Primes or zooms for children?

I'm wanting to (slowly) make my way into child and family photography and I was trying to decide what, if anything, I may want to add to my gear list to make the job easier and also help produce pleasing images.

I know the basic advantages of both primes and zooms. I mainly work with my own kids and even though they a smidge older they are still moving targets so I can only imagine the fun of trying to catch a toddler in focus.

For those who work with children and families do you prefer primes or zooms?

eta: I'm mainly looking at outdoor and natural light photography.

If you are okay with 2.8 as your max aperture for background separation then there is nothing wrong with a quality zoom. Just make sure you have a good grasp on the effects of perspective and understand that standing in one place and zooming yields different results than moving to control your perspective.

Thank you. You make a great point.

You are welcome and dont limit yourself to available light. Learn the value of fill flash.

I use mostly prime. Kids move around a lot, and at playdates, I bring my zoom. But you aren't going to be able to "chase them" with a zoom anyhow, so I'd go prime. Unless you're doing only candids where they aren't looking at you, they are going to be mostly facing you, so you don't need zoom to catch some stealthy candid moment. I do mostly toddlers and some babies, and I use either my 50mm f1.8 (really want to get the f1.4 soon - I know what I'm missing) or my 30mm f1.4. If they are slightly uncooperative, I should with the 30mm on the highest quality setting and crop down in post. Check out my site to see the quality of sharpness. If you don't like the pictures, ignore my advice. LOL.But if you do like them, know that the bulk were shot with one of the two aforementioned primes.

gonzogolf wrote in post #15883817
You are welcome and dont limit yourself to available light. Learn the value of fill flash.

I've considered learning flash for fill......but I'm undecided whether to stretch and get the 580 and grow in to it or to get the more budget-friendly 430. Thoughts?

One thing I find is they are turbocharged when running around playing. Trying to get good sharp shots close in is just about next to impossible. They like to run at you, around you, away from you. When I want to shoot my grandson playing I use my 70-200 and stand away from him, leaving either my son, daughter-in-law or wife to be the one close up and playing with him and being in his immediate vision and awareness. This makes them the point of his focus, and leaves me on the sidelines. Yes he often does look up and run to me, but generally stays with whoever is paying him the most attention. I get better candid shots by staying back a bit. If I need flash fill I use a 580exII for the extra throw it gives.

daystar wrote in post #15884192
I've considered learning flash for fill......but I'm undecided whether to stretch and get the 580 and grow in to it or to get the more budget-friendly 430. Thoughts?

Get the 580EXII. While the 430EXII is good, the 580EXII will give you more range and power. Prices on this forum are around $325, which is good, I think.

Oldschool1948 wrote in post #15884432
Get the 580EXII. While the 430EXII is good, the 580EXII will give you more range and power. Prices on this forum are around $325, which is good, I think.

Thank you! I'll check out the classifieds here.

And the 580 can control other external speedlites, which you don't think you need now, but if you ever do, you'll be pissed (speaking from experience). I now use off the camera flash and had to buy an St-E2 to control my flash, but then a got a 60d that controls OCF flash too.

Oldschool1948 wrote in post #15884432
Get the 580EXII. While the 430EXII is good, the 580EXII will give you more range and power. Prices on this forum are around $325, which is good, I think.

Ditto.

digitalretouch wrote in post #15884499
And the 580 can control other external speedlites, which you don't think you need now, but if you ever do, you'll be pissed (speaking from experience). I now use off the camera flash and had to buy an St-E2 to control my flash, but then a got a 60d that controls OCF flash too.

Ok, being a total flash dummy here....if I were to upgrade to a 60d (which has been rolling around in my head for a month or so), is that all I would need to control OCF?

daystar wrote in post #15884746
Ok, being a total flash dummy here....if I were to upgrade to a 60d (which has been rolling around in my head for a month or so), is that all I would need to control OCF?

The 60D does have a built in controller, and it does an okay job inside because the canon wireless system uses optical light to send signals to the flash. But once you go outside on a bright day thats problematic. The light pulses that that signal the flash are harder to see outside because of contrast and because there are less surfaces to bounce off of. So I would suggest getting a set of the YN RF622 ETTL triggers. They will allow you to use radio signals when you are outside. Keep in mind that its an option for when your budget allows, not a must have right away thing.

Ditto on the YN-622C flash triggers. When you move to two or more flash units, you'll find it so much easier adjusting flash settings via the camera menus and reliably triggering your flash(s) indoors or outdoors. Their use also eliminates the line of sight issues with Canon's built in triggering system. By that I mean, I can use my 7D as master to trigger slave units, but I've found it so much easier to simply place a YN-622 in the camera's hotshoe and one on each flash unit. This eliminates the need of having to swivel the flash unit's body so that they can "see" the master flash. Using the 622 gives you complete freedom to move a light stand or flash modifier in any direction without having to worry about "line of sight."

I prefer prime when working with kids just because it gives me that extra stop.