Which lens? I was not liking the 50mm too much

[AprilArchambeau]

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[Mark_Cohran]

If you use wide lenses for model photography, you're going to wind up with distorted perspective on your images. Longer lenses work better for this type of photography and I find myself using lenses primarily 85mm and above on FF cameras. While the 24-105 gives you that versatility, it seems you have more of an issue with the space rather than with the lens.

[AprilArchambeau]

Yea, the room I was in was fairly big, and I know for a fact if I ever take photos from a room I will be working in a 10x10 room

[va_rider]

I think if I were you, I'd be looking along the lines of Canon 35mm f/2, 28mm f/1.8 or the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 ... I had the same thoughts... my 50mm was too long for a lot of indoor stuff... I fell in love with the 35 f/2, but I don't do portraits... that's why I'm thinking 28 f/1.8 or Siggy 30 f/1.4 for your application...

[AprilArchambeau]

Is the 17-40 a bad idea? I know its f/4 but that is the aperture I would more than likely stay around even if I had a 1.8 just to get things I want in focus. That could replace my 18-55 kit lens I am sure the IQ is much better

[CosmoKid]

Is the 17-40 a bad idea? I know its f/4 but that is the aperture I would more than likely stay around even if I had a 1.8 just to get things I want in focus. That could replace my 18-55 kit lens I am sure the IQ is much better


yes, it is a bad idea. your money would be much better spent on lighting than on lenses.

a 17-40 is $600 used.

with $600 you can get:

3 x YN-460 II - $150
3 Stands - $120
3 umbrellas - $50
3 brackets - $50
2 Cheetah Softboxes - $200

OR:

3 x YN-460 II - $150
3 Stands - $120
3 umbrellas - $50
3 brackets - $50
Sekonic 358 Light Meter - $225

OR:

Calumet Genesis 2 light kit - $369
(this comes with 2 stands and umbrellas)
1 YN-460 for a kicker light - $50
Stand and umbrella/bracket - $70
2 eBay Softboxes and Speedrings - $120

I have been following your posts in regards to lenses and saw the pics you took for your friend. You seem fixed on lenses as the factor that will make your pictures better. In fact, it is lighting, in terms of equipment.

The 17-40 is a nice lens. Much better as an UWA on a full frame camera. Your 18-55 IS is a very good, and underrated, lens. There are plenty of people who post in the glamor/people sections who use that lens with spectacular results.

One guy didn't even know 18mm was the wide end of an 18-55mm lens. But he invested in lighting and learned lighting.

Lighting will make or break your photos. Your pics of your friend did not come out blurry because of your lens, they came out blurry because you didn't have the proper light. Would a different lens have helped? Maybe, but lighting will help every lens you own and every picture you take.

Once you move your focus to lighting instead of lenses your pictures will improve greatly, especially if your interest lies in people photography.

[sfaust]

Lighting will make or break your photos.

I can't tell you how many times I've said that in my workshops. Lighting is primary, followed by subject matter, then equipment.

[TooManyHobbies]

You are going the wrong way! Going wide will give you unflattering results with your subjects. 50-100mm is the best for portrait. That's why full frame cameras are so much better for studio. They cost more but your studio can be smaller.

Wider lenses expand distances making noses and other feature look bigger. A little longer than 50 will compress distances in photos and makes people more pleasing. Think of the long telephoto pi that makes the person as big as the moon. 85mm is my favorite even for full length standing which I can do in a 15x15 studio with a ff camera. If you are serious about studio, spend the money on the wide lens spend it on lighting and ff body. If you stick with your camera you can still do closeups while learning lighting and other studio stuff.

If I had a cropped camera my 15' studio would need to be 23' long!

[TooManyHobbies]

Sorry about all the typos bit I can't edit a post using my phone.

[AprilArchambeau]

Oh ok that makes a lot of sense, I never understood why FF was needed, unfortunately, until I made this a profession and started making money, I would not be able to get another body :(. I guess ill just work with what I have for now and see how things go from here :)

[hawk911]

April, your signature says the 11-16 on it's way. Do you do landscape that you need the ultra wide angle? Spend that on a Genesis kit and a softbox.

[Panda_stunter]

april, seing that you have a long focal coverage, im going to ask....have you found your niche yet?

covering a long focal range as that means that you have not yet found your niche in photography. in the future, what kind of area are you looking to delve into for business in photography? portrait? landscape?

like have been said before by mark and toomanyhobbies, portrait needs to be on a longer focal range (50mm-135mm). wide angle (which is 35 and under -debatable-) will distort your focal subject, which will be unflattering for would be customers, unless thats the look they are going for.

invest in lighting equipment. im going to second cosmokid on this. but you can also go with the yongnuo yn460 mark 1 (i have these) for about 45 a piece. and since it will be OCF, you dont need ETTL unless you really want to get ETTL triggers which will cost you more. other than that, yn460 mark 1 and 2 doesnt have that much difference that the GN number (33 v 53), but im sure you will be using this in a room rather than outdoors.

