Partyphotographers : which lenses for a Technoparty in a small club ?

I'm asked for the first time to do partyphotography in a small club.
Are there any party-photographers here who can give some tips ?

Most will probably think of a standard f2.8 zoom (24-70 2.8 for example) but I sold this guy as I'd rather like primes on the wide.

My first thoughts are :
15 2.8 fisheye (a lot used at party's)
30 1.4L (allround pics of the party-animals)
85 1.8 (close-ups and/or dj's which are a bit further)

Maybe 17-40 f4L, but i'm not sure yet, carrying too much lenses is maybe not recommended, the 3 above are relatively compact.
My 70-200 2.8L II would be too big as you have to stand in between the partypeople, this is more 35 1.4L area My 135L would probably be too long.

I thought of putting on a lens hood for protection on every lens, also put on my 580 EXII, and external micro (to record some HD movies with better sound).
I also have a Gary Fong lightsphere also, but this would be too exagerated I guess with that big white thing on the flash, this I more for model photography
Better try to bounce the flash in this case?

I believe the best lens for your task would be either 24L or 16-35.

24L and flash.

I would stick with your 17-40. In that situation, you may not want to be swithching out lenses all that often. I would also think that you would be using flash a lot with minimal ambient. Maybe have the fisheye handy for a few shots.

I know pros who shoot 3-5 events per week with the kit lens and built-in flash. As long as faces are clear, that is about all that matters.

This is a no-braner... 24L is the lens for you.

Yes but I don't have 24L, I meant with the setup I have.
Would fast lenses be an advantage or is party photography with bouncing flash mostly?
Bokeh is probably not used in this type of photography?

sloanbj wrote in post #14877123
I know pros who shoot 3-5 events per week with the kit lens and built-in flash. As long as faces are clear, that is about all that matters.

I'd do it that way too.. Too many drunks to take a nice camera with nice lens in and let them break it. Think they will be responsible about it ?

http://www.sessions2.c​om

These finnish guys use quite a lot tele primes with fill flash but it takes a bit of practice in such a challenging environment. Wide angle is naturally a must have. Fisheye with straight flash is something you just cant go wrong with in club photography but people are already used to that kind of stuff. My basic setup used to be 10-22mm (always on 10mm..), 28mm and 85mm on a crop sensor.

I'd go with 17-40, 85 and 135 or 17-40 and 70-200. You'll get enough light with 2.8 in the long end as you have the markII iso capabilities.

If you don't seem to get it right, 15mm+flash is always a great backup

here in my country venue are really poor lit so for me that 24 L ii does the job for me even shooting wide open at 6400 iso and flash for fill

Ok then maybe 17-40L with fill flash (instead of 35 1.4L) + 85 1.8
Although 15 2.8 fisheye is compact, maybe I can slide it in my pocket
135L would be too long.

I like the my 16-35 on full frame and the Tokina 11-16 on crop body. The faster speed lenses are much better in low light situations as well as the full frame sensor.

I like the 16-35 in these situations, with a bounced flash. I'm at 16mm most of the time, but it's nice to be able to zoom out to 35mm for impromptu portraits.

fast primes are nice, but the small DOF when wide open can be difficult to work with when you've got few opportinites to get the right shot. Some people don't mind being posed, and having multiple shots being taken, but most just want to keep dancing/drinking/whate​ver. There's also the issue of limited space in cramped clubs, which doesn't make "zooming with your feet" an easy task.

I'd recommend a fast zoom (16-35 would be ideal, but 17-40 would work too) and a flash. I usually shoot somewhere between f/2.8 and f/6, depending if it's a group or individual shot, and 1/8 - 1/10 with flash on 2nd curtain. this allows for some ambient light/background blur while freezing the subject w/ the flash.

source: i shoot in small clubs on a nearly weekly basis