[Ira]

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I'm no expert on churches and museums (they make me itch), but when you're in there, don't forget to look for the small architectural and art details as well, where you won't go wide.

But for wide, I agree with the Pentax 12-24 or Sigma 10-20. Big difference between 16 and 12 or 10.

[bymy141]

Bymy one of your suggestions is Sigma 10-20, but it stops down at 4.5 Is it works at low light?. By the why, your picture is impressive I would like to know the setting too.

It took some time for me to react, sorry: K-7, f3.5, ISO 400, 1/13s

The church is the Peter and Paul Catherdral in St Petersburg, Russia.

Cheers, Bert

[Ogion]

Yesterday, I went to an old church to shot in low light conditions to test my kit lens (18-55 f/3.5-5.6WR), and myself. Please, go to my album and let me know what you think about them.

Ogion's Albums - PentaxForums.com

Finally, I'll follow your advice and get a wider lens

Thank you
Regards

[Ogion]

I'm no expert on churches and museums (they make me itch), but when you're in there, don't forget to look for the small architectural and art details as well, where you won't go wide.

But for wide, I agree with the Pentax 12-24 or Sigma 10-20. Big difference between 16 and 12 or 10.

Ira, I'm not an axpert also and I already think about small architectural and art details, so I'll carry a second lens to shot them, it isn't what I like most, I mean switch lenses, but there isn't other way.
Thank you for your advise!
Regards

[Ogion]

It took some time for me to react, sorry: K-7, f3.5, ISO 400, 1/13s

The church is the Peter and Paul Catherdral in St Petersburg, Russia.

Cheers, Bert

Thank you for shearing!

[calicojack]

Yesterday, I went to an old church to shot in low light conditions to test my kit lens (18-55 f/3.5-4.5WR), and myself. Please, go to my album and let me know what you think about them.

Very nicely done, especially for a first time out there.
If you need to gain more confidence in low ambient light shooting, go out in the evening and shoot street scenes or archetectural features. Want to test yourself? Turn off shake reduction and keep shooting. Posture means a lot in night time photography. Stand comfortably, keep your elbows tucked in next to your bady as much as possible, take a deep normal breath and gently squeeze the trigger (push the shutter button). If there are things to lean against, use them to help steady yourself. (When your done practicing, remember to turn the shake reduction back on.)

Remember, that wider lens will help you make more dramatic and all encompassing compositions. It is technique and practice that will make you a better low light photographer.

[Ogion]

Very nicely done, especially for a first time out there.
If you need to gain more confidence in low ambient light shooting, go out in the evening and shoot street scenes or archetectural features. Want to test yourself? Turn off shake reduction and keep shooting. Posture means a lot in night time photography. Stand comfortably, keep your elbows tucked in next to your bady as much as possible, take a deep normal breath and gently squeeze the trigger (push the shutter button). If there are things to lean against, use them to help steady yourself. (When your done practicing, remember to turn the shake reduction back on.)

Remember, that wider lens will help you make more dramatic and all encompassing compositions. It is technique and practice that will make you a better low light photographer.

A lot of tips to practice! I'll need to go out more often and work hard
I'm glad you think that my pictures are nice, I appreciate that!

Regards

[Stardog]

Ogion,
Try this. Go to my webshots albums from our recent trip to Europe and look for pictures like you imagine you will be taking. When you look at the individual pictures, you can scroll down and see what the exposures were and most of the exif info. Be aware there were three cameras taking pictures, my wife's K200D, my Mother in law's Optio W60, and my K10D. Your K7 should be at least as capable as these models in reduced lighting. You can also go further back in time and see albums from Greece and Italy.
The link to my albums is:
briantimmins's photos and albums on webshots
Just in case it gets messed up, you may need to "Sort By" "Newest First"
The album names are:
9-19-2010 Munich
9-20-2010 Munich to Prague
9-21-2010 Prague
9-22-2010 Bratislava / Budapest
9-23-2010 Budapest
9-24-2010 Vienna
9-25-2010 Vienna
9-26-2010 Danube / St.Gilgen / Salzburg
9-27-2010 Berchtesgaden (Hitler's Eagle's Nest) / Salzburg / Oberammagau
9-28-2010 Oberammagau
9-29-2010 Oberammagau / Dachau (Concentration Camp) / Munich HBH (Hoffbrau House)

I know I am a day late in this conversation, but I just opened the forum to check on something and saw your response and the photo albums you posted. Good photography. Just curious about the night time shots in the Bratislava album. Do you remember the ISO setting, or did you keep it at around 200 or so? Just curious since I intend to get more into night time photography. They showed good night time detail.

