which camera is better for concerts?

Question

I have the kodak z712 but I was wanting to know if the Canon A630 is better in low light should I buy a new camera

Answer 1

First, check the back of your ticket. If it says "No cameras allowed" and you are caught with one it will be confiscated. Its unlikely you'll ever see it again. Bye bye camera.

Second, if you'd take time to read a comparison of your camera and the Canon you mentioned you'd find that your Kodak is a better choice. It has Image Stabilization and can go as high as ISO 3200. The Canon maxes out at ISO 800 and does not have Image Stabilization.

You might get some acceptable images zoomed out all the way with the lens wide-open and using a shutter speed of 1/15 of a second at ISO 3200. Don't expect too much though.
You will have to be in Manual Mode and turn off the flash and the auto focus. Yes, you'll be focusing manually so you might want to practice. If you're closer to the stage you won't have to zoom as far and that will help. Do not use digital zoom.

All cameras, film or digital, operate under the same rules. A correct exposure is a product of light, ISO, shutter speed and aperture (aka f-stop). Under low-light conditions you need a higher ISO, a fast lens (f1.4 or f1.7 or f2) and a slower shutter speed. ISO is a measurement of film or sensor sensitivity to light. The f-stop determines how much light is admitted (f2 admits twice as much light as f2.8; f2.8 admits twice as much as f4, etc.). The shutter speed determines how long the light has to expose the film or sensor for correct exposure, based on the ISO and amount of light admitted.

Here are some examples from my FotoSharp (fotosharp.com) 'Day & Night Exposure Guide' for

A) School stage/auditorium with ISO 3200

f2.8 @ 1/125 sec.
f4 @ 1/60 sec.
f5.6 @ 1/30 sec.

B) Night club with dim lights with ISO 3200

f2.8 @ 1/15 sec.
f4 @ 1/8 sec.
f5.6 @ 1/4 sec.

Quite a difference in shutter speeds isn't there? Notice how your shutter speed gets longer as less light (f4, f5.6) is admitted? A concert probably falls somewhere between these examples.