[GaryML]

For indoor available light photography you need a fast prime: f2 or faster. Forget the zooms. I have the Pentax DA 16-45 and it is a good lens, but it is the wrong tool for indoor available light work. I usually use my FA 77mm f1.8 Limited, my SMCP-A 28mm f2, or my wife's SMC-F 50mm f1.7 (in that order), depending on the field of view I want. You might also consider the FA 35mm f2, the FA 43 Limited, the FA 50mm f1.4, the DA 70 Limited, or one of the many 50mm f1.4 or 1.7 lens available used. Lots of good choices in this category.

If you need flash, then an accessory hot shoe flash is vastly superior to the built-in flash. I consider the built-in flash as something for emergency use only. A decent hot shoe flash has 10X the power, allows bounce flash, use of a diffuser, etc. The results are much better than the built-in flash.

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Last edited by GaryML; 12-02-2006 at 11:28 AM.

[Rupert]

I pretty much agree with everyone regarding lenses, grips and flash. Bottom line is that you will want all of them and at some time or another will actually need all of them. This leads to accumulating lots of gear and gets quite expensive. To me, it is worth it. I started out a little less than two years ago with the DS and kit lens. I think I have 17 lenses now (you lose count) bags, backpacks, flashes, and lots of software. It is just something that happens.

Does all of this stuff make you better? Yes, if you know what you are doing. As for the flash, I shot several indoor events (Church dinners etc.) without a good add-on flash and was frustrated with the results and slow shutter speeds. I got the Promaster and was immediately satisfied with my new results.

Watch out? Well, those women are dangerous, and when you start spending.....they start spending.

[bdavis]

The Strobist blog says (and I tend to agree) that "light gives you far more bang-for-the-buck than does fast glass or the latest digital camera or 300/2.8."

If you are buying a camera body, and have (or get) one lens to go with it, you should buy a flash before you even consider buying another piece of glass. Available light photography is a skill, as is flash photography. However, it makes more sense to tackle simple flash photography with its relatively easy learning curve and get good pictures now, rather than struggle with available light and get them considerably later.

Buy the flash.

[davemdsn]

I pesonally like having a flash around as an option. Used creatively they can be very useful. Here is a shot of my son shortly after getting my K10. It is color-corrected and resized in Lightroom, no other PP.

K10D, DA16-45, 540fgz - 1/60 f4 ISO100

[rfortson]

I use my FA50/f1.4 at around f2.0 without flash and it works fine. The only (well documented) problem is the white balance, but since I shoot raw, that's an easy fix. I bought a flash, but honestly I rarely use it. With the FA50 at f2.0 or f1.8, I can shoot at 1/60sec without flash. I'm talking about normal, or even subdued, indoor lighting, nothing fancy.

With a flash you can get really fast shots, but I agree, I don't like flash.

[THarp]

Depends on the lighting in the room. If there is enough daylight coming through windows and you have a fast lens 50/1.4 , you can get hand holdable shutter speeds at 400 or 800 iso.

I personally, like you I believe, don't like the effects of a flash, especially the pop up flash. Too direct, harsh and unnatural.

However a mounted flash with a swivel/rotating head could be useful. Bouncing the flash off of a wall or the ceiling can give nice effects.

I have yet to invest in one myself, but would like to. I've just been concentrating more on lenses first since I don't particularly like using flash in the first place.

I did see a flash photo that was posted on another forum that was taken with a $50 Vivitar flash, I think it was a Vivitar 780 or something like that. It's not P-ttl, just ttl, but the flash was bounced and the photo didn't look that bad.

Hope this helps.

Tracy

[dogb]

I use my 16-45 indoors without a flash but you and your subject have to be pretty still. I can handhold pretty well down to 1/30 or 1/15 (with electronic help) but that only gives me ISO 400 wide open. If I want to close the lens down a little I definitely need ISO 800 or even ISO 1600.

I'm saving for a flash.

