General Recommended DSLR

D

DDirector

Veteran
I havent really been in the game with the DSLRs lately, so I dont know whats new, whats good.
Been focused on video cameras.

Looking at buying a DSLR. Upgrading from the T2i.
Id buy the 5Diii because it has great video, but the price on it is too much for me atm.

Looking for something cheaper and used. Also because Id also like to upgrade my lenses to L-Series too.

This will be mainly used for photography - Nightclubs, live events, portraits, etc.
But, Id also like to have video capabilities just in case if I want to shoot on a DSLR instead of my C300.
 
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DDirector said:
Looking at buying a DSLR. Upgrading from the T2i.
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Can I ask why the T2i isn't good enough for pictures?
As for video, I reckon it's not the best option in low-light, but with an f/1.8 lens, a good Picture Style like CineVision Plus and Magic Lantern's Exposure Override, you can lower it to 1/24th and get a 1/3 of a stop more to help. From what I've tested so far, it's been of a great help in my last shoot with available light in downtown, used in these shots.
 
drapeama said:
Can I ask why the T2i isn't good enough for pictures?
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My T2i is simply not usable. I mean, it is, but changing the settings and all that is time consuming because it doesn't work properly.
I've run into problems trying to do nightclub photography and my shots were just not working. Eventually just gave up on it half way through the night. Luckily this wasnt really a paid gig.
I need to get it fixed and its not under warranty. Might cost a bit to fix it. Better off to just get a better camera.

Its also not the greatest for photography and low-light environments compared to other cameras now.
 
For stills in low light, cheaper than the 5D3 but with Canon mount, I'd say 6D.
Used 5D2 would work too but it's slightly worse in low light. But not by much. From your T2i, you get two stops of improvement with the 5D2, and an extra half-a-stop with the 6D.
http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Comp...50D-versus-Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-II___836_645_483


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In any case, something I found shooting this: you want your images low-key. If you expose them as you would do in a living room, it will look like people are dancing in a living room. In that club, and on a T2i, I would shoot at ISO 1600, f/2.8, 1/50s (you may need higher ISOs for stills, since you'll use a faster shutter).
 
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I have considered the 6D, but looking at reviews about the the AF points, it seems to be an issue.
11 focusing points and 1 cross sensor seems hard to get sharp focus and good composition - especially for action/moving shots.
 
unadog said:
The 70D has a very good reputation for Live View auto focus.
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Never used, never will use Live View auto focus.

How about external flash?
I honestly know nothing about external flashes, so Im not sure which camera will be best for it, and if they can be done off camera, or do they have to be on camera only (unless if you have a cord obviously)

I'll play around with the 6D and see how I like it. But, still open to other suggestions.
 
External flash?

3 ways to connect a Canon camera to a Canon flash gun (and all compatible ones from other brand names): direct on-camera, via a cord, or through a wireless trigger system (it either works by infrared or by radio and the trigger is either mounted on camera or built-in to it). Any of today's Canon digital cameras work with any of Canon flash guns - and no one is better at this than others, though 5D3/7D has a built-in trigger to control an external flash (no idea about 6D on this).
 
* One cross AF point with good sensibility and accuracy is all I need.
* I would definitely NOT use a flash in this situation. That's a very effective way to make it seem like people are dancing in a living room.
 
Samuel H said:
* I would definitely NOT use a flash in this situation. That's a very effective way to make it seem like people are dancing in a living room.
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How about a good diffused one, bouncing light on top of the room? Way more soft than pointing the flash on them. And, you can always lower the intensity as well, no? (I know just as much as Micheal about flash!)
 
No flash for live bands, sorry. Just don't do it. Let the old people with their phones take care of that.

For a killer still camera that shoots excellent video, look at the Nikon D7100. The 5300 has great IQ, but - like the T2i - the single control wheel is severely limiting for shooting stills manually.
 
Sticking with Canon. Not going to Nikon.


No flash... huh?
For nightclubs I've always seen people use flash, and I've used it myself too. - The internal one, and diffused.
Never pointing straight on, but angled on a 45deg or straight up with a diffusion on it for sure. But flash is definitely needed to bring in some foreground light.


