[slip]

for average indoor lighting, how much do you need a flash?
I know this is a general question, but if (with the k10) I can take most of my shots without a bigger flash, I am not sure if it is a good purchase. might need to get another glass instead
would I have to be in high ISO all the time to get indoors hand held without the flash?


any direction much appreciated

[jsundin]

Slipchuck, I think if you want the best quality, indoor, non-flash shots, then you will be best served with a fast lens, such as a 50mm or 28mm lens. With these, you can get in the 1.4 - 2.8 range of f stops, greatly decreasing your need to bump up the ISO too much. You can get M versions of these very inexpensively. Good luck finding the AF versions these days, but they are in the $200 (US) range once you find them.

Otherwise, you can use the kit lens and bump up the ISO and do rather well. I took a lot of concert shots at high ISO and f6.3 out of necessity, since I don't own any fast telephoto lenses. They turned out nicely.

Hope that helps.

Jeff

[slip]

Slipchuck, I think if you want the best quality, indoor, non-flash shots, then you will be best served with a fast lens, such as a 50mm or 28mm lens. With these, you can get in the 1.4 - 2.8 range of f stops, greatly decreasing your need to bump up the ISO too much. You can get M versions of these very inexpensively. Good luck finding the AF versions these days, but they are in the $200 (US) range once you find them.

Otherwise, you can use the kit lens and bump up the ISO and do rather well. I took a lot of concert shots at high ISO and f6.3 out of necessity, since I don't own any fast telephoto lenses. They turned out nicely.

Hope that helps.

Jeff

how well do you think the pentax 16-45 do in such conditions?
I was thinking about getting this and a tamron 90mm macro.....but boy would I be stretching my pocket book.

ps I am trying to get my girlfriend to get the k100 with the flash so I can get the 2 lenses

[jsundin]

I cannot say, as I just have the starter collection of lenses. I have the 50mm 17 and the 28mm 2.8 M lenses and have used them mainly outside for now. I was able to use a 135mm 2.5 indoors at a swimming pool with good success, and shot some water polo shots with the 50mm. I was just fooling around with those, so they are nothing spectacular.

Maybe someone else can chime in. Or, post a new thread asking about the 16-45 as an indoor lens. I have heard it is a nice one.

Jeff

[Ole]

Indoor shots without flash are often more pleasing. Flash shots can get somewhat harsh. Of course, on the positive, a flash would help freeze action.

I took this when I just got the *istD and with my only autofocus lens at the time, 28-90/3.5-5.6, set at f/4. ISO 1600, no flash.

Karate

I do have an external flash. I usually leave it at home and carry an extra lens instead. I have found the built-in flash quite adequate for the traditional shots of "people at a table", or as fill-in flash.

[RussellW]

Thanks, I'm off to basketball tomorrow and I hope to use the advice given here.

Will let you know.

Cheers

[Rupert]

I think you would appreciate the benefits of a good flash. I have a Promaster 5750DX Pttl and it is very useful , in particular on macro shots. You can get this for about 1/2 the price of the Pentax 540, and while I won't argue that it is as good as the Pentax, it is plenty adequate for my needs. Flash gives you a lot better range and avoids high ISO settings. The little 2nd flash on the Promaster is great for macro use where you don't want to blow out the highlights.

[jnorth]

I tend to agree with Rupert's heading - get a flash. I however would be more inclined to get your lenses and then get your flash via your girlfriend and if that doesn't work sell her car get a flash and give whatever is left over. Seriously I would try the 16-45 in your application and see if you can use it in conjunction with your pop-up. I have the Pentax 540 and for some of my 'average indoor lighting' I find I don't always mount it. I guess if you define your indoor average shooting it might help. If it is indoor average lighting but subject is 30' away well the pop-up won't do and you would be closing on the max distance of the 360 (as I recall or have I mixed that up, and that is the max of my 540?).

[slip]

I tend to agree with Rupert's heading - get a flash. I however would be more inclined to get your lenses and then get your flash via your girlfriend and if that doesn't work sell her car get a flash and give whatever is left over. Seriously I would try the 16-45 in your application and see if you can use it in conjunction with your pop-up. I have the Pentax 540 and for some of my 'average indoor lighting' I find I don't always mount it. I guess if you define your indoor average shooting it might help. If it is indoor average lighting but subject is 30' away well the pop-up won't do and you would be closing on the max distance of the 360 (as I recall or have I mixed that up, and that is the max of my 540?).

I can see your point, but I forgot one thing in the mix..... I would have to give up the flash and the grip too......
boy that grip makes a lot of sense when you turn the camera sideways.... and looks comfortable too!

