Indoor Christmas Party: Which Lens?

Have a 30D and the company Christmas party is coming up, which lens should I use- 24-70L 2.8 or the 50 1.4?

I am thinking 50 1.4 at this moment. Any other advice?

Unless its a huge room, the 50 will probably be too long for a lot of things. I would take both lenses and hope the room is bright enough for the 24-70, or just use a flash. They are both excellent lenses.

i am confused....christmas party? its not even thanksgiving yet!

ah flash, I try to avoid flashes at all costs. Usually the images will turn out overlit (with built in flash). Now would this change if I get an external flash like the 550EX or the 580EX? ?

Or my settings my just be bad.

I know, this year's Christmas party will be mid November, I am not the event organizer

24-70 with an external flash + diffuser.

The 50 will be too limiting indoors, and even if you have enough light to shoot @ 2.8 you will probably want to stop down for some of the shots.

sti jaguar wrote in post #2121533
I know, this year's Christmas party will be mid November, I am not the event organizer

It gets earlier and earlier every year it seems

Yep, I'd save up for the flash, a 430EX should do you, unless you realy need the extra power of the 580.
Again I think the 50mm will be too long for most shots, although on a 1.6x crop the 24mm end of the 24-70 may be limiting in a small room.

You can use Flash exposure compensation to limit the flash level if you have to, I regularly use about -2/3 of a stop, just to take the harshness of the flash off.

24-70 and ext. flash. just learn how to use it before you go, so you don't struggle.

the flash, even the one on your cam shouldnt really over expose your shots... with ttl, it should know what settings you are useing and judge the amount of lighting you need and give about the right amount.. BUT, it doesnt allways work so, just bounce it off the cieling or if its not a white cieling, use an omni bounce and set you flash exposure comp back a stop or so til it looks good. There is really not as much mystery to it than it seems, read through the flash stickies here or google about flash with the canon dslr's. I usually use my 420EX and 30D with no diffuser and hardly ever bounce and can get good results... i even use the on board when i have too, it really does work! give it a practice run, shoot some objects with a zoom, like at 24MM than at 70 then zoom on something close like your trying to do a macro shot.. this way youll see what the flash is doing at what time and it will help you better understand it for when it comes time to actually use it.
good luck

heres one from the beach a couple weeks ago, notice the hard shadow? this was with the 30D, 28-135IS and the onboard flash... i was as close to the subject as possible at the wide (28mm) end i believe, and did use the onboard flash I also believe!..no, I did use it. lol

heres an out door with the same lens and onboard flash.. fill flash!
the shadw is from another disply that this was actually behind!

sti jaguar wrote in post #2121531
ah flash, I try to avoid flashes at all costs. Usually the images will turn out overlit (with built in flash). Now would this change if I get an external flash like the 550EX or the 580EX? ?

Or my settings my just be bad.

It probably will if you use it as a P&S. Suggest you read the forums and Curtis' "Flash 101" docs. Proper use of Av, Tv, and, particularly, M modes (along with EC and FEC) will give you more control of ambient and flash lighting. Use of bounce and diffusers should also be looked at.

The most important thing is practice. After learning a little about the above techniques, nothing can replace your trying them our and feeling how they work and what works best for you.

I would use it as an excuse to buy the 50 1.2

Hello,

incendy wrote in post #2122973
I would use it as an excuse to buy the 50 1.2

I'm with you on that one! That or the EF 35mm f/1.4L USM.