We all want to have the ability to shoot in low light with our digital camera. There are many places where the available light is just not strong enough to get a well exposed image. In the digital camera's industry, we can see many vendors trying to bring good low-light capabilities even to compact cameras.
Let's start with some facts. A large sensor is more sensitive to light, that due to the large light sensitive pixels on the sensor. That's why a compact camera with a small sensor doesn't have the same sensitivity to light as a digital SLR camera with a APS-C or Full Frame sensor.
The thing is that not everyone wants or can afford to pay for a camera with a large sensor. There are several options that can help photographers capture beautiful photos in low-light, that without buying or upgrading to a Full Frame camera like the Nikon D3s. The most popular options are: 1) Fast interchangeable lens (better with image stabilization, 2) an external flash, 3) Tripod and/or 4) Upgrading to a camera with a larger/better sensor (ie. BSI, Full Frame, etc.).
It's important to note that the first option ('Fast lens') is targeted for those who shoot with either mirrorless or DSLR cameras, not point-and-shoot which comes with a fixed lens. The other three options are available to almost all types of cameras, at least those who support those features (ie. tripod mount, external flash hot-shoe).
That's where you can clearly see that great flexibility that DSLR camera brings to their respectable owners. You have the ability to choose from a large collection of useful accessories and lenses that can help you out achieving your goals.
Let's take a look at each option and talk about it just a bit.
Fast Interchangeable Lens
If you own a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, I'm pretty sure that you either have a fast lens or intend/want to purchase one. A fast lens is a lens that has a large aperture (expressed as F-stop). The larger the aperture opening the higher the amount of light penetrating the lens.
As the aperture F-stop number decreases, more light is passing through the lens towards the recording device, the camera's sensor. For example, f/2.8 corresponds to a factor of 2 change in light intensity. In other words, when you use an aperture number one stop lower than the previous stop, you gain twice the amount of light.
A fast lens is usually referred to lenses with aperture starting from f/1.4 to f/2.8, which are available from various vendors with different focal lengths. Of course, there are lenses faster than f/1.4 (ie. f/0.95), so many people might say "X lens is faster than Y lens, which means that in comparison to another lens, X lens has a lower f-number compared to another lens with a larger f-number.
It's also important to note that the f-number might range from one f-stop to another. When you look at the lens specifications, you might see something like this: f/3.5-5.6 18-55mm. That means that the first f-number signifies the maximum aperture opening for the widest angle of view, and the second f-number matches the maximum aperture opening for the less-wide/tele angle of view, depends on the lens.
A fixed focal length (aka. Prime lens) or a more pro-level lens might have a fixed aperture. Which means that the maximum aperture can be used for all focal lengths of the lens. A f2.8 70-200mm means that you can shoot at F2.8 in 70mm and F2.8 up to 200mm with F2.8. Those lenses are usually more expensive than other lenses with a variable maximum aperture setting.
In order to shoot better in low-light, many photographers buy a fast lens. The most popular ones are lenses with F1.4, F1.8, F2.8 apertures. There is a wide range of high-quality lenses with those f-stop numbers. Because fast lenses do cost more than variable aperture, that mean that you'll need to pay more to get a faster lens.
Luckily, there are some lenses which are very affordable, and I'm talking about the 35mm and 50mm models. Lets take the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens. This lens costs around $110 on Amazon. It's a very fast lens and it's very popular because of its low-price and high optical quality. On the Nikon side we have the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF lens, which costs around $127 on Amazon. Again, it's a very good price for such a fast high quality lens.
Buying a fast lens is probably the most affordable way to enhance your camera's low-light capabilities. Many photographers choose to buy or upgrade to a new fast lens and not upgrade their camera body.
There is a small catch here, which is not actually a catch but a thing to notice. The Nikon 50mm f/1.8D for example won't AF on entry-level Nikon cameras. For that you'll need the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S with a built-in AF motor, which costs around $219 on Amazon. As you can probably see, that's approximately $100 more than the D-model. So some people prefer buying a dslr camera that is one level over Nikon's entry-level cameras in order to be able to buy old lenses that will AF with their camera. When you buy these kind of lenses, just make sure that it can AF on your camera.