[interested_observer]

I tend to do a lot of my shooting in the evenings. I prefer ISO 100 and f8 - however that pushes me in to longer exposures which means a tripod. I have heard that a number of places frown on tripods, but a small tripod should work - sitting it on the seat of a pew, floor shooting up, etc. I have an L bracket with a wired external shutter release attached - and it tends to work pretty well. I also try to bracket in order to adjust the light and pull out the details, as opposed to trying to create an extreme HDR. With the ambient light, I also tend to use manual hyperfocusing.

[calicojack]

I know I am a day late in this conversation, but I just opened the forum to check on something and saw your response and the photo albums you posted. Good photography. Just curious about the night time shots in the Bratislava album. Do you remember the ISO setting, or did you keep it at around 200 or so? Just curious since I intend to get more into night time photography. They showed good night time detail.

Remember there are three cameras being used by three people (but all three are pretty much set up by me) All three cameras are set on Auto ISO. My K10D is allowed to go as high as 1000. My wife's K200D is allowed to go to 1250. My Mother in Law's Optio W60 is limited to 800. We've found that these limits work OK for our cameras.
Brian T

[Frogfish]

I'm no expert on churches and museums (they make me itch), but when you're in there, don't forget to look for the small architectural and art details as well, where you won't go wide.

But for wide, I agree with the Pentax 12-24 or Sigma 10-20. Big difference between 16 and 12 or 10.

Big difference between 10 and 12 mm too !

I would agree with the option someone above mentioned Sigma 10-20 F4-5.6 (not the newer one which is not as sharp - both are still available) and a Tamron 17-50/2.8. That's a great kit for cities and churches etc.

BTW I do a lot of property interiors and the Green setting works wonders for constantly changing light conditions from room to room. Though you do need to be able to hand-hold (or lean against something, steady the camera against something) to get down to 1/20 etc.

[Ogion]

Big difference between 10 and 12 mm too !

I would agree with the option someone above mentioned Sigma 10-20 F4-5.6 (not the newer one which is not as sharp - both are still available) and a Tamron 17-50/2.8. That's a great kit for cities and churches etc.

BTW I do a lot of property interiors and the Green setting works wonders for constantly changing light conditions from room to room. Though you do need to be able to hand-hold (or lean against something, steady the camera against something) to get down to 1/20 etc.

Hi frogfish!
I've found this three sigma on ebay, which one are you refering to?
Thanks for your help

Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 AF Lens f/ Pentax K5 K7 Kr Kx - eBay (item 180638084216 end time Apr-09-11 14:52:21 PDT)

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6D HSM Lens Pentax K5 K7 Kr Kx+ KIT - eBay (item 160557586390 end time Apr-09-11 14:59:26 PDT)

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC J Autofocus Lens for Pentax - eBay (item 290532753534 end time Apr-10-11 14:04:03 PDT)

[twitch]

This was shot with a DA15, I wish I had wider with me at the time

[Frogfish]

Hi frogfish!
I've found this three sigma on ebay, which one are you refering to?
Thanks for your help

Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 AF Lens f/ Pentax K5 K7 Kr Kx - eBay (item 180638084216 end time Apr-09-11 14:52:21 PDT)

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6D HSM Lens Pentax K5 K7 Kr Kx+ KIT - eBay (item 160557586390 end time Apr-09-11 14:59:26 PDT)

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC J Autofocus Lens for Pentax - eBay (item 290532753534 end time Apr-10-11 14:04:03 PDT)

Hi Ogion.

The first one is the new one - most people agree the older one (#2 and #3) is sharper as it's not often you need the constant fstop in this type of lense.

The second and third look the same (however note they have got the title wrong in #2 - none of these are HSM lenses, as you can even see written on the box).

Good Luck !

[Ogion]

I would like to introduce another player: DA 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 ED (IF). Any experience? What do think?
Regards