X-T100 settings for live concerts + fast moving musicians?

[Ponytailruth]

Hello everyone,  I love photographing live (often fast moving) musicians at indoor concerts and do a good job using flash.  This is not allowed in certain venues and I am really struggling to find the best settings without using flash  I know that the preset programs on this camera are not good enough to cope with low/dodgy/continually changing/flashing stage lighting.  I wouldn't feel confident to try raw shooting as I am a bit of a technophobe but have a very good eye and the enthusiasm.  Please could I have some advice on the best possible settings to use for greater success?  Many thanks indeed for any help you may offer.

 

[Olaf W.]

Welcome to our forum! Which lenses are you planning to use? 

[Ponytailruth]

Hello Olaf,  I only have the one standard lens that the camera originally came with.  I have never previously owned a camera that you change the lenses as they have all had the one fixed lens.  Is there a more suitable lens that I can buy at a sensible price?  

[jerryy]

You are using the XC 15 - 45mm f3.5-5.6 lens?

In spite of how frenetic stage shows get, they mostly are confined to one area in darker venues, (stadium shows excluded) pretty much the same as weddings. Likewise, lenses that are good for weddings in confined spaces work well for these events.

While nowadays it might seem like one has to use f0.001 or brighter lenses, a lot of great concert images were shot using f2.4 or f1.8 lenses, many with even darker lenses. Just as in great wedding photos. Ehh, enough history.

Do you know from the previous shots you have, what focal length works best for most of your shots? Over on the X-T5 sub-forum, the Xf50mm f2 is getting some good recommendations for using in weddings. A new one is going for around US-$450, used ones are easy to find, but if that focal length is too tight, then back to brighter zoom lenses. Do you like manual focus lenses? Those are usually less expensive than the auto focus ones.

[This seems odd to be mentioning since you obviously have been shooting for some time.]

As far as settings goes, with your current lens or your “new” one, just keep the three main ideas in mind; shutter speed, iso and f-stop. Try getting someone to stand and move for you in a darkened room and practice a little. Start with an ISO of 3200 going up to ISO 6400, f-stop wide open and various shutter speeds until you get the look you are wanting. Then do the same with the aperture. Maybe have another person standing by turning a flashlight on and off at intervals. While that may sound like just goofing off and messing around, it is similar to what you get in the venues.

Trying to juggle f-stops and shutter speeds and ISO settings while the performers are bouncing around is tricky, so your camera has some settings that can help. Set your ISO to Auto with a minimum and maximum setting — you can easily get clean files up to ISO 6400 and often higher. Try to leave the f-stop for your lens open, but keep in mind if you are close to the performer, the DOF will go back to being shallow. Set shutter speeds to the minimum to freeze the scene’s motion enough to suit you — this is where the playing practice comes in handy. Then after that, it is back to the regular stuff for getting special effects and trick shots.

https://fujifilm-dsc.com/en/manual/x-t100/menu_shooting/shooting_memu1/index.html#iso

Edited January 22, 2024 by jerryy

[jerryy]

You mentioned being a bit technophobic, but if you are wanting new lenses, and you want to stick with using auto focus, look for lenses that use linear motors, these help auto focus faster than other lens motor types, the drawback is that they cost more money.