Lens for night shots?

[Candid Bandit]

What would be a good lens for capturing subjects 50-100 feet away and walking towards me at night. No flash and only store front and street lights. All I have now is just the 20d with the kit lens. I love to take street pics at night.

[Andy_T]

Bandit,

welcome to the forum!

Your requirement sounds really tricky to me.
What do you want to capture?
Do you want to be able to recognize the people? Do you want to see them as dark shapes? Do you mind if they are blurred?

At a dark night with only shopwindows as lighting, I don't think I'll be able to recognize people at this distance WITH MY EYES ... let alone take a sharp and contrasty picture of them.

So all advice that can be given is
... go for the highest ISO possible
... and for the fastest lens.
That would bring to mind the Canon EF 50/1.4, EF 85/1.8 and EF 135/2.8 if you're talking about 'normal prices'.
If you're talking about 1000$ lenses, then the EF 85/1.2 and EF 135/2.0 would maybe fit the ticket.

In addition to that, there's software that can reduce image noise very effectively.

hope that helps...

Best regards,
Andy

[Candid Bandit]

Thanks for the info Andythaler.. I would definately want my subjects to be reconizable. Its mostly to photograph candid pics of subjects doing everyday things. Now with the lights of our downtown so beautifully decorated for Christmas. Watching the crowds of people walking around holding colorful shoppig bags, is like looking at a lava lamp!! Everyone is smiling, talking, not a thing to worry about is well...very beautiful. Capturing those moments would be very challenging and very interesting to look at.

I've been looking and thinking very very hard about the Ef 85mm f/1.2L lens you mentioned. With that lens, do you think that I can capture moving subjects without blurring them...? It is a rather fast lens. I would prefer iso at 400 to 800max. and shutter speed at 125 to 250. What do you think?? I have Neatimage for noise reductions but it also blurrs out my pics!! I use it only if the noise is very bad.

I just got this camera and don't know all the bells and whistles yet.. But still trying very hard each night to shoot with the kit lens only to go home dissapointed at the results.

Thanks..
Eric

[Tom W]

You probably ought to visit the areas during the day and try to decide what focal lengths will work for you first. Base this on where you'll be standing and where your subject will be standing. Then find the fastest affordable prime lens in that focal range. Don't discount the 85 f/1.8 either - it isn't quite as bright as the f/1.2 but it has a very good, quick focus system. If people are moving, you'll want to get focus quickly.

BTW, I think you'll obtain good results with the 20D at 800, and even 1600 ISO settings. One nice thing about digital is that you can test and compare for no cost other than the time spent doing so.

[HKFEVER]

Try the 135mm, f/2L or 85mm 1.8 but not the 1.2L, becuase the 1.2L is very very costly and slow AF.

Also, you need a fast AI Servo camera.

Besides, spending the money with 85mm f1.2L, I rather go for a happy trip.:rolleyes:

[Tom W]

Try the 135mm, f/2L or 85mm 1.8 but not the 1.2L, becuase the 1.2L is very very costly and slow AF.

Also, you need a fast AI Servo camera.

Besides, spending the money with 85mm f1.2L, I rather go for a happy trip.:rolleyes:
The 20D has AI Servo. It should be more than adequate for someone walking or running towards the photographer. I agree on your lens choices. I'd also consider the 50/1.4 if the subject is going to be closer or if you want more stuff in the frame.

[Pekka]

I just got this camera and don't know all the bells and whistles yet.. But still trying very hard each night to shoot with the kit lens only to go home dissapointed at the results.

Eric,

I would suggest try 85/1.8 first. 85/1.2L is a beautiful lens but perhaps not the best choice for your requirements. And do not be afraid to use ISO 1600 or even ISO 3200. go for high shutter speeds and keep the exposure good (rather 1 stop over than below) and shoot in RAW.

[Cadenza]

Eric,
And do not be afraid to use ISO 1600 or even ISO 3200. go for high shutter speeds and keep the exposure good (rather 1 stop over than below) and shoot in RAW.

Yes, this is an advice I haven't seen mentioned often
enough. It took me a while to discover that the reason
why 800/1600/3200 gave me too much unacceptable
noise was because I was relying excessively on "normal"
camera reading exposures -- which indeed produced a
lot of noise in the shadows.

Assessing the histogram and shooting to the right (even
if blowing out a few points of highlight) gives much
better results and usable prints with ISO 1600 -- specially
if you apply a little noise reduction. This is less crucial at
low ISO settings, because you get much greater latitude
for correcting exposure later in the RAW converter.

[Candid Bandit]

Thanks alot folks.. I've never shot at anything over ISO 800 cause didn't want too much noise. But will give it a test tonight. Wow.. the 85/1.8 is alot cheaper then the 1.2L... Hummm.. Are there returns on openned lenses?? I would love to get one and try it out first. It would have to be at least a 85mm.. Cause 50mm would be too close and the subjects will get unnatural.

