Need some tips on night photos w/35mm 1.8

daveskates

Senior Member
So I just got my lens in today after work. Had ordered a Nikon 35mm 1.8 lens, I've been hearing people rave about it forever. Prior to owning a D3100 I had a D40 so a little bit of a jump since then. I been going out taking photos with the kit lens (18-55mm) lens and friends have been telling me they love the pics. I feel I've been improving messing with the manual settings. Before I couldn't shoot manual to save my life. So now with the 35mm I had a feeling It would be a bit of adjusting to. The setting I was in tonight was very low light, basically night time with some lights here and there at a lounge but it wasn't very well lit. I really try to prevent using the flash from keeping it in peoples faces for one. Second I noticed the color is a bit sharper and different when I didn't shoot with the top flash or the assist flash (if im using those terms correctly). What settings would any of you (more advance photographers than I) suggest me to try and bring out the 35mm at night? At some points the camera didn't even want to take the photo b/c there was so little light I'm assuming. Or will I have no choice and give in to the assist flash?
 

paul14086

Senior Member
If you stop it right down to a low f number it should be alright depending on now much light is avaliable. Try bumping up the iso a bit too. I have the same lens and didn't really have a issue at night.
 
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Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
So I just got my lens in today after work. Had ordered a Nikon 35mm 1.8 lens, I've been hearing people rave about it forever. Prior to owning a D3100 I had a D40 so a little bit of a jump since then. I been going out taking photos with the kit lens (18-55mm) lens and friends have been telling me they love the pics. I feel I've been improving messing with the manual settings. Before I couldn't shoot manual to save my life. So now with the 35mm I had a feeling It would be a bit of adjusting to. The setting I was in tonight was very low light, basically night time with some lights here and there at a lounge but it wasn't very well lit. I really try to prevent using the flash from keeping it in peoples faces for one. Second I noticed the color is a bit sharper and different when I didn't shoot with the top flash or the assist flash (if im using those terms correctly). What settings would any of you (more advance photographers than I) suggest me to try and bring out the 35mm at night? At some points the camera didn't even want to take the photo b/c there was so little light I'm assuming. Or will I have no choice and give in to the assist flash?
I think primarily you need to get away from the idea there are predetermined "recipes" of camera settings that can be applied in different circumstances that ensure good results, because there aren't. Photography simply doesn't work that way. Every shooting situation has to be evaluated for proper exposure and that means understanding the Exposure Triangle forwards and backwards and twice on Sunday. All of that goes double if you intend to shoot in full Manual. Posting up some of your shots so we can see what settings you were using would also help up point you in the right direction but from reading your post I would say you need to study up on achieving correct exposure. To that end here are a couple tutorials...

Understanding Exposure, via Cambridge in Color

Understanding Histograms, via Luminous Landscape
 

RobHD

Senior Member
Every night shot is different , some nights I just can't get a shot for toast , I never give up tho, I have the d5200 and 35mm prime , be aware at max aperture and to high iso and exposure it comes out like day light.
also practice go using focusimg during the day
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
I think primarily you need to get away from the idea there are predetermined "recipes" of camera settings that can be applied in different circumstances that ensure good results, because there aren't. Photography simply doesn't work that way. Every shooting situation has to be evaluated for proper exposure and that means understanding the Exposure Triangle forwards and backwards and twice on Sunday. All of that goes double if you intend to shoot in full Manual. Posting up some of your shots so we can see what settings you were using would also help up point you in the right direction but from reading your post I would say you need to study up on achieving correct exposure. To that end here are a couple tutorials...

Understanding Exposure, via Cambridge in Color

Understanding Histograms, via Luminous Landscape

This many times.

Also, with your D3100 your best option shooting at night would be a tripod. Although the D3100 is a nice little camera (I had one when I first started) it is not very good at higher ISO's which is what you need if you're going to shoot handheld at night.

I would still get the 35mm 1.8 however. It will beat the pants off of your 18-55 .
 

