sample of ISO 3200 from the last one.

Muineach

I've done a few "churches" before, the main problem is that they are all different and with the weather your never sure what settings you need on the day. The pictures below are all taken by hand (no tripod) except the last one, and there was no flash used at all. Go to the church before hand at roughly the same time you will be there, just so you can get an idea of the lighting and the good spots to be in. One more thing, generally the lights get turned on, but normally it doesn't make much difference on the photo's, so don't expect miracles from the lights. For the exposure be careful it doesn't go too high/low i.e 1/10th of a second, just with people in the picture come out quite odd

Camera: Canon EOS 350D Digital
Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 85 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 1 EV






Camera: Canon EOS 350D Digital
Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/5
Focal Length: 44 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: -1 EV





Camera: Canon EOS 350D Digital
Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 1/3 EV

Borderfox

I usually go to the church two weeks before the wedding at the time of the ceremony and use a lightmeter to take readings, the last on was 1/200th f2.8 ISO 2500 in most places.

eas

Borderfox wrote: »

I usually go to the church two weeks before the wedding at the time of the ceremony and use a lightmeter to take readings, the last on was 1/200th f2.8 ISO 2500 in most places.

Hi Borderfox

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see the point of the pre wedding church visit. What benefit is there to doing this? What will it tell you that you can't know by walking into the church 10 mins before the ceremony? And, how does it change the way you prepare for the shoot? I take it you'll bring the same equipment regardless ?

Personally I assume the church will be dark. If it's not, then happy days. I'll have a fresh set of batteries in my flash anyhow.

Borderfox

I visit the church to view the light and to check out which way the sun is shining for group shots and if there are any opportunities to take a few shots of the Bride and Groom in addition to the usual set up shots.

About the flash, what happens if you flash your flash during the ceremony and the priest tells you to stop or worse wont let you take anymore shots (not unheard of)

eas

Borderfox wrote: »

About the flash, what happens if you flash your flash during the ceremony and the priest tells you to stop or worse wont let you take anymore shots (not unheard of)

I do always ask the priest before about flash and only use it sparingly if at all during the ceremony.

But there's nothing that a pre-visit to the church will do about a grumpy priest on the day.