I stand at the corner of a street and three shops down is a jeweley shop with alot of fat diamonds in their street window!!! It has alot of lights and the subjects are nicely lit. But to capture the womens eyes and emotion at the sight of the diamonds and the mens expression of not being about to afford the diamonds for their girl is just priceless!!! HHAah.a. The guys will look as if they have no emotions, just blank.. But the girls.. hahah.. Their eyes glow !!!

[phili1]

What you are trying to do is almost impossable.

At ISO 1600 indoors with 2 lights in a small area you get 1/50 sec at F5.6. anything below F5.6 will not give you the DOF you need for the stores.

You want to get a diamond store in the picture you need F8 which brings your shutter speed down to 1/25 of a sec. Not fast enought to stop a person walking. Even if your lens is F1.2 you only get 1/60 sec , to slow to stop walking.You have to simulate the walk to get the person sharp. Example have them keep there upped body stable and move there right leg forward and move arms. It will blur the hands and feet but keep head sharp.

[rbbblues]

one of my passions is to capture night motion shots.....of flash.........just as you describe........my recommendation is the Canon 50/1.4..........the 85mm is a little too 'close up' for me........the 50mm gives a wider angle........
Check out my website and you'll find the typs of images your speaking of within the galleries.....
www.richardbluesteinphotos.com
let me know what you think

[HKFEVER]

If possible, try to search a 50mm f/1. I am also looking for a use 50mm f/1.


Anyone has this len.

[HKFEVER]

Also try to have a full frame camera so you can corp the picture size your need.

[karusel]

HKFEVER, I am currently in posession of a 50mm f/1 lens and I can tell you it's not worth the money since it's only advantage over 50mm f/1.4 is one stop of light. Sometimes this indeed means a whole lot of difference, but not for _that_ money, and note that at 1.0 it's softer than some $20 Quantaray.

85mm f/1.2 is much sharper and if I already had the lens I need, I'd surely spend my moneyses on this one.

To the topic, like someone above said, what original poster wants is impossible. In order to achieve the effect he wants one would need to have three subject in focus, woman's eyes, man's eyes/look, at least one jewel/ring. At f/1.2 which is, assumingly, just sufficient to be shot at ISO 1600, one would need those three subjects all nicely lined up in the same focal plane, so good luck with that...

[HKFEVER]

HKFEVER, I am currently in posession of a 50mm f/1 lens and I can tell you it's not worth the money since it's only advantage over 50mm f/1.4 is one stop of light. Sometimes this indeed means a whole lot of difference, but not for _that_ money, and note that at 1.0 it's softer than some $20 Quantaray.

85mm f/1.2 is much sharper and if I already had the lens I need, I'd surely spend my moneyses on this one.

To the topic, like someone above said, what original poster wants is impossible. In order to achieve the effect he wants one would need to have three subject in focus, woman's eyes, man's eyes/look, at least one jewel/ring. At f/1.2 which is, assumingly, just sufficient to be shot at ISO 1600, one would need those three subjects all nicely lined up in the same focal plane, so good luck with that...
Thank you for your comment of the 50mm f/1. I like it because it is a history.

How about the 85mm f/1.2? Worth the money to buy it? Canon stop make it for a long time and it is becoming history soon.

For the shot, I will take it with men women's expression plus the jelwery store as the background. This is good enough to show the idea.

But it is almost noway to have the men and women in the same focal plane, unless you are shooting from the inside of the store through the store window. So, If your camera has 3200, try it.

[HKFEVER]

[QUOTE=HKFEVER]For the shot, I will take it with men women's expression plus the jelwery store as the background. This is good enough to show the idea.
QUOTE]

It is not necessary to have the men and women's eye in the picture. Only the back side or side view of the 2 people is already very good to tell the story. If the women have put their hand against the store window then it is perfect.

[Cadenza]

To the topic, like someone above said, what original poster wants is impossible. In order to achieve the effect he wants one would need to have three subject in focus, woman's eyes, man's eyes/look, at least one jewel/ring.

With PS & digiblend, anything's possible.

[Candid Bandit]

It is not necessary to have the men and women's eye in the picture. Only the back side or side view of the 2 people is already very good to tell the story. If the women have put their hand against the store window then it is perfect.
That is exactly what I had in mind!! Thanks!! The profile shots would already be good enough for me. Best ofcourse if the women was standing closer to me then the men. Usually the men are taller and all I have to concentrate is to get the women's eye and lust for the diamond. The guy can be not as focused but what I want is the women. The display also don't need to in focus, as long as its in the shot then its all good.

[Candid Bandit]

one of my passions is to capture night motion shots.....of flash.........just as you describe........my recommendation is the Canon 50/1.4..........the 85mm is a little too 'close up' for me........the 50mm gives a wider angle........
Check out my website and you'll find the typs of images your speaking of within the galleries.....
www.richardbluesteinphotos.com (http://www.richardbluesteinphotos.com/)
let me know what you think
Nice site and photos!! Gave me alot of ideas for other shots. Thank you