When shooting static subjects, an image stabilization can really help. Latest lens models with VR (Nikon) and IS (Canon) will give you up to 4-stops advantage over lenses without image stabilization. That means that you can shoot at 1/8s and get a usable image compared to 1/125s which is the recommended shutter speed for that focal length that you are shooting at. So, you gain 4-stops, with each stop giving you twice the amount of light of the previous stop. That is very useful when shooting in available light and static objects. So the combination of a fast lens with Image Stabilization will give you a great advantage over non image-stabilized slow lenses.
External Flash
An external flash is probably one of the most popular accessories for photographers shooting in available light. It's all purpose it to give the photographers a blast of strong light to light up the scene and also a great control over where the light is aimed at. I won't get into the technical aspects of how to use a flash, but it's one of the most useful options out there.
Luckily, there are affordable lenses aside of more professional high-end external flashes. Of course, you can use your camera's pop-up flash, but I'm pretty sure that you already experienced with that, and you can see for yourself that the results aren't always satisfying.
In order to use an external flash you need a camera with a hot-shoe mount. It's like a metal plate where you attach the external flash to. Once attached, you can start shooting with the flash and experiment with its wide arsenal of options and functions. You can even buy two or more flashes and use them as slaves, while triggering them using the main flash on your camera or just your camera body (if supported).
A strong flash like the Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight can reveal objects 200mm away from the camera in completely dark surroundings. Indeed, on some places flash is not allowed. That's the reason why professional photographers carry both a fast lens (or a few lenses) and an external flash too.
The Nikon SB-900 might be expensive for some, but there are some more affordable Nikon flashes, like the SB-400, which costs around $100. Canon also has there own range of Speedlite flashes, and other vendors have their own offering as well (ie. Canon Speedlite 270EX II for $169 via Amazon).
You might consider buying an external and compatible flash from thirds party vendors, like Sigma, which offers a nice range of affordable pro-level flashes.
A can control the flash to give you the right amount of light to light up the scene and even use it as fill flash or even to create some unique effects.
A Tripod
Buying a tripod is also a very popular option, especially if you want to shoot long-exposure shots. A tripod, like a lens' image stabilization, won't help you stop a subject's movement, but will help you shoot in lower shutter speed and still get a sharp un-blurred image.
Sometimes you want to shoot in lower shutter speeds just to get special effects of movement of your subject. A tripod will help you achieve that with ease. The main purpose of a tripod (or monopod) is to stabilize the camera and minimize camera shake. It does that much better than image stabilization, because the camera doesn't move at all, so you can shoot photos where the shutter is opened for even a few seconds and still get a sharp photo.
There is a wide range of tripods with different specs that fits different types of photography gear. I won't get into in-depth comparison of various tripods in this article, but many vendors have a nice wizard that will help you choosing the right tripod for your specific needs.
A Larger/Better Sensor
If you have viewed some Nikon D3s high-ISO photos you probably know that advantages of having such a magnificent DSLR camera. In general, a larger sensor will result in better looking images when shooting in high-ISO One stop increment of the ISO setting will result in twice the amount of light passing through the lens.
The problem with high-ISO images is the amount noise which gradually kicks in when bumping up the ISO sensitivity levels. When shooting in ISO100 you won't notice the noise (maybe only in long exposures), but when you bump up the ISO to 3200, you can clearly see noise in your images. ISO 3200 is not a problem at all with the Nikon D3s, but it certainly becomes a real issue with compact cameras with a small sensor, and even with APS-C sensor cameras.
The thing is that upgrading to a better camera is not always the best way to go. In many cases, upgrading to a better camera won't result in a better image quality in high-ISO. For example, take a look at the Nikon D3100 and Nikon D7000. When compared side-by-side, both perform very well, and the result is almost identical.
If you really want to see a real change, you probably won't to look at a few upgrade paths. With compact cameras, you might want to upgrade to a camera with a Backside-illuminated sensor, and with a DSLR, you probably want to go with a Full Frame sensor. In almost all cases you will pay more for a more advanced technology, but you will gain extra stops of light sensitivity that will result in better images in low light.
For me, this is the last option, but for those who mainly shoot in low-light, this is a must-have upgrade path or even when buying their first camera.
Conclusion
Do you own math and see which option fits you best. Spend money on a gear that can help you achieve your goals as a photographer and bring you the freedom that you need in order to return home with beautiful and inspiring photos. I hope that you find this article helpful, and if you do know about other useful great for enhancing the camera's low-light capabilities, please comment below. Thanks.
