Back to the dark jazz club last night......
Remember the difficulties I was having taking a shot of the pianist in the dark part of the stage? (see post #
8 and #
14)
It was very difficult for the AF as the subject moves, and the light level is low.
I tried manual focusing -
but the light level was so low so the view in the viewfinder was too dark to ascertain correct focus......
I came up with two solutions:
1) get focus with AF - then switch the camera to manual focusing -
so basically it locks/fixes the focus.
ISO5000, f/3.5, 1/4 -
now no frustration with trying to focus, no out of focus shots last night, any problems was merely due to subject movement - which can't be helped as the shutter speed was 1/4 sec** (more on that later).
2) other solution -
ISO250, f/2.8, 1 sec!!!
slow-sync flash with -1 2/3 stop flash compensation.
don't use the K-x!
This was taken with my compact a Canon G10 set at "P"rogram and slow-sync flash with compensation of -1 2/3 stop - the camera sets the max ISO250 for flash - that's why the shutter speed was 1 sec! Handheld! But this also shows that the Image Stabilization is pretty effective on the Canon G10.
Back to normal business -
well OK.... normal for me anyway.
ISO5000, f/3.5, 1/4
musicians playing off stage (in the dark)
The bass player moved to the other dark corner of the stage -
ISO5000, f/4.5, 1/15 - 88mm (=132mm equiv) so this was with my 50-200 kit zoom.
Link to first pic in series of 17 (the 18th shot was on the Canon G10 compact)
Link to album all on the K-x - except first 20 shots and the very last shot (Canon G10 compact)
** handheld limit for me with SR -
As one can see with the Canon G10 p&s I managed to get a pretty respectable shot handheld at 1 sec(!) of course I had one arm slightly supported - but still it is 1 sec even with the flash freezing part of the action one can see the subject movement blur - but there is no camera motion blur for stationary objects..... so 1 sec can be done with the 'IS' of the Canon G10 (I have many shots to show this)
However with the Pentax K-x I can only manage about 1/4 sec max -
this is nothing to do with the Pentax SR being any less effective than the Canon IS.
This comes down to the viewfinder blackout on any SLR -
so I cannot "follow-through" by keeping my eye on the subject.
Whereas the Canon G10 has a simple optical viewfinder that allows me to do just that..... so 2 stops difference - although to be honest 1 sec is pretty hit or miss - but I do have plenty of successful shots. Note: Pentax dSLR SR shots are also pretty hit or miss at 1/4 sec.