Need a few tips 80th bday gathering

[Fogflip]

My sister in-law's grandma is turning 80 on sunday and his having a get together with 60-70 people. They didnt hire a photographer so since i was going to stop by anyways i offered to do it. It gets more experience under my belt. The venue is a large banquet room relatively high ceilings with very very very gaudy italian type decorations carpets and trims.

1st question i rarely have worked with flash should i just use the natural light obviously fix any wb in post and just crank my iso. Or use the flash if need be even though ceilings are high and not a neutral shade.

2nd question- i use my beloved 5d mkII and have a 30d as my backup but a cousin of mine recently purchased a 7d so i might borrow that as a second camera. the two lenses i really plan on using the most are my 24-70 and 70-200 (or i could also borrow a 24-105 but lose a stop) which one do you think in a gathering banquets type situation should be on the FF and which on the crop. If things get a bit heated up some dancing and partying definitely will toss on the 16-35.

Sorry for these simple questions but still getting my feet wet and it seems the better i get the worse i get in my own mind :confused:

Any other useful tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance this community has been awesome so far and hope one day i can answer questions instead of asking.

[DStanic]

Use the flash

5D2 + 24-70, crop + 70-200

[Fogflip]

thanks for the reply also since i am new to the world of flash what advantage does ettl have when bounced over just setting it manually?

[Jimconnerphoto]

Accuracy and speed.
If you are familiar with your flash enough to set the power for the distance, iso, and f-stop then go for it. But ettl can do that for you pretty accurately. In the film days I always shot the flash manual but digital does not have the range to cover minor mistakes.

[bigarchi]

and i would get my hands on the 7D prior to the even so you can play with it a little bit.
it is operationally quite a bit different than the 30D and I assume its set up a little different than the 5dII as well..

[bigarchi]

and i would get my hands on the 7D prior to the even so you can play with it a little bit.
it is operationally quite a bit different than the 30D and I assume its set up a little different than the 5dII as well..

haha, now i see that this even has already come and gone since you have posted it over in the photo sharing section!

[Fogflip]

haha, now i see that this even has already come and gone since you have posted it over in the photo sharing section!

haha yea.
thanks everyone for the advice posted some photos in the sharing section and get to try out bounce flash again in action thursday at a friends art opening.