Photographing in low light is one of the most challenging tasks you can encounter. This is a scenario where your setup truly matters. Not only should you know what to do with your camera, but also keep in mind which camera to bring for low-light photography. In this article, I will go over the essential gear for such work.
Camera Body
When shooting in low light, there’s only so much you can do with your camera. Usually, the first step is to increase the ISO. While all digital cameras perform well at their native ISO, their performance starts to deteriorate as you push that number up. Some sensors handle this better than others. If you primarily work in low-light conditions, you will need a camera that excels at high ISO. Sure, grain is inevitable, but if you compare my Canon 5D Mark IV at ISO 6,400 to my Canon 5DS at the same ISO, you will see a significant difference in image cleanliness.
The more modern the camera, the better its low-light performance will be. As much as I love the Canon 5D Mark II, I would not recommend it for low-light work. Something like the 5D Mark IV or, better still, an EOS R would be much better. While I am not fully aware of the lineups from other manufacturers, I hear that Sony is incredibly well-suited for low-light work. The Sony a7 III is a great camera for such work, for example.
Another factor to consider in a low-light camera is focusing. DSLRs generally perform much worse at focusing in low light than mirrorless cameras. If you prefer using the viewfinder for taking your images, opt for a mirrorless body. You can switch to live view on your DSLR to mimic a mirrorless camera, but this disables the viewfinder.
Lenses
When it comes to lenses, you want to make sure that there is as much light being let into the camera as you can possibly get. Kit lenses would not be your best bet. Their “slow” apertures will often mean that you will have to be cranking up the ISO to uncomfortable values, as after all, the higher the ISO, the worse your image quality gets. This is why I recommend fast lenses. If you want versatility in your composition, go for a fast f/2.8 zoom lens. However, if you are willing to sacrifice zoom for an even faster aperture, there are plenty of much faster prime lenses available. They usually tend to be more lightweight than fast zooms as well, making them a very good option to consider.
When I was shooting a lot in low light, before the fashion days, I had a trio of fast zooms. I still do. Here they are: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8. These days, I rarely use the first or the third lens, as I mostly shoot in the studio. Recently, I have begun to fall out of love with the 24-70mm f/2.8 as well, as I have gotten my hands on an EF 50mm f/1.4 and have begun to love it for how lightweight it is.
If I were shooting in low light nowadays, I would arm myself with some fast primes. My kit bag would definitely have the 50mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, and the 135 f/2.0. These lenses would allow me to get a variety of different composition angles, all the while being superfast and perfectly suited for low light.
Tripod
If you will be shooting in low light, a tripod is a must-have for your kit. There are a bunch of different tripod companies to pick from. I tend to go with slightly heavier and more stable options. Essentially, the logic with tripods is that if you will be putting your expensive cameras and lenses on something, you better make sure it won’t fall over. I see far too many people use the cheapest tripod or stand with the most expensive piece of equipment. Having tried a few tripods in the past, I am most willing to trust Gitzo tripods as well as Manfrotto. The difference between the two is the price, of course. Better be safe than sorry, which is why I have a Gitzo Systematic Kit Series 5. It is overkill for a full frame camera, but is just right for anything larger, which I plan on having. It is rated for 30 kg; however, it can take 70 kg of my own mass.
Off-Camera Flash
Another great addition to your low-light photography kit is an off-camera flash. Typically, you can go with a speedlight; however, why should you if there are better options available? You see, speedlights made by camera manufacturers are usually overpriced and have rubbish functionality. However, speedlights made by flash companies are perfect ways to not only have a better lighting solution but also start your off-camera-flash journey. As such, my recommendation would be the Profoto A1 series light. It has everything that your typical speedlight won’t. First of all, it is easy to use, unlike a normal speedlight. Another benefit is that it is powered by rechargeable batteries that last forever. Moreover, it also functions as an Air remote, meaning that if you want to grow your kit and add extra flashes, the A1 can be your trigger. Lastly, there are plenty of incredible accessories for this flash available.
Tips
Buying equipment that I just listed will not be cheap. That’s only if you buy it new. I often say that buying new equipment is like burning money. This is because once you open that box, you will lose around 50% of the value of the gear that you bought. If you are looking to save some money and get a good deal, check out MPB.com, which has tons of used gear I mentioned for sale. Buying from MPB as opposed to the Facebook Marketplace is much safer, as MPB checks everything they sell to you. In case something isn’t as described, their return policy makes it easy to send items back. Lastly, if you have some gear you want to get rid of, MPB is more than happy to buy it from you.