Also check up those great books about low-light photography.
Let's start with some facts. A large sensor is more sensitive to light, that due to the large light sensitive pixels on the sensor. That's why a compact camera with a small sensor doesn't have the same sensitivity to light as a digital SLR camera with a APS-C or Full Frame sensor.
The thing is that not everyone wants or can afford to pay for a camera with a large sensor. There are several options that can help photographers capture beautiful photos in low-light, that without buying or upgrading to a Full Frame camera like the Nikon D3s. The most popular options are: 1) Fast interchangeable lens (better with image stabilization, 2) an external flash, 3) Tripod and/or 4) Upgrading to a camera with a larger/better sensor (ie. BSI, Full Frame, etc.).
It's important to note that the first option ('Fast lens') is targeted for those who shoot with either mirrorless or DSLR cameras, not point-and-shoot which comes with a fixed lens. The other three options are available to almost all types of cameras, at least those who support those features (ie. tripod mount, external flash hot-shoe).
That's where you can clearly see that great flexibility that DSLR camera brings to their respectable owners. You have the ability to choose from a large collection of useful accessories and lenses that can help you out achieving your goals.
Let's take a look at each option and talk about it just a bit.
Fast Interchangeable Lens
If you own a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, I'm pretty sure that you either have a fast lens or intend/want to purchase one. A fast lens is a lens that has a large aperture (expressed as F-stop). The larger the aperture opening the higher the amount of light penetrating the lens.
As the aperture F-stop number decreases, more light is passing through the lens towards the recording device, the camera's sensor. For example, f/2.8 corresponds to a factor of 2 change in light intensity. In other words, when you use an aperture number one stop lower than the previous stop, you gain twice the amount of light.
A fast lens is usually referred to lenses with aperture starting from f/1.4 to f/2.8, which are available from various vendors with different focal lengths. Of course, there are lenses faster than f/1.4 (ie. f/0.95), so many people might say "X lens is faster than Y lens, which means that in comparison to another lens, X lens has a lower f-number compared to another lens with a larger f-number.
It's also important to note that the f-number might range from one f-stop to another. When you look at the lens specifications, you might see something like this: f/3.5-5.6 18-55mm. That means that the first f-number signifies the maximum aperture opening for the widest angle of view, and the second f-number matches the maximum aperture opening for the less-wide/tele angle of view, depends on the lens.
A fixed focal length (aka. Prime lens) or a more pro-level lens might have a fixed aperture. Which means that the maximum aperture can be used for all focal lengths of the lens. A f2.8 70-200mm means that you can shoot at F2.8 in 70mm and F2.8 up to 200mm with F2.8. Those lenses are usually more expensive than other lenses with a variable maximum aperture setting.
In order to shoot better in low-light, many photographers buy a fast lens. The most popular ones are lenses with F1.4, F1.8, F2.8 apertures. There is a wide range of high-quality lenses with those f-stop numbers. Because fast lenses do cost more than variable aperture, that mean that you'll need to pay more to get a faster lens.
Luckily, there are some lenses which are very affordable, and I'm talking about the 35mm and 50mm models. Lets take the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens. This lens costs around $110 on Amazon. It's a very fast lens and it's very popular because of its low-price and high optical quality. On the Nikon side we have the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF lens, which costs around $127 on Amazon. Again, it's a very good price for such a fast high quality lens.
Buying a fast lens is probably the most affordable way to enhance your camera's low-light capabilities. Many photographers choose to buy or upgrade to a new fast lens and not upgrade their camera body.
There is a small catch here, which is not actually a catch but a thing to notice. The Nikon 50mm f/1.8D for example won't AF on entry-level Nikon cameras. For that you'll need the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S with a built-in AF motor, which costs around $219 on Amazon. As you can probably see, that's approximately $100 more than the D-model. So some people prefer buying a dslr camera that is one level over Nikon's entry-level cameras in order to be able to buy old lenses that will AF with their camera. When you buy these kind of lenses, just make sure that it can AF on your camera.
