F:/2.8 is generally too slow for indoors. I have tried with my 5D MK II, at ISO 3200.
If you are using a crop camera, large aperture prime is best. Make sure it is wide enough, for a building interior, you will need a very wide lens.
F:/2.8 is generally too slow for indoors. I have tried with my 5D MK II, at ISO 3200.
If you are using a crop camera, large aperture prime is best. Make sure it is wide enough, for a building interior, you will need a very wide lens.
Originally Posted by scalesusa
I think this depends on the subject. An f/2.8 lens with a 3-stop image stabilizer allows you to shoot at shutter speeds you'd need f/1.0 to achieve on a non-IS lens. Canon doesn't currently make a prime with an aperture larger than f/1.2. As long as the subject is immobile (I don't mean people posing - I mean static exhibits like art and sculpture, architecture, etc., and theOP is going to a museum), you'll be better off with f/2.8 + IS. Certainly, if you are shooting people or anything else with the ability to move, IS will not help and in that case, a large aperture prime is best. (That's one reason the 35mm f/1.4L is on my wish list.)
I think this depends on the subject. An f/2.8 lens with a 3-stop image stabilizer allows you to shoot at shutter speeds you'd need f/1.0 to achieve on a non-IS lens. Canon doesn't currently make a prime with an aperture larger than f/1.2. As long as the subject is immobile (I don't mean people posing - I mean static exhibits like art and sculpture, architecture, etc., and theOP is going to a museum), you'll be better off with f/2.8 + IS. Certainly, if you are shooting people or anything else with the ability to move, IS will not help and in that case, a large aperture prime is best. (That's one reason the 35mm f/1.4L is on my wish list.)
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Also: the 50 1.8 at 1.8 isn't tack sharp--and that's a tricky DOF, too. You almost need to use that lens at 2.0 or 2.8 for sharpness if you're shooting objects at some distance.
Also: ya'll might be asking for better quality images than I'm achieving, but I've taken tons of photos in a dim chapel of moving subjects with the 24-70 2.8, which has no IS, and with a Rebel XSI, which has only the unusable ISO 1600 (and so I use 800), hand held. Not all of them are keepers, but many turn out beautifully. I would think the IS would be a huge advantage in the case of still objects in dim light. When I've used the 50 1.4 in the same conditions, again, I've had to stop down a bit to avoid soft images or blurriness.
You are correct, it does depend on the lighting and the subject. As long as the museum is empty, and no one is walking around to come between your camera and the item you are photographing, you can do a longish exposure. I've found that the crowding in museums makes it hard to do, and having the option of a fast shutter speed helps.
50mm F/1.8 1/60 sec ISO 3200, 5D MK II.
2.8 with IS can certainly be used well indoors.
I used my 17-55 in the Sistine Chapel which is about as low light as i've ever taken pics... most came out very good. Its super dark in there and there's signs every where that say 'No Flash Photography'... needless to say, flashes were popping off every 5 seconds or so and the attendants in the room didnt even try to to stop anyone. I didn't use mine once (outta respect). I always try to lean against something for added stability.
btw - if you use a monopod with the 17-55 IS, you have to switch off the IS anyhow
Not true, actually. The IS system in the EF-S 17-55mm and the other (relatively) newer IS lenses senses that the camera is on a tripod, and fixes itself in the centered position. The 17-55mm manual recommends turning off IS when on a tripod, but only to preserve battery life. This is different from the older IS implementations (it was clear from my shots with an EF 300mm f/4L IS (a 1997 lens that lacks a tripod-sensing IS system) that when mounted on a tripod with IS on, images were blurred due to feedback of trying to stabilize an already-immobile lens).
Also, note that even in lenses where the IS is not tripod-sensing, a monopod is NOT a tripod. A monopod adds stability, sure. But you're still holding the monopod, and as a living, breathing person you will always have some degree of motion, and some of that motion will be transferred to the monopod, and thus to the lens - IS will help reduce that motion. So, when shooting with a monopod you should leave IS on.
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