I still have a bit of time to talk to her about it, but at this point she sees the pop up flash on the k100 good enough.

thanks for the advise, will be taken well into consideration

cheers

randy

[WRB]

I also would lean to the lenses and wait for the flash..

[iL Medico]

Unless your house is extremely well lit compared to mine or most I've been in, you will struggle to get anything above 1/50 at ISO 1600 at 1.8-2.8.

What may look bright to the eye is really pretty dark to the camera.

I can turn on all the lights in my living room/kitchen/dining area, plus the big screen TV and at F2 ISO 1600 I'm looking at 1/20 t0 1/60 or so depending on where in the room I am.

I would get the flash unless you have a LOT of light or no one actually moves

[slip]

Unless your house is extremely well lit compared to mine or most I've been in, you will struggle to get anything above 1/50 at ISO 1600 at 1.8-2.8.

What may look bright to the eye is really pretty dark to the camera.

I can turn on all the lights in my living room/kitchen/dining area, plus the big screen TV and at F2 ISO 1600 I'm looking at 1/20 t0 1/60 or so depending on where in the room I am.

I would get the flash unless you have a LOT of light or no one actually moves

we are not to bright (no pun intended ) here either. I am going to try to avoid 1600 iso if I can.
thanks for the tip

randy

[vievetrick]

Thanks, I'm off to basketball tomorrow and I hope to use the advice given here.

Will let you know.

Cheers

Russsell low light I am sure you got with Bball - how did it go?

[jnorth]

Unless your house is extremely well lit compared to mine or most I've been in, you will struggle to get anything above 1/50 at ISO 1600 at 1.8-2.8.

What may look bright to the eye is really pretty dark to the camera.

I can turn on all the lights in my living room/kitchen/dining area, plus the big screen TV and at F2 ISO 1600 I'm looking at 1/20 t0 1/60 or so depending on where in the room I am.

I would get the flash unless you have a LOT of light or no one actually moves

Yeah but you can also hit the little button to pop-up the onboard flash and get a person or two in the average living room/kitchen/dining area.

If you are just trying to catch one or two faces in an average room the pop-up flash will likely have enough power to make it across the 'average' house's room. If it is supposed to be a group across a larger room or a portrait or some serious work you may find that the pop-up is too limiting. If it is an average indoor lighting of the average elementary school gym or high school gym you should be able to get the shutter times above at 5.6 and maybe if you are lucky at 800 ISO, but still too slow for basketball. Now if it was an average college or better gym you will likely find even better lighting but still minimal for a camera especially for action and too much distance to cover with the pop-up.

What good is a body, a grip, a flash but no glass? If it were in my gear bag I'd say it was a back-up but if you don't have a primary pakage complete with glass...

But I think if you think of what type of pictures you want to be capturing you will be the best person to decide the order of aquisition.

My first Pentax system, a Super Program, in order, over about a week was the body, 50, 28, AF200T (or some such small Pentax flash), and 70-210. The system continued to grow at a slower rate but included a much better flash down the road. That first flash was the closest thing to a pop-up back then and it worked well in average indoor lite rooms, until my needs required something better.

[slip]

Yeah but you can also hit the little button to pop-up the onboard flash and get a person or two in the average living room/kitchen/dining area.

If you are just trying to catch one or two faces in an average room the pop-up flash will likely have enough power to make it across the 'average' house's room. If it is supposed to be a group across a larger room or a portrait or some serious work you may find that the pop-up is too limiting. If it is an average indoor lighting of the average elementary school gym or high school gym you should be able to get the shutter times above at 5.6 and maybe if you are lucky at 800 ISO, but still too slow for basketball. Now if it was an average college or better gym you will likely find even better lighting but still minimal for a camera especially for action and too much distance to cover with the pop-up.

What good is a body, a grip, a flash but no glass? If it were in my gear bag I'd say it was a back-up but if you don't have a primary pakage complete with glass...

But I think if you think of what type of pictures you want to be capturing you will be the best person to decide the order of aquisition.

My first Pentax system, a Super Program, in order, over about a week was the body, 50, 28, AF200T (or some such small Pentax flash), and 70-210. The system continued to grow at a slower rate but included a much better flash down the road. That first flash was the closest thing to a pop-up back then and it worked well in average indoor lite rooms, until my needs required something better.

thanks for the info, Inorth

I don't know if I mentioned it here, but yes I would be getting glass too....the sigma 17-70mm. do you consider this lens a "good" glass?

thanks