Appreciate you doing those videos. Love your style, videography and everything. Thank you for all those helpful tips. Literally most underappriciated channel on youtube. :)
Hello Joe, thanks for another brilliant episode. And your particular sense of humor makes it even better! You are totally underrated IMO. Keep on going!
Thank you so much for this. I appreciate this kind of feedback. I try to instill some of my personality with my humour. I have no idea how it's going to go so I appreciate you letting me know that it's not going too badly. Cheers my friend.
So glad I found your channel. Great presentation style, with a depth of information presented in an easy to understand way. Please keep up the great work. And what a beautiful place Rye looks to be!
During the holidays, I use Sigma 16mm 1.4 on APS-C cameras to photo homeowners' light displays. Use f/2.2 to f/2.8 for enough dept of field to capture the fence, yard, and house. This year I am trying out a monopod to reduce my shutter speeds to below usual 125th, so as to lower that auto ISO.
Hi Joe. Great to have come across your work. I'm very much into shooting film at present and enjoying the approach of Ted Vieira in Las Vegas (also on TH-cam). Over the next couple of nights I'll shoot some Ilford HP5, pushed to 1600, using f2.8 of course, as you suggest, on the coast here in Kent. Thanks for the tips!
Thank you very much John. I'd love to try out shooting film. I'm sure I'll get round to it one day. it sounds like you know your stuff and thank you very much for appreciating my tips. I will definitely check out the work of Ted Vieira. Enjoy!
With handheld night photography, I use an EF 24mm f1.4 II lens and my Canon R6. I shoot at f2.8 mostly, with an ISO around 1600-3200, and as slow of a shutter as I can get away with. The pictures come out fantastic. The R6 handles the noise brilliantly at even higher ISOs, and the lens is sharp across the frame stop down some, and at 24mm there's good depth of field at f2.8. Also, the files I get allow me to boost the shadows without much of a loss in quality. The real fun is going out when it's snowing. Same settings, but with a faster shutter speed like 1/200th to freeze the falling snowflakes, and I make sure to find scenes with a nice light source.
Thanks for sharing your settings Andrew. I've heard great things about the R6 and 24 mm is a really interesting focal length. I'd love to try that. Sounds like you've got some really fun conditions to be shooting in. I wish it would snow here.
I was out last night and used F2-2.5 at ISO’s between 2000 and 4000 with about 1/80 sec shutter speeds. Given it’s an older Fujifilm camera body, there will be sensor noise. In this case actually I wanted the noise and mixed it with simulated film grain in post obtaining the look I was hoping for. Budget friendly and fun!
Thanks for sharing your settings and your camera. I also really appreciate the noise mixed in with the simulated film grain. It really does help give your images a certain vibe that you can't get by being too conscious about noise in your images. I love the film simulations of the Fuji cameras. I appreciate your comment.
Thanking you sir for your video! But my XT-30 Fuji doesn’t have EBIS. It it still a good idea to use F2.8 instead of F2.0? Does your Ricoh have EBIS and thus 2.8 is usable?
Thank you. You can use f/2.0 or f/2.8. They will not affect the lack of IBIS. What will affect the lack of IBIS is a slow shutter speed, so if you want to try out f/2.0, then go ahead. Just be careful of your depth of field at f/2.0
You are right, 2.8 is a very good starting point. I use M-Mode with 1/80 or something similar, depending on the lense. And Auto-Iso. And at night I underexpose by -1 or even -2. Otherwise the camera would raise the Iso to make a picture that looks like daylight. Which I would have to correct in post processing.
I've just done the same; underexposing with auto iso. On my Fujifilm XT-50, I don't even care hitting iso 12800. Been shooting at 2.8 even on my primes to check out whether I could do with a Sigma 10-18 2.8 and it's definitely a yes.
You're right, had to figure this through trial and error, 2.8 is kind of a sweet spot & Auto ISO makes things so much easier... do you ever adjust the exposure? Meter the shop or street light and under expose it; this creates some great shadows, saves the highlights and pushes the ISO lower.
