Camera Labs

Hi all,

Got a short question: Im asked to photograph on a sweet 16, and Id like to know which lenses I should bring with me.

I think I take my 18-55 and 50 f/1,7, problem is all of my lenses (exept 18-55) are MF lenses, so with indoor photgraphy it is a bit hard focussing.

Maybe I should take the 35-70 f/2,8-4 too? Or the 28mm f/3,5? I really dont know. A tripod is recommended I think, like a remote control is?

Oh, and before I forget to ask: It's for a sort of girlfriend of mine, so I dont want to say I want money for it (to be fair, I even dont want money for it) but if she wants to pay me, what's acceptable for +- 3 hours?

Cheers all,
Ruben

P.S. I bring my FZ28 with me too.

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

If she wants to pay you, ask her to treat you to a coffee or a soda instead

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Nikon D90

Good idea.

And now about the lenses Id use

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Hmm I think this depends on how skilled you are/feel you are manually focussing. Id really recommend autofocus for a party environment unless you really think light will be an issue.

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

You definitely want the 18-55 auto-focus, but you may have to use your on camera flash depending on the lighting. Your 50mm will probably yield the best results provided you can manually focus fast enough. You might pick a distance, and photograph everyone from the same position relative to you. For example: only shoot close ups for awhile so that the focus stays nearly the same. That way you don't have to keep radically changing the focus and losing lots of shots.

Of your other two, I'd be more inclined to go with the 35-70 2.8 for the wide aperture and additional reach if you wanted to get sneaky candid shots.

As for the tripod: I suppose if you wanted to do a coordinated whole group shot (and especially if you want to be in the shot!) you could use it for that, but otherwise I think it would be bulky and in the way. My personal preference is honest candid shots that don't look posed. It's hard to get that when you are wielding a tripod, because everyone can tell exactly where the photographer is!

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Still nursing along my Canon XTi/400D with EF 100-400L IS, EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, EF 50 f/1.4, EF-S 18-200, EF 75-300, EF-S 18-55.

I agree with Jenny a tripod is far to bulky. The 50mm 1.7 is probably your best lens for indoor. But this really depends on how dark it is and how good you are at manual focusing. Maybe it's time for an upgrade to the 50mm 1.8. Or if you wanted a different focal range the 35mm f2 or 85mm 1.8. They are all reasonably priced lenses, but the 50mm 1.8 is by far the cheapest. All these lenses will do a good job inside.

If you can't afford to buy another lens right now and your manual focusing isn't good enough (I know mine isn't ) then I would suggest you use your 18-55 and try and use as wide angle as possible all the time as you will be able to use a bigger aperture.

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Camera: Canon 550D with battery grip
Lenses: Canon 24-105mm f/4L, Canon 50mm f1.4, Canon 18-55mm, Tamron 70-300mm,
Accessories: Manfrotto 055XPROB with 808RC4 head, Canon 430ex II speedlite, Lowepro Nova 180AW and Lowepro Pro Runner 450AW

Oh that is so lame, every hot girl who can aim a camera thinks she’s a photographer -Stewie Griffin

I would stick with the panasonic. This way you ensure you will get good enough images, so you will be able to actually enjoy the party. I know I can get really frustrated when I can't get decent photographs. Mixing low DoF with manual focus and low-light enviroments is a recipe for disaster, and this is the kind of situation where you want to make use of the automatic features of your camera(s).

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Nikon D90

Thanks for the help all!
Then I think Ill use the 18-55 and see if it works to use the 35-70 or 50mm instead.
Im not afraid to pump up the ISO to 800 or 1600.

Also, my experiences of MF are not zero, but I find focussing in less light with the 50 @ f/1,7 a bit hard, @ f/2,8 it is more simple though.

Then I dont bring my tripod with me

Thanks again

Cheers!

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Hi ruben123,

a way to deal with the hassle of the MF is to try and go hyper-focal.

if you go here: http://dofmaster.com/doftable.html

and enter your camera model and the focal length of your prime, you can manually preset your focal length for any given aperture you choose and see the range in which your subjects will be in focus.

If you make your settings cover a reasonably wide DOF, you can be covered for most situations and still enjoy the sharpness of your prime.

Unless you're going for a portrait-type set-up with soft backgrounds, an aperture of F4.5 to F7 should cover your DOF needs in most indoor party-situations with a 50mm lens..but your style may well be different than mine, so I urge you to experiments. And yes, you are likely to need flash every now and then, to help you out.

Cheers

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Nikon stuff and other stuff, but not nearly as much stuff as I really want!

Okay, Ill have a try and look what lens Id use most. The AF system of the 18-55 isnt too good indoors.
f/4 on the 50 1,7 must work, focussing then is quite simple. I figured out that focussing indoors with the 35-70 f/2,8-4 is quite hard, but Ill give it a try tuesday.

Many thanks all

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies