[chujwduperjadzi]

I'm still learning to take pictures with my DSLR, I have no problem in daylight but when its dark its hard as the shutter speed adjusts automatically.

Went out to a local sports bar and decided to take pics of us while there.
I tried shooting at Manual P and either I I'm still slightly out of focus or shutter speed kicks in to a smaller # to capture more light like this pic


on Auto no Flash its slightly better but on darker areas shutter kicks in again, this one turned out ok because the light of the pool table was pretty good



any tips on good settings (IOS, Shutter speed) for darker places and other shots in general?

[mpxricyNimb]

the lens has a lot to do with what you can do in dark settings. typically you need to open up the aperture (this is where fast lenses help a lot), and work with the ISO to get a usable shutter speed.

obviously the higher the ISO, the more noise you're going to have. just gotta find the right balance.

[ZZChristopher]

It all depends on what lens you are using. The kit lens for example is not very fast, so you will struggle to get decent shutter speeds in dark locations with it. Focusing can also be a problem when there is less light, as the AF system works on identifying the contrast of the area under the focus points. If there is little contrast due to the low lighting, then the AF system may struggle.

Here are my tips for shooting in darker locations WITHOUT flash (which I hate, as it washes everything out):

You best bet is to put the camera in Av mode. Then dial the F.Stop to the lowest number (highest F.stop) possible for the lens and focal length you are using. The set the ISO as high as needed in order to get a usuable shutter speed. I would start with ISO800, then frame up your shot and half press the shutter. If the resulting shutter speed shown is not fast enough, then go up to ISO1600, or ISO 3200 if you need to.

For static shots in darker locations at around 17-25mm focal length you should be aiming for shutter speeds of at least 1/30 second or higher. If you have an IS equipped lens then you can go down as low as 1/5 with consistent results.

If your subject is moving, then its a whole different ball-game, as the shutter speed required will depend on the speed of movement.

[OrefZorremn]

Here are my tips for shooting in darker locations WITHOUT flash (which I hate, as it washes everything out):

Well, yeah...the pop-up flash will do that, but pop-up flash shouldn't really even be considered a proper flash. Anyway, to the OP, Get a Speedlight and/or (ideally) a portable umbrella (or even a small softbox), and you'll end up with some amazing low-light shots (the photo with the girl actually NEEDS a bounced flash. There's no other way around it if you want the photo to look decent). Photography is all about lighting, and too often photographers forget that lights are one of their necessary tools (it's not often that the natural light in a scene is 100% right for a great photo).

Here's a nice sample video of the difference a proper strobe makes (I think the 2nd sample still is the best):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ8VdTzhaJE
Suddenly an ordinary photo has drama and professional-looking pizazz!

Although, if you're in a pinch, you can stick a few sheets of toilet paper on top of your pop-up flash for a makeshift diffuser. It's still pretty crappy, but it removes a lot of the harshest reflections and shadows.