LX5 in low light

[Ste_S]

I picked up a second hand LX5 a few months back and mostly love it - it's a cheap camera that's small enough to go with me anywhere and take a few knocks.

IQ is fine in daylight, but struggle with it in low light. ISO performance at 800 is bad, and 1600 terrible. Using available light without flash and hand held, what's the best way of maximising IQ in these situations ? ISO400, wide open and try to keep your hands steady ?

 

[windmillgolfer]

ISO400 in JPEG, ISO800 in RAW. The LX5 is still a good camera. The LX7 was/is a massive step up with switch to CMOS increasing speed of operation. Both offer unsurpassed handling, with a fantastic lens.

This Album is all LX5 https://www.flickr.com/photos/dieselgolfer/albums/72157629553624980/with/7121289175/

If you have a steady hand then you should be able to get down to 1/10th second. Use wide open or no more than f2.8. I always carry a mini tripod and use the 2 or 10 second timer for really slow shutter speeds - see first image in the above album link

 

[Jon_R]

I agree with you that the LX-5 isn't very good over ISO 400. Turning on the VR Mode 2 helps a lot, as does using the lens at its wider settings in low light. Being steady as a rock is what will really help. If you can, find an ersatz tripod. If nothing's available, spread your feet apart, press your elbows into your sides, and breathe out, shooting as the last bit of air has left your lungs, similar to the way you'd shoot a rifle. Mostly what will help is turning the ISO to 100 or 200 and putting the camera on a tripod in low light.

 

[telefunk]

I agree with you that the LX-5 isn't very good over ISO 400. Turning on the VR Mode 2 helps a lot, as does using the lens at its wider settings in low light. Being steady as a rock is what will really help. If you can, find an ersatz tripod. If nothing's available, spread your feet apart, press your elbows into your sides, and breathe out, shooting as the last bit of air has left your lungs, similar to the way you'd shoot a rifle. Mostly what will help is turning the ISO to 100 or 200 and putting the camera on a tripod in low light.

Especially as mine only got good/sharp @ f4!

 

[David Wyman]

what's the best way of maximising IQ in these situations ? ISO400, wide open and try to keep your hands steady ?

People have suggested using a tripod, which doesn’t answer your question. A tripod goes against the reason you’re carrying a tiny camera.

Your ideas of how to make sharp photosare good. Bracing a shoulder against a wall, putting your elbows on your bent knees while kneeling, etc., will help.

Relatively speaking, you’re handicapped with a technologically ancient camera saved somewhat by its wide aperture at its widest focal length. The truth, though, is that no matter how technologically up to date a compact camera may be, there’s always going to light too low to shoot when just holding a camera by hand.

My solution in low light that’s too low for my compact cameras: I carry a hacky sack, which is like a mini-bean bag used by soccer players and rock climbers. Google it if you’re not familiar with it. You can buy hacky sacks online and in sporting goods stores. You could make your own mini-bean bag, too.

When the light is low, I put my hacky sack on the hood of a car, the side of a building or a tree, on the ground, a wall, on a table, a boulder, etc., and my camera goes on top of the hacky sack. And sometimes I’ll use the self-timer, too.

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