When I will be doing photography for nightclubs, the external flash will not be mounted on the top of the camera. I will be holding it with the other hand.
I dont like it when its on the camera because the images look too flat most of the times, but sometimes it looks good flat.
Not sure if all cameras now work wirelessly with these flash units or not. I dont want to have a cable from the hotshoe to the flash or any other devices attached.
Does the 6D have the feature to allow me to use flash wirelessly?

Here are some samples of work I did in a nightclub once.
Shot with the T2i and with the internal flash.
It was okay, but it was very limiting, and with a long lens (actual dimension of the lens) the flash couldn't light up the bottom section of the pictures in some shots. These example shots came out fine though.

*The photos were re-sized for preview and when this happened it really boosted the contrast quite a lot. So, blacks may be way too dark on here.

_MG_4343 (2) - Copy.jpg _MG_5258 (2) - Copy.jpg
_MG_5286 (2) - Copy.jpg _MG_5288 (2) - Copy.jpg
 
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This is just personal opinion, but I wouldn't use a flash. Not even with a diffuser, not even off-camera. It's not a matter of the light being hard or frontal, it's a matter of the light being there: *I*think* it kills the atmosphere. On the first two pics you posted, I wouldn't know if the club was open or the DJ was just preparing his set, with the lights of the club on. I don't like that, but it's a very personal taste.

I know everybody uses them but I think it's only because just a few years back you basically had to: there was no other way to take decent pictures without more light. But today that's not a problem anymore, you can shoot f/2.8 ISO 3200 1/100s and in most clubs that will be fine. Not exposed as the pics you posted, definitely darker and with people barely recognizable (which you may actually want), but conveying much more effectively what it was like to be there.

My very personal conclusions after shooting this:
* when shooting at a club, you're aiming for low-key, so you don't need a lot of light
* if you can talk to the management, don't ask them to throw more light, ask them to throw more smoke
* if you bring a torch (a flash in your case), it can look like people are dancing in their living room
* try to get your subjects backlit, it looks A LOT better than front lit
* flares are your friends, let those colorful lights hit the lens (unless they are lasers! those can kill the sensor!)

(there were people in that party shooting with a torch; you can see them very often in my video because I often tried to use their torch... as a backlight; I think they didn't upload their video, if I find it it would be a good comparison of how the mood changes with a torch/flash)
 
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Yes, personal preference.
That does sound very interesting though and totally true. But it depends what you are doing and for whom though.

What about the bottom ones? Looks like they are in a club and having fun, partying, right? Whether posed or not posed. Some love the attention, maybe some too much..
Maybe not in the first two. But, what if you changed your perspective on things, and showed off the crowd a bit more. You would be able to tell the difference now if he is 'just setting up or actually DJing at the venue'.
If you know what I mean

Another thing is, if they want the attention, and pose, you obviously can and should use flash

But yeah, it looks great. But I dont think it should be done for all or most of the photos. I think its too much, like adding the same effect to every picture you take. Just looks overdone. For a select few shots, yeah no flash would be amazing!
 
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Personal preference, indeed.
I could go for the last pic, but even the third one is not what I would want: it conveys how they look, it doens't convey how it was to be there.
Of course, if you are hired to take pics of people so they can search for them in the club's website, well, then you may need a flash.
 
Samuel H said:
This is just personal opinion, but I wouldn't use a flash. Not even with a diffuser, not even off-camera. It's not a matter of the light being hard or frontal, it's a matter of the light being there: *I*think* it kills the atmosphere. On the first two pics you posted, I wouldn't know if the club was open or the DJ was just preparing his set, with the lights of the club on. I don't like that, but it's a very personal taste.
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Samuel, The video you linked in there is really nice, but how many of the scenes in it could you pause and use as a still photo? That's the big difference here. You don't need as much front light for the video because the motion and the ambience make it work, but for a still image people are not going to have that advantage in deciphering the scene. That also doesn't mean you need to overkill the subject with light, but for a still image you will need some fill light in there. You could turn down the flash power and even zoom it in tighter than the lens coverage so that it still lights up enough of your subject to see them clearly while retaining the background in darkness, letting the colored background lights show, and maintaining that club feel. But again, it's all a matter of preference...
 
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