with better lighting, you can have the shutter speed faster, which will more or less mean less blur.

as for the kit lens, with enough lighting, it is remarkably good! as for your 50 1.8, stop it down....a lot. your images doesnt have metadata so i cant see your settings. but it seems like youre shooting almost wideopen (you might be looking for bokeh, which shooting wideopen will be like but research more on the DOF or use a DOF calculator). again, just like the kit lens, with enough light it is remarkably good. you have the 420EX, bounce it on the ceiling or wall to get the most light bounced inside the room to light it up.

its not the lens, its what you make use of what you have in your arsenal. before, i didnt have much gear so i make it work, whatever i had. but gear helps a lot as well. so if youre looking for a good lens, im going to say, look at the canon 85 1.8 theres a lot of those in the sell section floating around.

[AprilArchambeau]

Well, for the past year, I have taken pictures of my dogs, which is why I needed that range. I am keeping that lens for wildlife and the dogs, but want to get into indoor portraits now, maybe some outdoor portraits as well.

As far as the 11-16, Fedex supposedly left it on the side of my house, and I never got it, been going through it for weeks, I am out $600 on that, we have done everything that we could :(

Do you have a link to this Genesis kit?

[CosmoKid]

200 2 light kit (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/CF0502K1/)

400 2 light kit (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/CF0514K1/)

Coincidentally, I am selling a 400 2 light kit. :)

[mangrovedutch]

[]

I have been following your posts in regards to lenses and saw the pics you took for your friend. You seem fixed on lenses as the factor that will make your pictures better. In fact, it is lighting, in terms of equipment.

.

Lighting will make or break your photos. Your pics of your friend did not come out blurry because of your lens, they came out blurry because you didn't have the proper light. Would a different lens have helped? Maybe, but lighting will help every lens you own and every picture you take.

Once you move your focus to lighting instead of lenses your pictures will improve greatly, especially if your interest lies in people photography.[/QUOTE]


bw! COSMOKID
I have been searching the archives on POTN most of today looking at different lenses to use on my crop sensor 400D to shoot G&N (Yes, I will look at FF, we all have to start somewhere), but this is by far the best comment I have come across. I have spend so much time researching lighting, that I am not allowed to buy any more books. :rolleyes:
I need help with lens selection of another prime lens wider than my Nifty Fifty (80mm on a crop sensor) because I like to get a little closer to the subject :lol:.
I'm thinking maybe 24mm, maybe even 20mm, at a variety of F stops? Also thinking Tamron 10-24mm.
I've stopped thinking, can someone give me some ideas, please. I'm a big fan of B&W and body-scape, and I don't want to shoot from 10 metres away.

Regards, Dutch

[CosmoKid]

Wow. I forgot about this thread.

Dutch. You don't want an ultra wide for people photography. A nice prime To shoot people would be the Sigma 30mm. A nice budget zoom would be the Tamron 17-50.

[mangrovedutch]

Joe, After I commented yesterday, I kept on searching and started looking at the Tamron 17-50. I haven't thought about the Sigma 30mm up until you mentioned it. I have seen a fair amount of comments on the Sigma 30. I just like prime lenses (don't know why). I am guessing that they would come at different F-stops, I like the F2.8, do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks mate,
Dutch

[CosmoKid]

The sigma is a 30mm 1.4.

[mangrovedutch]

On the hunt now, Joe. Thanks for your input on the lenses, and an ovation regarding the lighting. Is the DOF an issue with this lens?

Regards, Dutch

[CosmoKid]

IDK what you mean by an issue. DOF is something you create with aperture, distance to subject, etc

[mangrovedutch]

CosmoKid (Joe), Thanks for the recommendations. I have purchased the Tamron 17-50 f2.8, can't wait till it arrives. Still thinking about the Sigma 30mm. I appreciate you advice, thanks mate.

Regards, Dutch

[TooManyHobbies]

Too late but the prime would be faster, have better bokeh, be sharper, and cost less that the zoom and I would NEVER go below 30mm on a portrait unless being funky. Have you looked at this website http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/

[mangrovedutch]

It is never too late, Jeff :-D, there is always room for one more lens. I have bought the Tamron, but the Sigma is still on the wanted list. Thanks for the link to that website, that is going straight into my favorites. Nice sample pictures for the sigma 30mm 1.4. I see what you mean. The Sigma is a bit dearer here Down Under.

Regards, Dutch

[jblaschke]

The Tammy 17-50 2.8 has a good reputation, as does the 28-75 2.8. The latter is The Wife's workhorse lens, and it produces mighty fine results on her 50D. It vignettes like crazy on her 5D II, but as she's a wedding photog, she'd be adding vignetting in PP anyway, so the bug becomes a feature. :D

[Panda_stunter]

as of right now, i use 2 lenses for portraits, mainly my 24-70L if the space doesnt let me have my wiggle room. 85 1.8 if i actually have room to move around.

and this friday, im getting my sigma 50 1.4 so that will be used indoors as well. but gotta do tests on it first!

[Color_blind]

sigma 17-70