Thanks for your comment. I rarely adjust the exposure, especially at night as I don’t want to crush the shadows. I’d rather just shoot and go. but I certainly think you can expose tricky areas by doing that. I appreciate your comment, man and I’m glad you see the merits of f/2.8 and Auto ISO 😬👍
First video to give such clear information on night photos, best settings saved me and others from pitfalls and lot of trial and error.Thanks for your brilliant video.
I've done nighttime street photography in the past , I'm not sure it's safe out there now ! I like this approach and will try it when I do get the opportunity!
Hi Joe, loving your tutorials and they are definately insporing. Can I ask what white balance setting you recommend. I use a Canon Mirrorless camera. tx
Thank you for your support. I'm glad that you're finding them inspiring. I just go with auto white balance. I always have. It works absolutely fine, I think, for day and night shots, across camera brands.
Thanks very much. It's difficult to use snap focus at night, because you’ll often use wider apertures like f/2.8 to let in more light, which reduces the depth of field. This makes precise focus more critical and can lead to missed shots if your subject isn’t within the snap focus range. I don't really use snap focus but I will give it some thought for a potential future video.
Hi Joe. Im trying to set up a Ricoh for a disabeld friend who only have his left hand. How does the selfie stick trikker the camera, is it cable or Remote?
Hi there, the selfie stick does not trigger the camera. I have a shutter remote which triggers the camera. It plugs into the USB port on the side of the camera. I only hold the camera with the selfie stick. Here is a link to the shutter remote that I use: amzn.to/3zJOu6i
Joe can I ask could these settings work when trying to photograph my railway layout with low light , regards Fred and thanks for a great informative video
It really depends on how fast the trains are moving. You might need to increase the ISO so that the shutter speed is fast enough if the trains are stationary then the settings should work no problem. If your railway layout is completely stationary then you could put your camera on a tripod and shoot at ISO 100 for the best quality image at a very slow shutter speed such as 30 seconds or up to a minute and also have a narrow debt of field such as f/8. You can only use very slow shutter speed when you have your camera on a tripod. Thanks, Fred.
@@joeredski many thanks for your help Joe I’ll give all that a try. Ps I use a Fuji X20 which has the aperture you and recommend and larger but I’ll stick with the f2.8 I think where I’ve been going wrong is using a very small f stop which bring all the problems I’ve been getting. So once again thanks . Fred
No - the same principle applies. Full frame or APSC camera, you still need as much light as possible coming in through your lens so f /2 .8 is perfect on a full frame camera as well, at night time.
@@harrr53 Good point on depth of field! For exposure, f/2.8 will give you the same amount of light on both APS-C and full-frame. But you’re right that to get a similar depth of field to an APS-C f/2.8 shot, a full-frame camera would need to be around f/4.5. In low light, I prioritize f/2.8 to get as much light as possible, but adjusting ISO can definitely help if you’re aiming for more depth of field.
@@joeredski There is always some compromise. With FF, that f2.8 to f3.5 and f1.8, f2.2 or f2.8 on MFT cameras will get the shot for sure. I assume your APS-C handles the grain better than MFT. I am shooting mostly the Nikon Z5 and Lumix GX9 these days, though still using other gear. Love the look of the Z40mm and handling of Z5. Have to say, the Lumix GX9 has its own magic, even with a little more grain. You get great depth, and those multiple layers going with micro-four-thirds. Alas all cameras are no better than the operator. A camera does not take a photo. - Loren
Cool Tips I made the same experience that Auto ISO is very useful in photography with critical lighting conditions.But I also made the experience that it does makes sense to borrow expensive glas. I used a 50 mm Summicron. Even completely open, I don’t know why, it creates nice sun stars around light sources. Ok this lens is expensive. But it was a lot of fun…
I found EV -2.7 to -3.7 work best at night. I shoot at 25mm and my default at night is also f/2.8. Though without any IBIS so I'm limited to 1/50 for consistent results, but adobe denoise takes care of the elevated ISO.