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Last edited by dogb; 12-05-2006 at 11:24 PM. Reason: Edited for typo

[vievetrick]

I have a Sigma 500 and use it all the time indoors for about a year or so. I have to say I never use it directly. Meaning always use it in th bounce postion. Most of the time this is for family outing and snap shot type stuff but I have to say I love the bounce look way better then the direct flash. I have found the 16-45 is always on for these type of events. Most of the time shooting on the longer end. It took many months of practice (actually still learning) to get shots I am happy with. Get a flash and you will not be disappointed. Well at first you will until you get the hang of it.

[RussellW]

Well I have manage to try to take some basketball shots over the weekend. I did get some results with advise assisted by this forum.
The only issue was when pressing the shutter release button this would result in the camera not taking a shot or would take one after a short period of time.

I use a Ds with a sigma ex 24 - 70 f2.8 lens, using jpeg and pre-focusing around the basket.

Any thoughts as to why shutter release would take some time to take a shot or not all.

[BarneyCG]

I got a GX-1S earlier this year to photograph our newborn twins (well that was what I told the wife) I managed to get a cheap metz 40mz2 and a 3701 adaptor for ttl (this wouldn't work on the K10/100D since not p-ttl ... Yet) ... best thing I ever did ... I'm in the UK and light indoors is never that good and I found that the onboard flash, besides being overly harsh, produces pictures where the kids are nicely lit but the background is basically black. This is alright for the artsy look but I don't want that all the time ... I always set the metz to bounce off something and the result is a warm evenly lit picture (unless I bounce it off a blue wall in which case it is a little 'colder')

I think I'll be getting some faster glass next, I'm looking at the Sigma 18-50 EX thought the upcoming DA* 17-50 looks good but would be very far out of my budget, but for indoor stuff I'd forgo the grip and get a flash.

[RussellW]

Ok I need help on this one.

I tried to take some more indoor shots using the DS with a ex 24 to 70 f2.8 at iso 1600 and centre metering and NO flash.

When I press the shutter button, it will not take a photo, what I'm doing wrong.

[zimzum]

hey guys i need some advice!
im getting the k100d mainly for shooting people indoors(with and without some movement) from closeups to 15 ft away under 1200w of tungesten hotlights. i currently have a cheap point and shoot and it has total blur without the flash .
so my question is , will the kit lens(18-55MM) give me clear sharp pics under those circumstances or will i need faster glass?

since these are the main circumstances i would like the camera for, i can just buy the camera body and the right glass instead of buying the kit and having to spend money on a second piece of glass.

ill add on glass and things as needed an money permits , but right out of the box , this will be my main shooting circumstances.


oh, my main goal in buying a dslr is to avoid using flash indoors with the tungstens!

zim

[superfuzzy]

This has been mentioned elsewhere, but condider the Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4.
Beach Camera has them in stock for $150 after rebate. That is the route that I took, since I don't want to, and usually am not allowed to use a flash indoors.

hey guys i need some advice!
im getting the k100d mainly for shooting people indoors(with and without some movement) from closeups to 15 ft away under 1200w of tungesten hotlights. i currently have a cheap point and shoot and it has total blur without the flash .
so my question is , will the kit lens(18-55MM) give me clear sharp pics under those circumstances or will i need faster glass?

since these are the main circumstances i would like the camera for, i can just buy the camera body and the right glass instead of buying the kit and having to spend money on a second piece of glass.

ill add on glass and things as needed an money permits , but right out of the box , this will be my main shooting circumstances.


oh, my main goal in buying a dslr is to avoid using flash indoors with the tungstens!

zim

[trog100]

and old manual pentax 50mm 1.7 off ebay would do the job.. as for the flash i would say get one.. but its worth hanging on till its known for certain the sigma 500 works with the k10..

if money matters why waste it on over priced pentax kit.. brand loyalty should only be carried so far.. he he

indoor none flash shots really do have severe limitations..

trog

[slip]

Ok I need help on this one.

I tried to take some more indoor shots using the DS with a ex 24 to 70 f2.8 at iso 1600 and centre metering and NO flash.

When I press the shutter button, it will not take a photo, what I'm doing wrong.

are the subjects moving? it could be that your camera is not firing because it can't lock into focus?

just an idea

cheers

randy