Camera for No flash indoor shooting in motion

I realize this is a challenge. I picked up a Canon S2IS this week, even
though I thought of going for a Panasonic Z series, and I'm disappointed
with flourescent-lit (and well lit) indoor action shots. If I set the
shutter to speed to prevent blur, I end up with dark pictures. (I
understand why.)

I am beyond ****ed off (at both Canon, and at myself for not realizing this
as my eyes glazed over from the overly long reviews) that though the Canon
has all kinds of specialty modes like "Fireworks," it does not have a
"Sport" shooting mode! If I had realized this, I would have gone for a
Panasonic (which do, don't they)?

In any case, if I return the Canon, does anybody have a recommendation for a
megazoom camera for shooting indoor motion without a flash (schoolkids'
plays, dance recital, ballroom dancing, etc.)? Are some cameras better than
others at this?

C

Cordovero wrote:
I realize this is a challenge. I picked up a Canon S2IS this week, even
though I thought of going for a Panasonic Z series, and I'm disappointed
with flourescent-lit (and well lit) indoor action shots. If I set the
shutter to speed to prevent blur, I end up with dark pictures. (I
understand why.)

I am beyond ****ed off (at both Canon, and at myself for not realizing this
as my eyes glazed over from the overly long reviews) that though the Canon
has all kinds of specialty modes like "Fireworks," it does not have a
"Sport" shooting mode! If I had realized this, I would have gone for a
Panasonic (which do, don't they)?

If you understand what is going on, why do you think an "Action" mode
will change anything? It's just a mode that selects faster shutter
speeds and, possibly, higher ISOs (that's the sensitivity of the
sensor). If you want to use faster shutter speeds in low lights, you
can a) use wider apertures, b) increase the ISO, c) both. SLRs with
large sensors have much higher sensitivities (also less noise). They
cost much more, though, and so do the lenses (because of the larger
sensor). Keep in mind that this has nothing to do with the fact that
it's a digital camera, the same would happen with a compact film camera
(you can change the film, but I doubt many compacts could DX films
faster than ISO 400). The difference is that with digitals, you can see
the result immediately and realize that something is wrong.

By the way, in some compacts the fastest setting (ISO 400) never gets
selected automatically; you may be able to select it through a menu. It
has much worse grain, though. You can also try flash, but I guess the
subjects are too far, and it's distracting.

In short, not much you can do except buy an SLR; but keep in mind that
what would have been eg 1/2s with a compact at ISO 200 will be 1/30s at
the same aperture with an SLR at ISO 3200, which will be very grainy.
Still not terribly fast for dancing. How about using the blur for
effect?

Also keep in mind that what looks to you well-lit may not be.
By the way, whenever I say "grain" above, I really mean "noise".

Cordovero wrote:
I realize this is a challenge. I picked up a Canon S2IS this week, even
though I thought of going for a Panasonic Z series, and I'm disappointed
with flourescent-lit (and well lit) indoor action shots. If I set the
shutter to speed to prevent blur, I end up with dark pictures. (I
understand why.)

I am beyond ****ed off (at both Canon, and at myself for not realizing this
as my eyes glazed over from the overly long reviews) that though the Canon
has all kinds of specialty modes like "Fireworks," it does not have a
"Sport" shooting mode! If I had realized this, I would have gone for a
Panasonic (which do, don't they)?

If you understand what is going on, why do you think an "Action" mode
will change anything? It's just a mode that selects faster shutter
speeds and, possibly, higher ISOs (that's the sensitivity of the
sensor). If you want to use faster shutter speeds in low lights, you
can a) use wider apertures, b) increase the ISO, c) both. SLRs with
large sensors have much higher sensitivities (also less noise). They
cost much more, though, and so do the lenses (because of the larger
sensor). Keep in mind that this has nothing to do with the fact that
it's a digital camera, the same would happen with a compact film camera
(you can change the film, but I doubt many compacts could DX films
faster than ISO 400). The difference is that with digitals, you can see
the result immediately and realize that something is wrong.

By the way, in some compacts the fastest setting (ISO 400) never gets
selected automatically; you may be able to select it through a menu. It
has much worse grain, though. You can also try flash, but I guess the
subjects are too far, and it's distracting.

In short, not much you can do except buy an SLR; but keep in mind that
what would have been eg 1/2s with a compact at ISO 200 will be 1/30s at
the same aperture with an SLR at ISO 3200, which will be very grainy.
Still not terribly fast for dancing. How about using the blur for
effect?

Also keep in mind that what looks to you well-lit may not be.
By the way, whenever I say "grain" above, I really mean "noise".

In S2-IS there's a mode where you can set the shutter speed (Tv), and
another where you can set the aperture (Av).
In both these modes you can also set ISO from 50-400. ISO 200 may be
acceptable, but 400 gets very very grainy. In auto mode you could not set
anything manually.
I would set aperture to max and see what shutter speed I get and adjust the
ISO to suit. If you end up with 400 ISO and unusable slow shutter speeds,
there is no way around a Canon digital SLR, maybe with a fast lens too.
They're the best with low light and high ISO. The Canon 20d is the dark side
leader right now, but the 350/XT follows close.
The Panasonic Z cameras would not get you any happier here than with the
S2IS.
/per

If you chose max aperture
"Cordovero" skrev i meddelandet
nk.net...
I realize this is a challenge. I picked up a Canon S2IS this week, even
though I thought of going for a Panasonic Z series, and I'm disappointed
with flourescent-lit (and well lit) indoor action shots. If I set the
shutter to speed to prevent blur, I end up with dark pictures. (I
understand why.)

I am beyond ****ed off (at both Canon, and at myself for not realizing
this as my eyes glazed over from the overly long reviews) that though the
Canon has all kinds of specialty modes like "Fireworks," it does not have
a "Sport" shooting mode! If I had realized this, I would have gone for a
Panasonic (which do, don't they)?

In any case, if I return the Canon, does anybody have a recommendation for
a megazoom camera for shooting indoor motion without a flash (schoolkids'
plays, dance recital, ballroom dancing, etc.)? Are some cameras better
than others at this?

C