Need Lens recommendation!

[burkdog]

My wife is going to give birth to our first child in about 3 weeks. I have a Digital Rebel and a kit lens. I want to buy a nice lens, probably an L, to take the best pictures I can of the baby when it is born. Most of the shots are going to be shot pretty close up, as you can imagine. I would prefer a zoom of some sort.

So.... which way to go, and why?

16-35?
17-40? (and what's the big difference between this lens and the 16-35? It's a lot more money.)
or the 24-70??

I've got to move fast!

Thanks for your help.

[scottbergerphoto]

I would think you'll want close ups of the new one, so go for the 24-70 f/2.8. Good luck and congratulations,
Scott

[burkdog]

Can I not get close-ups with the 16-35?

[scottbergerphoto]

I was thinking you'll want to be back far enough to let the doctors and nurses do thier job and still get nice crops of mother and child. At most the 16-35 will give you a 50mm zoom (35x1.6). You'll need to get pretty close to do the same thing as the 24-70. I use my 16-35 for landscapes and cityscapes. I use the 24-70 for people.
Scott

[Belmondo]

I have all three lenses. The 24-70 is by far the most versatile and useful. I can't imagine how flattering extreme closeups would be in the circumstance anyway.
:oops: :oops: :oops:
Tom

[burkdog]

Good call. I'm experimenting with my kit lens (18-55) to try to get a feel for what I'll be dealing with in terms of zoom and such.

Anybody else?

[burkdog]

The reason I'm asking, is I bought a lens without really doing much research aside from asking questions here.... I got the 85mm 1.8. It takes nice pictures, but I'm unhappy with it overall. It's "zoomed" in too much for me to take the kinds of pictures I'd like to be able to take more often, i.e. a couple of people sitting together on a couch, my wife and dog sitting together on the couch, etc.

I think I may go for the the 24-70. I've heard lots of good things said about it. Besides the focal distance between 16 and 23, what else do you get from the 16-35 that you don't get from the 24-70??

Thanks

[Flyball Rebel]

Hurry up and decide, birkdog, 'cause before long you won't have time to worry about lenses...it'll be nappies!!!!! :lol: :lol: CONGRATULATIONS!! Regards [F.R.] :D

[roanjohn]

Go for the 24-70...............cuz at the 70 end, you can take some really beautiful portrait shots with the baby..............You can't do that with a lens that max out at 35.

Ro1

[VonClev]

BurkDog

Get the 24-70L. That is unless you are planning to be under the doctor as he catches the baby.

A somewhat less expensive alternative, that is pretty good and has IS, is the 28-135 mm IS; half the price, half the length, half the weight. Yes the maximal aperture is not as big as the 2.8 of the 24-70, but it does have IS.

I have both - I use the 24-70 for formal stuff and in house, and the 28-135 for away from home/travel.

Good luck!

Chuck

[ron chappel]

Haha,like flyball says-don't leave it too long or you may have to stop off at the camera dealer on the way to hospital! :D :D
I don't think that would go down too well

[nosquare2003]

Go for the 24-70...............cuz at the 70 end, you can take some really beautiful portrait shots with the baby..............You can't do that with a lens that max out at 35.

Ro1


:?:

[burkdog]

Ok, the 24-70 it is. You guys made that decision pretty easy. If anyone wants to feel more involved I will gladly accept donations of the monetary sort as well, as a contribution toward the effort. :D

[Haifidelity]

The major difference between the 16-35 and the 17-40 is the 16-35 has a constant aperture of f/2.8 versus the 17-40's f/4.0.

I agree with everyone else, get the 24-70, as it will give you greater versatility. The Wide L zooms wouldn't be ideal for portraits.

-hza

[nighthawk]

If you're going to be shooting in the Birthing room, I recommend the smallest and lightest lens possible. Something you can take getting hit in the head with. :lol:

My sister-in-law knocked my brother flat with his camera during one of those "YOU DID THIS TO ME!" moments even though it was her idea to take pictures of the actual birth.

My brother sat outside and smoked cigars for their second.

[ron chappel]

My sister-in-law knocked my brother flat with his camera during one of those "YOU DID THIS TO ME!" moments even though it was her idea to take pictures of the actual birth.

My brother sat outside and smoked cigars for their second.

ROTFL :lol: :lol: