lenses

[liveinlite1]

I shoot musicians in pretty dark blues clubs around 14 feet from the stage. Any suggestions for the focal length of the size lenses I should be using to get good close up shots? I shoot ISO 800.

[stopbath]

liveinlite1 wrote:
I shoot musicians in pretty dark blues clubs around 14 feet from the stage. Any suggestions for the focal length of the size lenses I should be using to get good close up shots? I shoot ISO 800.

Depends on definition of 'close up' Do you want head shots? Waist up? Full body? Perhaps a good zoom lens (2.8 aperture thoughout the range) would be good since you may not want to fumble with primes in the dark. You can judge your lens requirement by looking at what you shot already: say you shot an image with a 50 mm. The subject is too small by about half height of what you would prefer then your optimum is 100mm. If it is 1/4 the size of what you want than your optimum is 200mm. After you determine 'best range', find the lens that best suits that range and gives you as much aperture as you can afford.

[RichardtheSane]

I shoot bands in a local rock club. I started with a zoom, but now I use a 100mm F2.8 USM to do it. It is better for me because I have the reach to get entire band shots from near the back or I can move about in front of the stage for tighter head shots. Using a prime has made for some better shots because I have to think about them more and move about more.

[ctgoldwing]

liveinlite1 wrote:
I shoot musicians in pretty dark blues clubs around 14 feet from the stage. Any suggestions for the focal length of the size lenses I should be using to get good close up shots? I shoot ISO 800.


For good close up shots at that distance I have had very good results with the 85mm f1.2 lens. Although it can be a very slow focuser it is a super piece of glass. I have gotten around the focus time issue by prefocusing my shots (you are a constant distance from your subject).
Jerry