Is light necessary for the reduction of DCPIP?

Will getting a lens that performs great in low light help with noise reduction at high ISO?

• I have a Rebel T1i, and my current lens is an off brand. Low quality/Cheap. I want to buy a better lens, but should I invest in a lens that performs well in low light if it is the camera base thats horrible with noise reduction?? Or will the lens help a lot or enough to be justify the price?? Also when I save up enough money, I will be buying a professional camera. I am going to be opening a business with in a year or so. So I am willing to invest the money right now if its worth it the result with the Rebel.

• Answer:

  Your camera can perform beautifully even at it's max ISO. There are a couple of things to help you with that. First-yes a better lens. If you don't already own (and it sounds like you don't) the nifty fifty buy it. It's about $130 and it's a 50mm f/1.8. It will make your journey to professional so much easier. It will enable you to use your camera and learn it's controls to the fullest. You can get great shallow DOF with it at f/1.8 and amazing bokeh. You don't have to contend with the changing f/ when you zoom which then changes all of your settings and your image. It's also full frame compatible, so when you upgrade you can take it to the new camera. The 18-55 isn't full frame compatible. And lastly it will allow you to shoot in MUCH MUCH lower light than your kit lens. For the $130 it's worth it's weight in gold. As for building a kit of professional lens for down the road recommendations will really depend upon you and your style. Primes or zooms and what ones really depend upon the individual a LOT. Second: Learn to expose for high ISO's. Expose to the right... If you slightly overexpose when you are using high ISO's and then reduce your exposure in post processing you hide or eliminate noise. Not overexpose to the point that everything is white-obviously. But to the point JUST before you would have an UNACCEPTABLE blow out. Turn the highlight warnings on in your camera so the screen flashes a warning where you are blowing out at least one color channel. Then push your exposure up to JUST before that blinker happens to fall on something you cannot afford to blow out. Never, never, never underexpose anything at a high ISO. Really, never underexpose at any ISO thinking you can raise it. When you underexpose and raise exposure in post processing you bring out noise that wouldn't otherwise be there. That is probably the number one mistake people make starting out. In order to do all of this you have to understand your meter a little better too, but that is a whole other tutorial in itself. Send me a message if you'd like it. [email protected] Last: Before you invest in your lenses and all kinds of stuff first learn to use your camera in full manual mode. No flash, no nothing. Which by the sounds of it is what you are doing. Then add flash-not that on board thing either. Invest in a GOOD speedlight and then learn to control your camera with the speedlight. Don't do both at one time because flash changes the rules and if you don't do it without flash worse it'll make you want to pitch your camera out the nearest window. Obviously flash will help immensely with high ISO performance. ETA: This image was taken in the rain on the same sensor as your camera. ISO is 12800