If you could only shoot from the pit with just one lens, which would it be

I thought this would be an interesting question.

I know a lot of Canon and Nikon guys Love going out with the Holy Trinity of lenses.
But if you had to pick just one for the next year, what would it be and why?

I look forward to your answers

Hmmmm, I thought this would get lots of responses.. Maybe today it will

it really depends on the size of the stage, but most answers would be either 24-70 or 70-200.

I'm about to jump on the 2.8 IS 70-200mm band wagon, no pun intended.
the canon is 2199 now on sale and the Tamron with VC is 1499. Is the Canon $700 better, Reading about the canon i see a bunch of the reviewers falling in love with the Tamron for price, sharpness and build quality.

I do not get to shoot my daughter's dance recitals from the pit, we normally get seats in the first five rows. After shooting the annual event for thirteen years now I recently learned that is is best to go to the back of the large high school auditorium and shoot away. Since some of the dances has the girls all over the stage, it is impossible to follow one dancer with people's heads in the way. I learned to go to the back row and focus on my kid.

As far as lenses go, I've tried many and find the 70-200 2.8is II to be ideal. If I only was shooting my daughter (and never a group shot) I might prefer a 300 2.8, but I have never used one. I urge you to jump on the 70-200, my most often used lens since I purchased it.

narlus wrote in post #16069507
it really depends on the size of the stage, but most answers would be either 24-70 or 70-200.

This is my answer. If I'm only shooting clubs, a 24-70 variant. If bigger venues, I tend to shoot longer 70-200.

I also usually shoot from the back with either a 120-300, 70-200 II L IS, 50-500 OS and/or a 400mm L IS. But when I do live performances from up close, I use the 24-105 IS or 15-85 IS, depending on the camera. If I have stage access, then a 20mm f1.8 and/or 135mm f2--switching cameras as needed.

Great info so far, thanks

Huge fan of the Canon EF-S 17 - 55mm IS here...especially in the pit. When further away from the stage it provides some wonderful overview wide shots as well.

Definitely 50mm 1.4 35mm 1.4

Not a big fan of zooms and I love buttery DOF's

definitely a 24-70 on a full frame, or the 17-55 on a crop.

from the pit at most smaller-to-medium venues, 70-200 is going to be to close unless you want head shots all day (even a 50mm is too close ...from the typical pit, it's generally not wide enough to capture a full performer's body or 2+ people next to each other).

85mm 1.2 for me

chris.dg wrote in post #16082492
definitely a 24-70 on a full frame, or the 17-55 on a crop.

from the pit at most smaller-to-medium venues, 70-200 is going to be to close unless you want head shots all day (even a 50mm is too close ...from the typical pit, it's generally not wide enough to capture a full performer's body or 2+ people next to each other).

Agreed. I'd want something that was WA to mild telephoto so I could capture not only single performers but the entire stage or most of it if I wanted to.

16-35 and 50. Am doing an open- air concert tonight and am not sure wether to take both the 7d and the 5d2 or just one!

A I have a press pass I should be able to get really close ,I wa going to take the 70-200 but realised it would probably be too long ( as well as heavy)

24-70 on full frame
17-55 on crop
2.8 of course