Camera for Nightclub

[alanroy]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help;

I am looking for a new camera to use in a nightclub, taking pictures of customers, that they can view on a website. I currently use a Nikon Coolpix 995, but it has developed the fault of not being able to read a CF card, as mentioned on other threads on this board.

The camera will be used by a photography novice, so needs to be good on automatic mode. The main drawback with the coolpix, was when taking general crowd shots, they always came out blurry, however close ups were fine.

I am considering the Canon Powershot S70 as it takes CF cards, and I have two 1Gb cards from the coolpix I could use with it.

Thanks for your time

[alanroy]

See, nice and colorful with no flash - but its all blurry.

[alanroy]

Flash on - no blur, but no color either!

[core]

Check out Fuji F10 ...

[JimC]

That first nightclub shot was a 1 second exposure at ISO 400 and f/2.6

So, even with a camera capable of ISO 3200 using an f/2.8 lens, you probably wouldn't be able to get shutter speeds much faster than about 1/8 second (1 second at ISO 400, 1/2 second at ISO 800, 1/4 second at ISO 1600, 1/8 second at ISO 3200) without using a flash.

That's still too slow to freeze movement, but your percentage of keepers would go up. ;-)

I just got a Konica Minolta 5D, and some of the restaurants around here are that dark, too. Even shooting wide open at f/2 with a 28mm f/2 lens on it (twice as bright as an f/2.8 lens), some of my recent photos were at 1/8 second at ISO 1600 (I could have went ISO 3200 with it though).

Antishake really helps with shutter speeds that slow. So, you can get some photos with some people sharp (those that are still) and some people blurry from movement in the same shot, since you won't need to worry about blur from camera shake as much.

So, that would be my best suggestion (Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D). I'd make sure to get a bright prime for it (28mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4 or f/2, 50mm f/1.4 or f/1.7). Zooms aren't going to be bright enough in those conditions.

Being able to take existing light photos in low lit restaurants and clubs was a primary consideration when I got a Maxxum 5D. I just don't see where you'd find a better combo than a camera that can go up to ISO 3200, with bright lenses available, and antishake to reduce blur from camera movement. But, the light can be so low in some conditions, that even it struggles to get usable photos.

If you can use a flash, even the built in flash on a camera like that can light up a larger room if you set ISO speeds higher (each time you double the ISO speed, a cameras flash range increases by 1.4x). That's the easierway to approach it (usea flash).

In a less expensive, non-DSLR model, the Fuji F10 mentioned is probably your best bet (but you'll still have lots of motion blur with it in those kinds of conditions if you can't use a flash, and you'll want to stay close to the lens wide angle zoom setting so more light gets through). Again, in conditions *that* dark, even a DSLR using a brighter lens with ISO 3200 available is going to struggle.

[JimC]

P.S.

You may just want to consider buying a powerful external flash that would work with your existing camera if the club doesn't mind you using one.

It can be tricky getting the exposure you want (trying to get enough light for further areas without overexposing closer subjects). Bouncing it can help there.It may end up being a cheaper solution with better results. You'd lose the "ambiance" of the lighting with a flash, though.

Edit... Sorry, I forgot that your Coolpix was broken. :-(