When shooting static subjects, an image stabilization can really help. Latest lens models with VR (Nikon) and IS (Canon) will give you up to 4-stops advantage over lenses without image stabilization. That means that you can shoot at 1/8s and get a usable image compared to 1/125s which is the recommended shutter speed for that focal length that you are shooting at. So, you gain 4-stops, with each stop giving you twice the amount of light of the previous stop. That is very useful when shooting in available light and static objects. So the combination of a fast lens with Image Stabilization will give you a great advantage over non image-stabilized slow lenses.
External Flash
An external flash is probably one of the most popular accessories for photographers shooting in available light. It's all purpose it to give the photographers a blast of strong light to light up the scene and also a great control over where the light is aimed at. I won't get into the technical aspects of how to use a flash, but it's one of the most useful options out there.
Luckily, there are affordable lenses aside of more professional high-end external flashes. Of course, you can use your camera's pop-up flash, but I'm pretty sure that you already experienced with that, and you can see for yourself that the results aren't always satisfying.
In order to use an external flash you need a camera with a hot-shoe mount. It's like a metal plate where you attach the external flash to. Once attached, you can start shooting with the flash and experiment with its wide arsenal of options and functions. You can even buy two or more flashes and use them as slaves, while triggering them using the main flash on your camera or just your camera body (if supported).
A strong flash like the Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight can reveal objects 200mm away from the camera in completely dark surroundings. Indeed, on some places flash is not allowed. That's the reason why professional photographers carry both a fast lens (or a few lenses) and an external flash too.
The Nikon SB-900 might be expensive for some, but there are some more affordable Nikon flashes, like the SB-400, which costs around $100. Canon also has there own range of Speedlite flashes, and other vendors have their own offering as well (ie. Canon Speedlite 270EX II for $169 via Amazon).
You might consider buying an external and compatible flash from thirds party vendors, like Sigma, which offers a nice range of affordable pro-level flashes.
A can control the flash to give you the right amount of light to light up the scene and even use it as fill flash or even to create some unique effects.
A Tripod
Buying a tripod is also a very popular option, especially if you want to shoot long-exposure shots. A tripod, like a lens' image stabilization, won't help you stop a subject's movement, but will help you shoot in lower shutter speed and still get a sharp un-blurred image.
Sometimes you want to shoot in lower shutter speeds just to get special effects of movement of your subject. A tripod will help you achieve that with ease. The main purpose of a tripod (or monopod) is to stabilize the camera and minimize camera shake. It does that much better than image stabilization, because the camera doesn't move at all, so you can shoot photos where the shutter is opened for even a few seconds and still get a sharp photo.
There is a wide range of tripods with different specs that fits different types of photography gear. I won't get into in-depth comparison of various tripods in this article, but many vendors have a nice wizard that will help you choosing the right tripod for your specific needs.
A Larger/Better Sensor
If you have viewed some Nikon D3s high-ISO photos you probably know that advantages of having such a magnificent DSLR camera. In general, a larger sensor will result in better looking images when shooting in high-ISO One stop increment of the ISO setting will result in twice the amount of light passing through the lens.
The problem with high-ISO images is the amount noise which gradually kicks in when bumping up the ISO sensitivity levels. When shooting in ISO100 you won't notice the noise (maybe only in long exposures), but when you bump up the ISO to 3200, you can clearly see noise in your images. ISO 3200 is not a problem at all with the Nikon D3s, but it certainly becomes a real issue with compact cameras with a small sensor, and even with APS-C sensor cameras.
The thing is that upgrading to a better camera is not always the best way to go. In many cases, upgrading to a better camera won't result in a better image quality in high-ISO. For example, take a look at the Nikon D3100 and Nikon D7000. When compared side-by-side, both perform very well, and the result is almost identical.
If you really want to see a real change, you probably won't to look at a few upgrade paths. With compact cameras, you might want to upgrade to a camera with a Backside-illuminated sensor, and with a DSLR, you probably want to go with a Full Frame sensor. In almost all cases you will pay more for a more advanced technology, but you will gain extra stops of light sensitivity that will result in better images in low light.
For me, this is the last option, but for those who mainly shoot in low-light, this is a must-have upgrade path or even when buying their first camera.
Conclusion
Do you own math and see which option fits you best. Spend money on a gear that can help you achieve your goals as a photographer and bring you the freedom that you need in order to return home with beautiful and inspiring photos. I hope that you find this article helpful, and if you do know about other useful great for enhancing the camera's low-light capabilities, please comment below. Thanks.
Also check up those great books about low-light photography.
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