Thanks for sharing your settings. It’s interesting to see how yours is so different to mine, especially with your exposure compensation choice. I don’t think I’d be able to be productive without IBIS. I’m glad it’s working for you. Appreciated 👍
Why not indeed. If those settings work for you, then great. Those settings are just as good as the ones that I'm suggesting. However, I like Aperture Priority simply because I can work very quickly with it. It does everything I need.
@@joeredski - I would only say that working in Manual with Auto ISO is just as quick without the risk of less than optimal shutter speed. I see both Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority as hangovers from film days but now that we can allow ISO to float I think they are both redundant.
The focal length also matters and 2.8 may be ideal with a 40mm lens - but if you are using, say, a 28mm then f/2 or even f/1.7 will give you great results - and at lower ISOs.
Great point! You’re absolutely right that the wider 28mm can work well at f/2 or even f/1.7, especially for getting that extra light in lower ISO situations. Just be careful with maintaining depth of field at those apertures. I use the Ricoh GRIII and GRIII X, so I keep the 40mm at f/2.8 for a nice balance of detail and isolation, but it’s definitely worth experimenting with different apertures on the 28mm too, if your camera allows for wider apertures. Thanks for sharing your insight!
I have a Nikon D3500 and I do have a Nikon 40mm f2.8 lens. After seeing your video, I made the necessary settings to the specifications you mentioned. The only difference is my shutter speed is set at 1/125. I'm hoping for some great shots around 42St-Grand Central area. Wish me luck and thanx for this awesome video.
@joeredski I went out Election Day to shoot by your suggested settings and OMG. My first stop was Brooklyn Bridge Park and I took stunning pictures of the Manhattan skyline at night. My 40mm f2.8 didn't have enough reach. Thankfully I did bring my Nikon 35mm f1.8 and kept the aperture at f2.8. My next stop was E 42 St and Grand Central Terminal. Absolutely beautiful pictures of the United Nations and the Chrysler Bdg. This is living proof that you can do night photography in aperture priority with the proper settings. Bless you 🙏 and thank you.
@@brucetaylor607 Thank you so much for using my settings. I'm really glad they worked out for you. You've definitely got the best place to have a go with that great Nikon lens. I must head over to New York and make a video shooting on the streets out there. Keep on shooting and All the best.
I use f2.8 with auto ISO at night. The auto ISO range I use is 200-1600. I can't set a minimum shutter speed, I typically set the shutter speed to 1/30 but I can hold the camera steady enough - thanks to in body stabilization - to go as slow as 1/8. I also set the exposure compensation to -1.
Thanks man. I appreciate you sharing those settings on here. It’s interesting to see how other people handle slow shutter speeds. Looks like you can handhold the camera at slower speeds than me. I can see how your slow shutter speed works well with your ISO setting and your negative exposure compensation. Cheers Scott. Awesome stuff 👍
I get how f/2.8 offers a practical sweet spot for night photography, but that doesn't really make it "the best" aperture. For me, the best aperture is the one that helps create an image that satisfies one's creative intent.
That’s a great perspective. In my video, I focused on f/2.8 as a practical sweet spot for night street photography because it balances light intake with enough depth of field to still keep the background context visible, which aligns with how I approach night time storytelling in my shots. For that purpose, for me it is the best. If you end up going too narrow with your aperture at night time then it can be difficult to balance light intake. However, photography is all about personal vision, and if a different aperture better achieves your creative goals- then that’s the ‘best’ choice for you in that moment. All my stuff is based on recommendation. Obviously, no one has to adhere to it. Thanks for sharing your insight.
Sorry you feel that way. It's clearly not pointless. Maybe it's just not for you. People do need and want to know what aperture to use at night time - not everybody does know. If you use ISO 6400 + you're going to get noise in your images. You can't just have a discussion about ISO without discussing aperture and shutter speed.
