What type of camera for pictures in large rooms?

We have a Nikon P300 that I chose mostly for it's large sensor and low
light capabilities. Unfortunately, we have the same issue with it as most
cameras in large rooms such as weddings, retirement parties, etc. The
natural lighting is inadequate, but the subjects are too far away for the
flash to do any good. The pictures nearly always turn out dark and grainy.
Any of the "low light" settings are nearly impossible to use handheld
without blurring due to the long exposure times.

We're just amateurs, and won't be lugging around a big tripod or giant
flashes. And, we wouldn't really know how to use all the manual settings on
a DSLR camera. We just want a portable camera that can take decent
pictures.

My Panasonic TM700 camcorder seems to do fine in these kinds of situations,
so it seems like there should be a digi-cam that would work too.

Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Anthony

On 07/11/2012 15:20, HerHusband wrote:
We have a Nikon P300 that I chose mostly for it's large sensor and low
light capabilities. Unfortunately, we have the same issue with it as most
cameras in large rooms such as weddings, retirement parties, etc. The
natural lighting is inadequate, but the subjects are too far away for the
flash to do any good. The pictures nearly always turn out dark and grainy.
Any of the "low light" settings are nearly impossible to use handheld
without blurring due to the long exposure times.

We're just amateurs, and won't be lugging around a big tripod or giant
flashes. And, we wouldn't really know how to use all the manual settings on
a DSLR camera. We just want a portable camera that can take decent
pictures.

My Panasonic TM700 camcorder seems to do fine in these kinds of situations,
so it seems like there should be a digi-cam that would work too.

Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Anthony

Many DSLRs have an "auto" setting that might work just fine for you.

The quick answer is that recent DSLRs such as the Nikon D3200 and
just-announced D5200 are a lot more sensitive than the P300 and can
produce good images even at ISO 3200 (smaller-sensor cameras may be OK
up to ISO 800), so that's a quarter of the light level, or 1/4 of the
exposure time. For the best low-light pictures, get a wide-aperture
lens such as the Nikon 35mm f/1.8, which is not expensive, but isn't
wide-angle either....

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-d3200
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/nikon_35_1p8g_n15

Here are some pictures made of the Northern Lights with a Nikon D5000
and the 35mm f/1.8 hand-held.


http://www.satsignal.eu/Hols/2010/No...0435-05-a.html

--
Cheers,
David
Web: http://www.satsignal.eu

On 11/7/2012 11:05 AM, tony cooper wrote:
On Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:04:42 -0500, tony cooper
wrote:

On Wed, 7 Nov 2012 15:20:08 +0000 (UTC), HerHusband
wrote:

We have a Nikon P300 that I chose mostly for it's large sensor and low
light capabilities. Unfortunately, we have the same issue with it as most
cameras in large rooms such as weddings, retirement parties, etc. The
natural lighting is inadequate, but the subjects are too far away for the
flash to do any good. The pictures nearly always turn out dark and grainy.
Any of the "low light" settings are nearly impossible to use handheld
without blurring due to the long exposure times.

We're just amateurs, and won't be lugging around a big tripod or giant
flashes. And, we wouldn't really know how to use all the manual settings on
a DSLR camera. We just want a portable camera that can take decent
pictures.

My Panasonic TM700 camcorder seems to do fine in these kinds of situations,
so it seems like there should be a digi-cam that would work too.

Any recommendations?

My recommendation is to adjust your expectations to what is reasonably
possible with the equipment you are willing to use.

There's nothing unreasonable about not wanting to lug around bulky
equipment, but it is unreasonable to think that you can accomplish
something that the equipment you are willing to use cannot do. A
different compact camera is not going to provide the flash output that
external slave flash units or external lights on stands will.

Instead of trying to shoot wide shots in dimly lighted rooms,
concentrate on the close-up shots your camera was designed to take.
Work *with* the camera and learn what it can do.

Just to correct what appears to be some misunderstanding about dslrs,
all of them have some sort of "auto" setting that doesn't require
knowledge of how to use all those manual settings. There are some
limitations to "auto", but a dasher can be used as a "point and
shoot".

Sorry...that should be "but a dslr can be used...".



The dslr camera's built-in flash is not that much different from your
P300's built-in flash. For better lighting, an external flash is a
requirement. Even an external shoe-mount flash on a dslr isn't going
to illuminate a large dark room.


Real estate agents have been using wide angle lenses for years (and also
removing about half of the furniture to make rooms look even more spacious.)


--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.

On Wednesday, November 7, 2012 3:20:09 PM UTC, HerHusband wrote:
We have a Nikon P300 that I chose mostly for it's large sensor and low

light capabilities. Unfortunately, we have the same issue with it as most

cameras in large rooms such as weddings, retirement parties, etc. The

natural lighting is inadequate, but the subjects are too far away for the

flash to do any good. The pictures nearly always turn out dark and grainy.

Any of the "low light" settings are nearly impossible to use handheld

without blurring due to the long exposure times.



We're just amateurs, and won't be lugging around a big tripod or giant

flashes. And, we wouldn't really know how to use all the manual settings on

a DSLR camera. We just want a portable camera that can take decent

pictures.


Image quality is greatly influenced by sensor size. Whether you buy a bigger sensor camera or use your Nikon P300 you still need to set your camera right.

Find out the highest ISO that is acceptable to you (400, 800 or even 1600), set your camera to Av (aperture mode) and dial in the lowest f number you can (1.8 on your Nikon P300).

Your camera has the smallest sensor on the market, 1/2.3". See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format . Four thirds is just under DSLR size, consider them and make sure you get a lens with a low f number with it.


DanP

On Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:20:08 +0000, HerHusband wrote:

We have a Nikon P300 that I chose mostly for it's large sensor and low
light capabilities. Unfortunately, we have the same issue with it as
most cameras in large rooms such as weddings, retirement parties, etc.
The natural lighting is inadequate, but the subjects are too far away
for the flash to do any good. The pictures nearly always turn out dark
and grainy. Any of the "low light" settings are nearly impossible to use
handheld without blurring due to the long exposure times.

We're just amateurs, and won't be lugging around a big tripod or giant
flashes. And, we wouldn't really know how to use all the manual settings
on a DSLR camera. We just want a portable camera that can take decent
pictures.

I used to take indoor pictures at the community theatre with my 1mp Kodak
DC using another flash and a hot shoe slave. Worked quite well.



My Panasonic TM700 camcorder seems to do fine in these kinds of
situations, so it seems like there should be a digi-cam that would work
too.

Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Anthony