Has Canon's low light abilities gotten any better?

[BB Gun]

As stated in another thread, I've been using an A40 for the last two years (3200+ pictures and counting!) and want to upgrade to higher megapixel and possibly more optical zoom.

When lit properly, the Canon takes GREAT shots. But I find its low light performance sorely lacking - higher ISO settings are horrendously grainy, and the flash is VERY short range. And if too close, the flash causes significant overexposure. The flash has a VERY narrow "sweet spot".

For these reasons, I am hesitant to just get the "upgrade" to the A70 or A80.

Those of you who have those cameras, how are they in low light? (say, in a church or auditorium, lights on, all indirect, and no sunlight).

If you use other cameras, how are they in low light? What kind of manual control do they offer?

Thanks,

BB

 

[neeyo]

Canon's ISO measurements are actually faster than other models. For example, on an olympus camera, a shot may be taken at iso 200 @ f/2.8 @ 1/60, but on the same Canon setup it may be at f/4 or 1/120 / sec. ISO 400 on my A80 is actually closer to ISO 700 if you use it to scale.

No camera will give you a good shot if you don't have enough light... there's a reason why they're called photographs.

 

[agentzero9]

From what you said, it seems like your next jump should be to a DSLR.

No point and shoot camera will take noticeably better low light pics than the A40. The a40 had excellent optics for it's time, and still does even now.

You can improve your flash shots by upgrading to a camera that takes external flashes, but you'd have to be willing to pay extra $$ for the flash unit.

But for a true upgrade, you'll need a Rebel or D70.

 

[eXacto]

If you don't want to go so far as getting a DSLR, which would be great for low-light conditions (I shoot concerts with my 10D without using a flash and it's great) you might want to check out something like a Canon G3, which has a flash hotshoe and you could put a speedlite on it. But it's still a consumer model camera and the ISO performance/noise will be quite bad in low light.

 

[BB Gun]

Thanks guys.

1200.00 for a DSLR+lense is currently out of the question, no matter HOW badly I want it.

Will take a look at the digicams with hot-shoes and see what I come up with.

Why are the "consumer" cams so poor in low-mid light? Small (as in area) sensors? Optics? Sensor quality?

BB

 

[eXacto]

Generally a cheaper focusing method is used which makes them crappy in low light. As for the sensors and noise, they are much smaller than those in DSLRs, and the smaller the sensors the greater the noise in most cases. Size and quality cut down drastically on the cost to produce them.

 

[Joves]

Generally a cheaper focusing method is used which makes them crappy in low light. As for the sensors and noise, they are much smaller than those in DSLRs, and the smaller the sensors the greater the noise in most cases. Size and quality cut down drastically on the cost to produce them.

Yep pretty much nailed it. It is a case of what people will pay for as, in most of the public. While some of us would pay more for a P&S that would work better, in low light conditions, most people wont. So we are left to going to DSLR's for the better qualities. Im saving for a D70 myself but, I have to, get a cataract gouged out of eye first. So that is chewing up the bank roll.

 

[ozziegn]

I'm using the A80 now in days and I must say that it does a pretty spiffy job at taking low-light pics.

 

[Simon_Howes]

Here is a G5 in a low light situation..

Canon still have low EV focus problems though, even on the 1Ds and 1DmkII.

Canon's ISO measurements are actually faster than other models. For example, on an olympus camera, a shot may be taken at iso 200 @ f/2.8 @ 1/60, but on the same Canon setup it may be at f/4 or 1/120 / sec. ISO 400 on my A80 is actually closer to ISO 700 if you use it to scale.

No camera will give you a good shot if you don't have enough light... there's a reason why they're called photographs.

Humm, no, I use a light meter most of the time and all the cameras expose correctly with the same settings.