# DSLR+Lens for nightclub photography



## czr (Jul 23, 2011)

Hello everyone.
I want to buy a dslr camera, mostly for nightclub photography.
Since it will be my first dslr camera I would appreciate your help.:blushing:

The budget is around 1000$.

I am thinking of this body: *Nikon D5100* along with one of those lens:
Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens or  Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens . (which one?)

What do you think?
Will this be ok for nightclub photography?
Am I going to need to buy an external flash?


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## Ryan L (Jul 23, 2011)

Definately going to need a flash unless you are planning to buy a 5dmkII and a 50mm 1.0. Good news there is a F1.0 on Ebay for 6,000.00. Sorry, Im not a nikon guy so I can't comment on your pick.


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## joealcantar (Jul 23, 2011)

Not sure where you are in the country but I would rent it out before buying specially if all you are going to do is low light shooting.   Hopefully others that have the camera will chime in on how it does.  Believe the D7000 is suppose to do well in low light.
-
Shoot well, Joe


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## nickzou (Jul 23, 2011)

The D5100 is a damn good camera for its class. Probably the best ISO performance on any crop camera. But that being said, Ryan L is right, as fast as the glass you selected is, you still need a flash.


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## czr (Jul 24, 2011)

Thanks for replying guys.
So, a set like this would be ok to start with?
Nikon D5100 + Nikon 50mm f/1.8D + Nikon SB-400 AF 
Or should I go for the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX?


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## Eventer (Jul 24, 2011)

I think you will need a wider angle lens than the 50mm, clubs are cramped full of people and when its packed your going to want to sit back on something like 16mm to get everyone one in the shot etc.


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## k d morris (Jul 24, 2011)

czr said:
			
		

> Hello everyone.
> I want to buy a dslr camera, mostly for nightclub photography.
> Since it will be my first dslr camera I would appreciate your help.:blushing:
> 
> ...



I started my career as a concert photographer in a night club with a  Canon T-50 and a Vivitar Flash and made enough to step up to the AE1-Program then A2e and the 30D - follow the advice of the others. 
Find your niche and comfort level and - trial and error will be your teacher...you can always delete them before the customer knows the image wasn't up to par.
 Canon  60d or 5d mark will work well with a quality lens. The lens you chose will make the difference.


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## czr (Jul 24, 2011)

Eventer said:


> I think you will need a wider angle lens than the 50mm, clubs are cramped full of people and when its packed your going to want to sit back on something like 16mm to get everyone one in the shot etc.



So what do you suggest?


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## Eventer (Jul 24, 2011)

czr said:


> Eventer said:
> 
> 
> > I think you will need a wider angle lens than the 50mm, clubs are cramped full of people and when its packed your going to want to sit back on something like 16mm to get everyone one in the shot etc.
> ...


Perhaps look at the 18-105mm? the 24-70mm f/2.8L lens - You might get by with the 35mm as long as it doesnt get to packed i suppose


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## IgsEMT (Jul 24, 2011)

czr said:


> Hello everyone.
> I want to buy a dslr camera, mostly for nightclub photography.
> Since it will be my first dslr camera I would appreciate your help.:blushing:
> 
> ...



One Q at a time - 
50 vs 35 - for a newbee = NEITHER! B/c shooting wide takes practice, experience and UNDERSTANDING "why shooting at wide (wider then f/4) apertures)
Kit lenses such as 18-55, 18-105 would be sufficient for the job
YES to external flash

Shooting program mode w/ flash in ttl - chances are at iso 800 even if its pitch black camera will set you to 1/60 at f5 to 5.6. Adding flash that'll read the scene (hopefully correctly) will be ENOUGH for more job. 

If you haven't done so, DO some reading on different metering modes, focus modes, how they influence exposure, etc.

Good Luck


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## Ryan L (Jul 24, 2011)

I suggest getting a decent body with good noise reduction. You will want a wide lens, the 24-70 2.8 will not be in your budget. I would think the 18-105 will be. The 24-70 would be nice, but since flash is a must I would shy away from shooting wide open anyway. You will want some depth in your shots with people dancing. The 50mm 1.8 will be of little use. 

So at 50mm, shooting at 8' away at an aperture of 1.8 your focus will basically only capture 4" in from and 4" in back of your focus point:

Subject distance
8 ft
Depth of field
Near limit
7.74 ft
Far limit
8.28 ft
Total
0.55 ft
In front of subject
0.26 ft (48%)
Behind subject
0.28 ft (52%)
Hyperfocal distance
230.3 ft
Circle of confusion
0.02 mm





Where as shooting at 18mm at 8' on f5.6 will give you almost 4' in front and 43.7' behind your focus point:

Subject distance
8 ft
Depth of field
Near limit
4.34 ft
Far limit
51.7 ft
Total
47.3 ft
In front of subject
3.7 ft (8%)
Behind subject
43.7 ft (92%)
Hyperfocal distance
9.45 ft
Circle of confusion
0.02 mm





I am not telling you to substitute good focus with a larger aperture to compensate, merely that you will be happier with your shots to have, say one person dancing, and their partner behind them in focus as well.


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## czr (Jul 24, 2011)

Thank you guys for helping me decide.
So, for a beginner, a choice like this one would be ok.
Nikon D5100 with 18-55mm + Nikon SB-400


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## Ryan L (Jul 24, 2011)

You can get the SB600 for about 225-250 used. I think you are going to want a better flash than the 400.


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## IgsEMT (Jul 24, 2011)

Ditto on the flash - AT LEAST sb600


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## Ryan L (Jul 25, 2011)

Yes 600 the lowest. Looks like you could find a SB700 for around that range as well. Heres one that was just posted tonight on one of the craigslists near me.   Nikon SB-700 flash thats only 230.00.


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## Kerbouchard (Jul 25, 2011)

Here is the honest answer, you can't do what you want to at the price that you are willing to spend.  Let me qualify that, you can't do it well.  Anybody can take a direct flash shot in those conditions and get a shot that you can recognize the subjects.  I am assuming that you want something more?

For those conditions, you need a camera body that you find acceptable at ISO 1600.  I won't give you a recommendation, everybody has their own definition of acceptable.  You need a flash that can adjust both side to side and up and down.  Since you are on a budget and can't spend what you need to on a flash, you will also need a lens that has a max aperture of 1.8 or better.

Within your budget, for the type of shooting that you want to do, that puts you at around a used D90($650), an SB600($250) and a 50mm 1.8($120).  You might also be able to get away with a D5000/D5100, SB600, and a 35mm 1.8.  I don't know what the Canon equivalents are, but I am sure they are out there.

You should also budget at least 7 bucks for a library card to learn how to use that gear to the best of it's ability.  In average night club conditions, you will be pushing it to it's limits.

You picked a difficult form of photography and it's expensive to do right.

If your standards are somewhat lower, you can get away with any DSLR, kit lens, cheap external flash, point the flash directly at the subject, and set the flash exposure compensation to around -3 and get fairly decent results.


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## nickzou (Jul 25, 2011)

From personal experience, I'd say that the D5100's ISO1600 is superior to the D90's.


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