@ most of your examples are iso 6400 or 5000, you’re not having a discussion about iso or noise, your video is entitled’This aperture makes street photography easy’ so it’s a discussion about aperture. If you use 6400 in a street any aperture larger than 5.6 will work. Glad I could clarify that.
@@AaaaandAction I appreciate the clarification, though I still think there’s value in discussing the ideal aperture specifically for night street photography, which is why I focused on it in the video. My intention was to help viewers find a starting point for aperture settings that balance depth of field, sharpness, and light sensitivity, rather than only pushing ISO. In fact, I did discuss ISO in great depth, with a large portion of the video centered around using auto ISO, as this helps manage noise in varying lighting conditions. While it’s true any aperture larger than f/5.6 can work at ISO 6400 in some situations, in dark settings, f/5.6 may not allow enough light, even at higher ISOs. f/2.8 remains one of the best apertures for night street photography because it allows for faster shutter speeds, which is essential to avoid motion blur in low light. Using a smaller aperture like f/5.6 often forces a slower shutter speed, which can lead to unwanted blur, especially in a dynamic street environmentEach setting-aperture, ISO, and shutter speed-plays its own role, and I wanted to make sure viewers understand that relationship.
I did lots of shootings at night and ISO 6400 ist still not enough to turn it into daylight handheld photography. With apertures slower than 2.8 it becomes very hard to maintain shutter speeds fast enough to freeze motion.
@@fixpix35 if you're shooting it at, /2.8 at ISO 6400, depending upon how bright or dark a scene you're shooting, your shutter speed will be approximately 1/180 sec - 1/20 seconds. I know that I can freeze motion at approximately 1/20 seconds, depending upon how fast the subject is moving. If you start to use narrower apertures such as f/5.6, in fairly bright nighttime situations, the shutter speed will likely slow down so much that it is very difficult to freeze action. This is one of the reasons why I recommend shooting at f/2.8 - it keeps the shutter speed fast enough to freeze action.
You’re absolutely brilliant mate
Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Great presentation style: clear, simple, slow, short pauses to be clear. Excellent photography techniques.
Thank you so much for that great feedback. I really appreciate that. I’m glad you are getting something from my video 🙏
Appreciate you doing those videos. Love your style, videography and everything. Thank you for all those helpful tips. Literally most underappriciated channel on youtube. :)
Thank you very much for that feedback, man. I’m glad I can provide some value to you. That is much appreciated. 👍
Hello Joe,
thanks for another brilliant episode. And your particular sense of humor makes it even better! You are totally underrated IMO. Keep on going!
Thank you so much for this. I appreciate this kind of feedback. I try to instill some of my personality with my humour. I have no idea how it's going to go so I appreciate you letting me know that it's not going too badly. Cheers my friend.
Thanks again Joe, great presentation and info 👍 Nice 'tache btw
Thanks again! Glad you like the tache 😅
So glad I found your channel. Great presentation style, with a depth of information presented in an easy to understand way. Please keep up the great work. And what a beautiful place Rye looks to be!
Thank you so much for this great comment. I’m glad that you find my channel helpful. 👍
good tips on night shooting. tq!
Thank you.
During the holidays, I use Sigma 16mm 1.4 on APS-C cameras to photo homeowners' light displays. Use f/2.2 to f/2.8 for enough dept of field to capture the fence, yard, and house. This year I am trying out a monopod to reduce my shutter speeds to below usual 125th, so as to lower that auto ISO.
That's a great set up. Thanks for sharing. I hope the monopod works out for you.
TH-cam algorithm put this in my feed. Subscribed.
Thank you very much. I appreciate your subscription.
Great video! Super helpful tips. Thanks Joe!
My pleasure. Thank you.
Very useful and instructive video mate... Thanks from Paris France
Thank you very much. Much appreciated.
Excellent video. Good tips. Need to get out and try night shooting.
