7D communion photography; lens choices

I've been doing more photography for our Parish lately. I started last year with first communion. We were allowed to use flash then, but no more. To give you an idea of how I was doing with my 10D and Tamron 17-50 2.8:

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is that dude normally that red?

mpstan wrote in post #12400534
1. My goal is to provide parents an image suitable for an 8x10 photograph .
Is my 7D capable of doing this at ISO 3200 in your opinion or should I stick to
1600? 3200 might allow me to do better with my silky 70-200 F4......

Stick to lower ISO pending on your shutter speed. if people are quite still then use 1/100 as a minimum as "just in case". you can always go with the 1/fl rule to negate camera shake.

mpstan wrote in post #12400534
2. Are the "fake" ISOs such as 2500 still regarded as inferior choices?

well actually, the "native ISO" of the 7D is 160, 320, 640, 1250, 2500, 5000 - using these iso settings have been beneficial for video mode on the 7d as this provides the lowest noise/high iso ratios. However, its not the same for the photos end of the 7D. unless someone else can say otherwise.

mpstan wrote in post #12400534
3. With IS and/or a monopod, I assume my limiting factor will be people movement correct? Do you think I can get by with anything slower than 1/60?
Is IS even useful if people movement is my limiting factor?

try to use a minimum of 1/100. IS is useless if people movement is your limiting factor. However, if they are extremely still like in a prayer, you're good to go at 1/60. Your limiting factor would then be handshake.

mpstan wrote in post #12400534
4. Should I be using one focus point? Right now I'm using the 5 point group and moving my group around as needed.

i always use single AF point and use the multidirectional joystick to select my AF point.

mpstan wrote in post #12400534
5. If you were to rent a lens for this event, which would it be? Most shots could
be taken between 45mm and 90mm. I'm thinking 85 1.8 as first choice since
I'm theorizing that IS would not be that helpful. If I am wrong then either
17-55 2.8 IS or 70-200 2.8 IS.

For indoor work, i'd personally go with primes: (are we safe to assume that youre on a tight budget?)
- Canon 24mm f1.4L II
- Sigma 24mm f1.8
- Sigma 30mm f1.4
- Canon 35mm f1.4L
- Canon 35mm f2.0
- Canon 50mm f1.2L
- Canon 50mm f1.4
- Canon 50mm f1.8 II
- Sigma 50mm f1.4
- Canon 85mm f1.2L II
- Canon 85mm f1.8
- Sigma 50mm f1.4

If you are bent on zooms for your 7D.
- Canon 17-55 f2.8 IS
- Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS II

Pick your poison based on fl. research these prices yourself.

I agree with Marloon. Go back and see what focal lengths you use most, then purchase a prime that will fit those lengths.
Canon's 85mm f/1.8 is a great fast lens for the price. If you could use a longer length and budget isn't an obstacle, then you might consider the Canon 135mm f/2.0.
Just a question, do you use a custom white balance?

On a crop, I think 85mm is a good choice for communions. My most used lens last year at one was the 135 but that was on a FF. That and the 17-40 covered everything. I'll be shooting one this Sunday and may try using a 7D.

don't forget it's a crop body.. so.. it's 1/flx1.6 to be safe

I never got around to ordering a rental lens so I'm planning on using my Tammy 17-50 2.8.

As far as shutter and the advice to use 1/100 or 1/FL*1.6; won't my monopod help me nudge down a little slower? I was still thinking 1/60 would be doable but I want to have a cushion.

I'm pretty sure that if I shoot wide open at 2.8 and 1/100 I am going to be up into ISO3200 range. The light is pretty sketchy.

Bohdank you have a 7D...... would you feel comfortable with the noise levels at 3200 for a project like this? Which ISO increments do you use?

Thanks

I'll be using a flash but I am going to shoot a few with just the ambient light although this church has pretty good lighting. Last year I shot 5DII + flash, ISO 800/1600 and, even though I had used the 5DII quite a bit up to that point I was still amazed at the IQ.

btw... the ambient light was ISO3200/f4, 1/200s so pretty decent. The flash made for good fill (I aimed it at the ceiling and used the built in bounce card).

I haven't used the 7D at higher ISO but am itching to do so, before I need to count on it (concerts). My guy feeling is I am not going to be satisfied, enough. The church thing this weekend won't really give it a good test, imo, but if it doesn't pass these easy conditions, it's gone. I'll replace it with another 5DII. I really do not like, or use, NR, in post. Too much detail loss, imo, and a (more) pasty look. With the 5DII I don't have to.

ISO 800, 135mm f2.8

what kind of distance to subject do you think you were with that last shot?

Did you have a single focus point right above the young girl's ear? Did you have enough open frame to keep a focus point on target while shooting, or did you have to recompose?

Awesome picture. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't consider dumping my 7d and picking up a 5Dc.

Thank you so much.

7D with 200 f2.8 shot from a distance natural light.

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Marloon wrote in post #12401008
is that dude normally that red?

???

I'd have to guess that it was about 20 feet away or a touch further. It is slightly cropped, maybe 10%, left side and bottom.

Center focus point. No recompose. I almost always frame loosely. It gives me more options to crop for different paper sizes. One of the advantages of the 5DII and it's pixel count.

I am VERY happy with the 5DII high ISO performance. I have no issues going to ISO3200. The 5D, 1600 was very very good, most of the time but I needed a bit more, so I sold the 5D and went to the 5DII. The 5D under these conditions, I would be satisfied.

mrgooch - no offense but that second shot looks awful. I'll assume it's a convert to web problem because the first shot exhibits none of the pixelation that the second one does.

The priest in the 4th shot in the first post is crazy red.

If you're shooting indoors, steer clear of f4 regardless of how "silky" it is.

Oh, and I wouldn't worry about going clear up to ISO 3200... just fill the frame with your subject and use decent NR.

Not to change the subject but I like the second (mrgooch) shot. I really didn't notice the "noisy" IQ since the I liked the composition and mood.

svarley wrote in post #12406341
The priest in the 4th shot in the first post is crazy red.

If you're shooting indoors, steer clear of f4 regardless of how "silky" it is.

Oh, and I wouldn't worry about going clear up to ISO 3200... just fill the frame with your subject and use decent NR.

I could not figure out how to remove the red face on our priest using Aperture 3. I went back to DPP and had no such problems with final copies, but couldn't find them for this post. I'm probably the only guy on the planet that hates his iMac. Will be going back to Win 7 and LR3 as soon as I can.

OK, my plan is to go with my Tammy, not fearing 3200 if I need it; will shoot wide open, try to keep my shutter at 1/90 if I can. If light permits, drop to 1600.

Thanks everyone for the help. This is a very friendly forum.