Concert photography settings

Question

Hello all I've just upgraded my Canon 500 D to a 750 D. With that I purchased a Tamron 16-300 mm lens all-around use for daytime trips when I go out in the wheelchair is I am a quadriplegic and it was frustrating when I was in town wishing I had a 55-250 kit lens and then the other times wishing I had the smaller kit lens 18-55. I also purchased the 55-250 faster STM lens for this camera as well. I know it sounds strange that I already have those covered in the other lens but the aperture on those is 6.5 for the Tamron at full zoom and I do a bit of concert photography when I go out to different places and I need a better quality lower aperture for that stuff.

Because of my disability we are seated in different positions depending on the concert in availability of seating which is why I'm in the 55-250 mm lens. I could not go any lower in aperture 2.8 because it was too heavy for me told so I thought would be better off going to the quality of the Canon lens that comes with it as a kit version which I have used previously on the 500 D. Just wondering some settings to try at those concerts including in distance that I would be happy seating at. I was going to use AV mode and spotlight meter reading and 1600 ISO for film speed.

Does anybody have any other ideas that would work with that camera. I'm very impressed now with the faster frame rate five frames per second instead of the old 3 1/2 in the 500 D is a big difference.

I could have gone to a high-end camera but the way I take photos I use air shutter release valve from the old T 70 camera which has been converted and had a 3.5 plug put on it and then I use a blower brush connected to the tubing and then I use at blower brush to bite on to take photos so it's a really good system I've had since I had the T 70 in the 80s. If I wanted to get the higher in camera above this model I would have to start over again and try and find a remote control system similar to this but I did not want to wait and take so long to do it and find somebody to work it out so I thought I would stick to the 750 which is still quite a good camera and not that old and a big upgrade for my 500.

Any assistance appreciated regards Mark Sydney Australia

Just to have it clarified I had a T3 adapter about 2 1/2 inches long as it comes for the old camera Canon T 70. We cut the electronic plug off and put a 2.5 or possibly 3.5 stereo plug on the end of the T3 adapter there is a threaded piece which you can screw a shutter release which has a pin sticking out and when I bite on the end of the blower brush it it fires off that pin to take the photo or do check the picture settings. I wasn't sure about the size of the socket. Also the camera technician at the shop said the new electronics are different in the D models which is why I thought I would have to make some sort of different connection setup.

Answer 1

The main issue is going to be getting a shutter speed high enough to "freeze" the action, when you're using a lens with an f/5.6 or f/6.5 maximum aperture. Most folks give up the capability to zoom and go for a longer prime lens, like the EF 85 f/1.8 USM, EF 100/2 USM. Because even at iso 3200 or 6400, you may still be pushing it at f/5.6, shutter speed-wise, depending on how much stage lighting you've got.

Also, FYI, due to a lot of folks using radio triggers for flashes and shutter releases, it's incredibly easy to find a Canon N3-to-2.5mm cable these days, so someone could probably change out the 2.5mm male to a 3.5mm female connector (or you could use a 2.5mm->3.5mm adapter and a 3.5mm-3.5mm coupler), so you could use your current bulb cable release on a higher-end Canon. Also, the XXD bodies starting with the 60D and later, use a 2.5mm port for cable release, just like the dRebels.