My pleasure. Thank you very much for your feedback.
Superb info as normal, thanks Joe, I want to go out to night and try your tips, thank you.
That’s excellent. That’s what I like to hear… Thank you so much. 👍👍
Hi Joe. Great to have come across your work. I'm very much into shooting film at present and enjoying the approach of Ted Vieira in Las Vegas (also on TH-cam). Over the next couple of nights I'll shoot some Ilford HP5, pushed to 1600, using f2.8 of course, as you suggest, on the coast here in Kent. Thanks for the tips!
Thank you very much John. I'd love to try out shooting film. I'm sure I'll get round to it one day. it sounds like you know your stuff and thank you very much for appreciating my tips. I will definitely check out the work of Ted Vieira. Enjoy!
Wish I lived in such a beautiful city like that, composition is much easier.
Thank you very much. It's only a small town so after a while there are no more things to shoot.
Good lesson...many thanks.😊
You're welcome 😊
Interesting video, nice YT recommendation. I subscribed
Awesome, thank you!
Very helpful, thank you so much
My pleasure. Thank you.
Thank you for the video Joe!👌
My pleasure. Thank you for your comment. 👍
With handheld night photography, I use an EF 24mm f1.4 II lens and my Canon R6. I shoot at f2.8 mostly, with an ISO around 1600-3200, and as slow of a shutter as I can get away with. The pictures come out fantastic. The R6 handles the noise brilliantly at even higher ISOs, and the lens is sharp across the frame stop down some, and at 24mm there's good depth of field at f2.8. Also, the files I get allow me to boost the shadows without much of a loss in quality. The real fun is going out when it's snowing. Same settings, but with a faster shutter speed like 1/200th to freeze the falling snowflakes, and I make sure to find scenes with a nice light source.
Thanks for sharing your settings Andrew. I've heard great things about the R6 and 24 mm is a really interesting focal length. I'd love to try that. Sounds like you've got some really fun conditions to be shooting in. I wish it would snow here.
I was out last night and used F2-2.5 at ISO’s between 2000 and 4000 with about 1/80 sec shutter speeds. Given it’s an older Fujifilm camera body, there will be sensor noise. In this case actually I wanted the noise and mixed it with simulated film grain in post obtaining the look I was hoping for. Budget friendly and fun!
Thanks for sharing your settings and your camera. I also really appreciate the noise mixed in with the simulated film grain. It really does help give your images a certain vibe that you can't get by being too conscious about noise in your images. I love the film simulations of the Fuji cameras. I appreciate your comment.
Definitely going to try this…thanks!
That's what I like to hear. Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy.
@@joeredski tried it tonight and took some decent pics…
That's great to hear man. Awesome.
Fabulous. Thank you!
My pleasure. Thank you very much.
Thanking you sir for your video! But my XT-30 Fuji doesn’t have EBIS. It it still a good idea to use F2.8 instead of F2.0? Does your Ricoh have EBIS and thus 2.8 is usable?
Thank you. You can use f/2.0 or f/2.8. They will not affect the lack of IBIS. What will affect the lack of IBIS is a slow shutter speed, so if you want to try out f/2.0, then go ahead. Just be careful of your depth of field at f/2.0
You are right, 2.8 is a very good starting point. I use M-Mode with 1/80 or something similar, depending on the lense. And Auto-Iso. And at night I underexpose by -1 or even -2. Otherwise the camera would raise the Iso to make a picture that looks like daylight. Which I would have to correct in post processing.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your settings, man. I appreciate it. Everyone has their own methods, it’s great.
I've just done the same; underexposing with auto iso. On my Fujifilm XT-50, I don't even care hitting iso 12800. Been shooting at 2.8 even on my primes to check out whether I could do with a Sigma 10-18 2.8 and it's definitely a yes.
@birkenlord Awesome. That’s great to hear man. Great settings. 👍
@@birkenlordWith a wide angle you could try 1/30 or even 1/15. With 2.8 and underexposing it must be really dark if the camera chooses ISO 12.800.