RobHD

Senior Member
So I just got my lens in today after work. Had ordered a Nikon 35mm 1.8 lens, I've been hearing people rave about it forever. Prior to owning a D3100 I had a D40 so a little bit of a jump since then. I been going out taking photos with the kit lens (18-55mm) lens and friends have been telling me they love the pics. I feel I've been improving messing with the manual settings. Before I couldn't shoot manual to save my life. So now with the 35mm I had a feeling It would be a bit of adjusting to. The setting I was in tonight was very low light, basically night time with some lights here and there at a lounge but it wasn't very well lit. I really try to prevent using the flash from keeping it in peoples faces for one. Second I noticed the color is a bit sharper and different when I didn't shoot with the top flash or the assist flash (if im using those terms correctly). What settings would any of you (more advance photographers than I) suggest me to try and bring out the 35mm at night? At some points the camera didn't even want to take the photo b/c there was so little light I'm assuming. Or will I have no choice and give in to the assist flash?

Dave here are a few night shots with the 35mm F1.8
constellation_of_orion.jpg
widefield_2_7_4_16.jpg


and now the milky way with the 18-55mm kit lens over saturated i know , but thats what i was going for , but you sort of get the differences between the lenses
newway.jpg
 

daveskates

Senior Member
thanks for the input and love the last shot btw that's really nice!

sorry for the late reply (everyone) been busy working and haven't had any time to get on here. I'll post a few pics at least the most decent pics i got the night i posted this, feel free to give some constructive critism. I still am learning a lot and want to continue to improve as a photographer (for fun anyway). Is there an easy way to upload my pics? it's telling me the photos are too big
 

daveskates

Senior Member
also as far as the tripod is concerned, I understand the purpose of them but to me i feel like they're "cheating" in a way if that makes sense. I just want to be able to shoot the best pictures possible with my own hands if anyone can relate haha.
 
If shooting night street scenes or city panoramas the rule was always to base it on 100iso F8 1 second ..Clearly variations in any of the three can be made ..ie 400iso F8 1/4 sec etc
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
also as far as the tripod is concerned, I understand the purpose of them but to me i feel like they're "cheating" in a way if that makes sense. I just want to be able to shoot the best pictures possible with my own hands if anyone can relate haha.

Tripods are not "cheats", they are essential tools for night photography. Where night photography is usually landscape or cityscapes. Whenever your exposure value is slower than 1/1.5 x focal length of your lens, you are at risk of motion blurred images. This is what it is. Now, some people can defy that as much as they want, and some sometimes succeed in beating it, but if you want to make sure you have a sharp picture, it's considered as a basic rule.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Is there an easy way to upload my pics? it's telling me the photos are too big
Resize them to 1,000 pixels on the long edge.

....
If shooting night street scenes or city panoramas the rule was always to base it on 100iso F8 1 second ..Clearly variations in any of the three can be made ..ie 400iso F8 1/4 sec etc
That's called "reciprocity" and it's a principle every photographer should understand forwards and backwards and twice on Sunday in my opinion.

Understanding Reciprocity in Photography

....
Tripods are not "cheats", they are essential tools for night photography. Where night photography is usually landscape or cityscapes. Whenever your exposure value is slower than 1/1.5 x focal length of your lens, you are at risk of motion blurred images. This is what it is. Now, some people can defy that as much as they want, and some sometimes succeed in beating it, but if you want to make sure you have a sharp picture, it's considered as a basic rule.
Quoted for great truth.
 
thanks for the input and love the last shot btw that's really nice!

sorry for the late reply (everyone) been busy working and haven't had any time to get on here. I'll post a few pics at least the most decent pics i got the night i posted this, feel free to give some constructive critism. I still am learning a lot and want to continue to improve as a photographer (for fun anyway). Is there an easy way to upload my pics? it's telling me the photos are too big
Guidelines to adding a photo to your post.

1. Resize photo to 1000px on the long side.
2. Resolution set to 72ppi (Pixels Per Inch)


These guidelines will be good for viewing on a computer but will not be good for printing. This will help safeguard your copyright.







 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
One has to accept that in some situations there is just NOT ENOUGH LIGHT. Photography is all about light and no light means no picture. Of course, some will say that with a tripod and long 30 or so seconds exposure they will get an image, but if there are moving or living subjects in the shots, just forget it. Flash and artificial light is sometimes compulsory.

Good luck on the learning road of photography.
 
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