The problem is more on the picture quality. I come back from the Barswingona. Here is my feedback :
- Without a flash, pictures are bad (moves, lack of light, poor colors, not sharp at all…)
- With the integrated flash, it is much better (mainly up to 4 meters), but, it is a “dot flash” (center over-exposed), and I’am seriously wondering if a SB900 (well used !) could bring more possibilities (eg. integrated flash + SB900 remote controled to play with the lights & shadows, the reflects in the eyes).
- Currently, I have to tune together the flash intensity, the ISO, the WB, the speed each time the subject is moving or when I zoom. Very boring !!
- Very boring when you take a picture at a good moment, but just after, a better scene is happening… while the flash is charging ! ;-)
- under 2.8 of apperture (I’ve tried a 50mm 1.8 !), the focus zone is too narrow (even if the brightness is impressive !)
- I’ve not tuned my camera to save raw data (huge error, especially to work with the blacks)
- I have also read that a star filter could sharpen the center of the photo… is it true ? (you use it !)

I Will take some pictures of west coast swing by end of May…

Thank you again for having proved to me that it is possible to take wonderful dance pictures!

I’m not laughing – equipment is only a part – it won’t help in timing for example. You can make good pictures with any equipment!

I use full-frame camera. Most pictures has some sharpening utilized. Speed is usually around 1/30-1/250. Lens start from 2.8 :) You can check the exif data of the pictures for more precise info.

However focus on the emotions and timing, not just on equipment!

The timing is exceptional (and so hard to grab in social dance), the expressions on the faces are full of emotions. These photos make me dream !

I would like to take photos myself (especially to update wikipedia, that has very few social dance photos…), but (don’t laugh) I only have a D300 with a 18-200, I will go to the Barswingona… let wait and see !

Technical questions : do you have a Full Frame captor ? The noise is very low and the sharpness of the details are very impressive : it seems that you have increased the contrast ! Which speed do you use (around 1/100 it seems…) ? But I guess the last detail that will really kill me, is the aperture of your objective : around 2.8 I suppose !
As I said, I will never make such marvelous photos, however, I will try to do my best !