Really really great video
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
You're right, had to figure this through trial and error, 2.8 is kind of a sweet spot & Auto ISO makes things so much easier... do you ever adjust the exposure? Meter the shop or street light and under expose it; this creates some great shadows, saves the highlights and pushes the ISO lower.
Thanks for your comment. I rarely adjust the exposure, especially at night as I don’t want to crush the shadows. I’d rather just shoot and go. but I certainly think you can expose tricky areas by doing that. I appreciate your comment, man and I’m glad you see the merits of f/2.8 and Auto ISO 😬👍
First video to give such clear information on night photos, best settings saved me and others from pitfalls and lot of trial and error.Thanks for your brilliant video.
@@redeyepeteI'm glad I could be of help. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your great feedback.
Thank you, notes have been taken!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you very much.
Great tutorial thanks. Now off to have a look at upgrading from f4 to f2.8 😂
Glad you enjoyed it. Give it a go and see if it works for you. Enjoy!
I've done nighttime street photography in the past , I'm not sure it's safe out there now ! I like this approach and will try it when I do get the opportunity!
I guess it depends on where you live. I live in a small town so it's not really a problem. But I understand how you feel.
@joeredski I do like the approach though , I will try it when I get the opportunity,thanks 🙏
Hi Joe, loving your tutorials and they are definately insporing. Can I ask what white balance setting you recommend. I use a Canon Mirrorless camera. tx
Thank you for your support. I'm glad that you're finding them inspiring. I just go with auto white balance. I always have. It works absolutely fine, I think, for day and night shots, across camera brands.
@@joeredski definately will go out in the next few weeks and try a few christmas lights - thank you
Hi Joe. Great video. What do I do with Snap Focus? Can you give a turorial on the Ricoh GR111?
Thanks very much. It's difficult to use snap focus at night, because you’ll often use wider apertures like f/2.8 to let in more light, which reduces the depth of field. This makes precise focus more critical and can lead to missed shots if your subject isn’t within the snap focus range.
I don't really use snap focus but I will give it some thought for a potential future video.
Doesn’t the griii only go to 2.8 ?
Yes, it does.
Hi Joe. Im trying to set up a Ricoh for a disabeld friend who only have his left hand. How does the selfie stick trikker the camera, is it cable or Remote?
Hi there, the selfie stick does not trigger the camera. I have a shutter remote which triggers the camera. It plugs into the USB port on the side of the camera. I only hold the camera with the selfie stick. Here is a link to the shutter remote that I use: amzn.to/3zJOu6i
Joe can I ask could these settings work when trying to photograph my railway layout with low light , regards Fred and thanks for a great informative video
It really depends on how fast the trains are moving. You might need to increase the ISO so that the shutter speed is fast enough if the trains are stationary then the settings should work no problem. If your railway layout is completely stationary then you could put your camera on a tripod and shoot at ISO 100 for the best quality image at a very slow shutter speed such as 30 seconds or up to a minute and also have a narrow debt of field such as f/8. You can only use very slow shutter speed when you have your camera on a tripod. Thanks, Fred.
@@joeredski many thanks for your help Joe I’ll give all that a try. Ps I use a Fuji X20 which has the aperture you and recommend and larger but I’ll stick with the f2.8 I think where I’ve been going wrong is using a very small f stop which bring all the problems I’ve been getting. So once again thanks . Fred
Excellent Fred. Good luck and enjoy.
Welcome back Joe. By chance are you using a nightlight diffuser in this video? The lights appear to have a certain glow to them.
Thanks Gordon. I add diffusion in post in Davinci Resolve, with the Halation effect. There is no diffusion on the DJI Action 4 lens though. 👍
So for the same effect on a full frame camera, are we talking f/4.5?
No - the same principle applies. Full frame or APSC camera, you still need as much light as possible coming in through your lens so f /2 .8 is perfect on a full frame camera as well, at night time.
