What lens for fireworks?

I'll be using a 6D likely on a tripod. Choices are 35mm f/2.0, 85mm f/1.8, 24-105L f/4.0 or 70-200L f/2.8

What's likely to give me the best results?

My choice would be the 24_105.

I used my 70-200 f/2.8 IS......perfect result.

Wallace River wrote in post #17011973
I used my 70-200 f/2.8 IS......perfect result.

Any idea what settings you used?

IlliniFan99 wrote in post #17011974
Any idea what settings you used?

Yep! ISO 100, f/8, bulb setting, 3-5 seconds depending on how bright they were, of course on a tripod. I was about 3/4 mi. away over water.
https://www.flickr.com …r/sets/72157645​046316329/

Wallace River wrote in post #17011979
Yep! ISO 100, f/8, bulb setting, 3-5 seconds depending on how bright they were, of course on a tripod. I was about 3/4 mi. away over water.
https://www.flickr.com …r/sets/72157645​046316329/

Great results. Thanks for sharing.

Distance plays a major factor. I bring my 24-105 and 70-200 f/4.

I'd say 24-105...

24mm with 4 (+/-) seconds at F11... Distance being the crucial factor....

I used Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 this time along with 24-105 for last couple of shots. 14mm gave excellent results. Please check below. I cropped hell out of some shots

https://flic.kr/s/aHsj​Zqg1N2

mike_d wrote in post #17011984
Distance plays a major factor. I bring my 24-105 and 70-200 f/4.

This, I've used the 16-35, 50 and 70-200 this weekend alone depending upon if they were going off within 100 yards or a few blocks away. What also matters is how much additional scene you want with them.

I used a 60D and a 15-85. Focal lengths from 15-57 (24-92mm). Next year, I'll have a 24-105 on my 6D.
ISO 100, bulb (I used from 1 to 22 seconds), f/11. Distance matters. From further away, you'd need a longer lens and larger aperture, or higher ISO.


Someone above mentioned brightness as a time factor. That is mistaken. The aperture and ISO totally regulate the brightness of the individual explosions. Time regulates how many explosions you get in the shot.

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17014200
I used a 60D and a 15-85. Focal lengths from 15-57 (24-92mm). Next year, I'll have a 24-105 on my 6D.
ISO 100, bulb (I used from 1 to 22 seconds), f/11. Distance matters. From further away, you'd need a longer lens and larger aperture, or higher ISO.


Someone above mentioned brightness as a time factor. That is mistaken. The aperture and ISO totally regulate the brightness of the individual explosions. Time regulates how many explosions you get in the shot.

I used an 18-55 kit lens at 18mm night before last. Trust me, it wasn't wide enough! Some fireworks were high, some were low, some left, some right. Get the widest lens you can! Fireworks are all over the sky. (I still got some great photos, but I lost a bunch too!)
BTW, I used ISO 100, 2 seconds. The pics that were in frame were really good, but I missed about 50% of what I took. I used a remote switch, but at first I was clicking too early. Watch your live view and click when the burst is spread out good, just before it fades. Clicking too soon gives a small and un-impressive shot.

IlliniFan99 wrote in post #17011957
I'll be using a 6D likely on a tripod. Choices are 35mm f/2.0, 85mm f/1.8, 24-105L f/4.0 or 70-200L f/2.8

What's likely to give me the best results?

Depends how far away you are from the fire works and how much of the sky you want to fill.

yogestee wrote in post #17014257
Depends how far away you are from the fire works and how much of the sky you want to fill.

This. I have used a 17-40 and wished for wider and a 100-400 and wished for longer. Its all dependent on how far they are from you and how much of the frame you wish to fill.

50mm from the 24-105 and pretty close.

outofbounds wrote in post #17014215
I used an 18-55 kit lens at 18mm night before last. Trust me, it wasn't wide enough! Some fireworks were high, some were low, some left, some right. Get the widest lens you can! Fireworks are all over the sky. (I still got some great photos, but I lost a bunch too!)
BTW, I used ISO 100, 2 seconds. The pics that were in frame were really good, but I missed about 50% of what I took. I used a remote switch, but at first I was clicking too early. Watch your live view and click when the burst is spread out good, just before it fades. Clicking too soon gives a small and un-impressive shot.

Fixing your shutter speed so short limits you to only one or two explosions per frame. Set f/11 or f/16, ISO 100. Use BULB and just play with holding the shutter open. My shoot this year had a few at one second and one a seventeen seconds. There were 195 shots in between somewhere. This one made our local papers #1 spot for "Photos You Have to See!" Seventeen second exposure.