What to bring to the Delivery Room?

back in 2006 with my first kid ...

i used a video camera, with a 300D with kit lens backup
then had one of the nurses handle the point and shoot.

dec 2011: i was at first planning to bring two kits with primes ... then i remembered, i shouldn't be taking artsy pics in the DR, right? a zoom lens with one body should be sufficient?

so ... here i am ... i NEED the 24-105 by december. but only have enough money to buy one lens ... and i WANT the 50L more.

try to get away with 17-40L + speedlight?

Im not sure if I would want a flash with my wife's doctors nor a newborn. the 50L on a 5d may do it, bring a second body with a wider lens. (prime)

Hard Drive Disk wrote in post #12860273
Im not sure if I would want a flash with my wife's doctors nor a newborn. the 50L on a 5d may do it, bring a second body with a wider lens. (prime)

yeah, i can't remember if i brought a speedlight in 2006, but even without it, im pretty sure the popup flash was running (since it's impossible for the rebel with kit lens to get anything decent without it ... non-IS, low ISO)

Give the nurse the P&S, leave the DSLR at home, and enjoy the moment.

phreeky wrote in post #12860292
Give the nurse the P&S, leave the DSLR at home, and enjoy the moment.

That is a great thought too.

I used a 50mm 1.4 and my Speedlight with a diffuser and bounce. It won't hurt the baby unless you like fire it off point blank 100 times in their face. I didn't get the camera out till after the baby was born and things had settled down a bit. You are going to be there for a day or two, so taking the big camera is not a bad idea.

The 50L..meh. I'd rather save nearly a grand and get the 1.4. Or even the 1.8.

I think the 17-40, 35L and Speedlight you have should be sufficient. The main point is to take a few shots and document the event I'd say.

I would not worry overmuch about trying to not use flash. It's not going to hurt the baby, and will only become a problem if you are possessed of an urge to take a few dozen shots. At that point the flash might start to bother the nurses and mother.

So use 35L for the first moment in available light (see example - I was so distracted when I took this shot I failed to notice I was at ISO200 and 1/13 but it's a keeper to me.) and then consider the 17-40 for those first key moments like weighing and cleaning off. You also might find the light on the warming table is enough to work fine at f/4 with a 5D2 and the flash is still not needed there.

The second shot is just to show you what the room looked like to the eye. You can see by the brightness behind the midwife that the rest of the room is pretty dim at f/2.8, ISO800 and 1/40. The places where the staff work like the countertop and the warming table will be well lit.

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My Lauren was a c-section, so the room had plenty of light. Used 17-50, so your 17-40 should be fine.

By the way: to the OP congratulations on having another child, on the plus side you are are planning WAY early for this.

phreeky wrote in post #12860292
Give the nurse the P&S, leave the DSLR at home, and enjoy the moment.

yeah, i thought of using a tripod, mount a vid camera on it, i use a prime lens, nurse uses the p&s as well.

Keyan wrote in post #12860316
I used a 50mm 1.4 and my Speedlight with a diffuser and bounce. It won't hurt the baby unless you like fire it off point blank 100 times in their face. I didn't get the camera out till after the baby was born and things had settled down a bit. You are going to be there for a day or two, so taking the big camera is not a bad idea.

The 50L..meh. I'd rather save nearly a grand and get the 1.4. Or even the 1.8.

i already made a thread on that one, and i think i'm going with the 50L (at least that's until the subsconcious debate heats up again)

JeffreyG wrote in post #12860324
I think the 17-40, 35L and Speedlight you have should be sufficient. The main point is to take a few shots and document the event I'd say.

shhhh. i HAVE to buy something for the DR

JeffreyG wrote in post #12860324
I would not worry overmuch about trying to not use flash. It's not going to hurt the baby, and will only become a problem if you are possessed of an urge to take a few dozen shots. At that point the flash might start to bother the nurses and mother.

So use 35L for the first moment in available light (see example - I was so distracted when I took this shot I failed to notice I was at ISO200 and 1/13 but it's a keeper to me.) and then consider the 17-40 for those first key moments like weighing and cleaning off. You also might find the light on the warming table is enough to work fine at f/4 with a 5D2 and the flash is still not needed there.

The second shot is just to show you what the room looked like to the eye. You can see by the brightness behind the midwife that the rest of the room is pretty dim at f/2.8, ISO800 and 1/40. The places where the staff work like the countertop and the warming table will be well lit.

yeah, that would work. what do you guys think about the macro lens? hands and feet tight shots? or should i wait for the baby to be clean already (next day) before i take those?

Hard Drive Disk wrote in post #12860372
By the way: to the OP congratulations on having another child, on the plus side you are are planning WAY early for this.

thanks! i'm super excited about this kid because it's a chance to use my gear on something that's very important, my first kid had the popup flash of my rebel blast his face when he was growing up

tempest68 wrote in post #12860357
My Lauren was a c-section, so the room had plenty of light. Used 17-50, so your 17-40 should be fine.

yeah, i think i remember the DR to be a bit brighter than the pic above, since it's basically the same room IF C-section is necessary

I had a 17-70 and a speedlight in the DR for my daughter's birth back in Dec 09. I just checked with the doc and the hospital staff when we did a tour of the maternity area a few weeks before.

I'm assuming no beaver shots and tripods will just get in the way so why not just a p&s?

But the 50L will surely take a great pic? Get it.

My wife is due this coming Oct. I'm taking the sigma 30mm with me .. and maybe take the 85mm as well too.

When my daughter was born back in April, I brought my 24L and 85L with me. Indoor light at hospitals is crappy.