@joeredski Agreed, I mean to get the same depth of field. In terms of light, I'd just have higher ISO to compensate.
@@harrr53 Good point on depth of field! For exposure, f/2.8 will give you the same amount of light on both APS-C and full-frame. But you’re right that to get a similar depth of field to an APS-C f/2.8 shot, a full-frame camera would need to be around f/4.5. In low light, I prioritize f/2.8 to get as much light as possible, but adjusting ISO can definitely help if you’re aiming for more depth of field.
@@joeredski There is always some compromise. With FF, that f2.8 to f3.5 and f1.8, f2.2 or f2.8 on MFT cameras will get the shot for sure. I assume your APS-C handles the grain better than MFT. I am shooting mostly the Nikon Z5 and Lumix GX9 these days, though still using other gear. Love the look of the Z40mm and handling of Z5. Have to say, the Lumix GX9 has its own magic, even with a little more grain. You get great depth, and those multiple layers going with micro-four-thirds. Alas all cameras are no better than the operator. A camera does not take a photo. - Loren
Cool Tips I made the same experience that Auto ISO is very useful in photography with critical lighting conditions.But I also made the experience that it does makes sense to borrow expensive glas. I used a 50 mm Summicron. Even completely open, I don’t know why, it creates nice sun stars around light sources. Ok this lens is expensive. But it was a lot of fun…
Thanks for sharing! I'd love to try that lens. Those son styles can look great in night shots. Enjoy!
Thank you
My pleasure.
I found EV -2.7 to -3.7 work best at night. I shoot at 25mm and my default at night is also f/2.8. Though without any IBIS so I'm limited to 1/50 for consistent results, but adobe denoise takes care of the elevated ISO.
Thanks for sharing your settings. It’s interesting to see how yours is so different to mine, especially with your exposure compensation choice. I don’t think I’d be able to be productive without IBIS. I’m glad it’s working for you. Appreciated 👍
Why not use Manual with Auto ISO and Exp Comp to adjust? This gives you total control over both shutter speed and aperture.
Why not indeed. If those settings work for you, then great. Those settings are just as good as the ones that I'm suggesting. However, I like Aperture Priority simply because I can work very quickly with it. It does everything I need.
@@joeredski - I would only say that working in Manual with Auto ISO is just as quick without the risk of less than optimal shutter speed. I see both Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority as hangovers from film days but now that we can allow ISO to float I think they are both redundant.
The focal length also matters and 2.8 may be ideal with a 40mm lens - but if you are using, say, a 28mm then f/2 or even f/1.7 will give you great results - and at lower ISOs.
Great point! You’re absolutely right that the wider 28mm can work well at f/2 or even f/1.7, especially for getting that extra light in lower ISO situations. Just be careful with maintaining depth of field at those apertures. I use the Ricoh GRIII and GRIII X, so I keep the 40mm at f/2.8 for a nice balance of detail and isolation, but it’s definitely worth experimenting with different apertures on the 28mm too, if your camera allows for wider apertures. Thanks for sharing your insight!
I have a Nikon D3500 and I do have a Nikon 40mm f2.8 lens. After seeing your video, I made the necessary settings to the specifications you mentioned. The only difference is my shutter speed is set at 1/125. I'm hoping for some great shots around 42St-Grand Central area. Wish me luck and thanx for this awesome video.
@@brucetaylor607 Awesome camera set up and awesome settings. My pleasure and good luck.
@joeredski I went out Election Day to shoot by your suggested settings and OMG. My first stop was Brooklyn Bridge Park and I took stunning pictures of the Manhattan skyline at night. My 40mm f2.8 didn't have enough reach. Thankfully I did bring my Nikon 35mm f1.8 and kept the aperture at f2.8. My next stop was E 42 St and Grand Central Terminal. Absolutely beautiful pictures of the United Nations and the Chrysler Bdg. This is living proof that you can do night photography in aperture priority with the proper settings. Bless you 🙏 and thank you.
@@brucetaylor607 Thank you so much for using my settings. I'm really glad they worked out for you.
You've definitely got the best place to have a go with that great Nikon lens. I must head over to New York and make a video shooting on the streets out there. Keep on shooting and All the best.
I use f2.8 with auto ISO at night. The auto ISO range I use is 200-1600. I can't set a minimum shutter speed, I typically set the shutter speed to 1/30 but I can hold the camera steady enough - thanks to in body stabilization - to go as slow as 1/8. I also set the exposure compensation to -1.
Thanks man. I appreciate you sharing those settings on here. It’s interesting to see how other people handle slow shutter speeds. Looks like you can handhold the camera at slower speeds than me. I can see how your slow shutter speed works well with your ISO setting and your negative exposure compensation. Cheers Scott. Awesome stuff 👍
I get how f/2.8 offers a practical sweet spot for night photography, but that doesn't really make it "the best" aperture. For me, the best aperture is the one that helps create an image that satisfies one's creative intent.
That’s a great perspective.
In my video, I focused on f/2.8 as a practical sweet spot for night street photography because it balances light intake with enough depth of field to still keep the background context visible, which aligns with how I approach night time storytelling in my shots. For that purpose, for me it is the best. If you end up going too narrow with your aperture at night time then it can be difficult to balance light intake.
However, photography is all about personal vision, and if a different aperture better achieves your creative goals- then that’s the ‘best’ choice for you in that moment. All my stuff is based on recommendation. Obviously, no one has to adhere to it. Thanks for sharing your insight.
Pointless discussion about best night time aperture when you can use iso 6400+ to effectively make it day.
Sorry you feel that way. It's clearly not pointless. Maybe it's just not for you.
People do need and want to know what aperture to use at night time - not everybody does know. If you use ISO 6400 + you're going to get noise in your images. You can't just have a discussion about ISO without discussing aperture and shutter speed.
@ most of your examples are iso 6400 or 5000, you’re not having a discussion about iso or noise, your video is entitled’This aperture makes street photography easy’ so it’s a discussion about aperture. If you use 6400 in a street any aperture larger than 5.6 will work. Glad I could clarify that.
@@AaaaandAction I appreciate the clarification, though I still think there’s value in discussing the ideal aperture specifically for night street photography, which is why I focused on it in the video.
My intention was to help viewers find a starting point for aperture settings that balance depth of field, sharpness, and light sensitivity, rather than only pushing ISO. In fact, I did discuss ISO in great depth, with a large portion of the video centered around using auto ISO, as this helps manage noise in varying lighting conditions. While it’s true any aperture larger than f/5.6 can work at ISO 6400 in some situations, in dark settings, f/5.6 may not allow enough light, even at higher ISOs. f/2.8 remains one of the best apertures for night street photography because it allows for faster shutter speeds, which is essential to avoid motion blur in low light. Using a smaller aperture like f/5.6 often forces a slower shutter speed, which can lead to unwanted blur, especially in a dynamic street environmentEach setting-aperture, ISO, and shutter speed-plays its own role, and I wanted to make sure viewers understand that relationship.
I did lots of shootings at night and ISO 6400 ist still not enough to turn it into daylight handheld photography. With apertures slower than 2.8 it becomes very hard to maintain shutter speeds fast enough to freeze motion.
@@fixpix35 if you're shooting it at, /2.8 at ISO 6400, depending upon how bright or dark a scene you're shooting, your shutter speed will be approximately 1/180 sec - 1/20 seconds. I know that I can freeze motion at approximately 1/20 seconds, depending upon how fast the subject is moving. If you start to use narrower apertures such as f/5.6, in fairly bright nighttime situations, the shutter speed will likely slow down so much that it is very difficult to freeze action. This is one of the reasons why I recommend shooting at f/2.8 - it keeps the shutter speed fast enough to freeze action.