Do I need a faster lens?

Hi all,

I currently have a 17-85 USM IS. Many of my indoor pictures taken in large indoor areas tend to come out a bit too dark, even with a 430EX. For example, today we were at a fundraiser being held in a reception room of a temple. The room was about 150x200 sq feet with 14-16 foot high ceilings. I was taking picture of the kids dancing and the space was just swallowing up the light coming off my flash.

Do I need something faster in the 2.8 range? If so, any recommondations as to what lens to start looking at. I am trying to keep within the same range of the 17-85.

Thanks for any advise...

Justin

The answer is always yes.

85/1.8.
If you were far enough away that the 430EX couldn't illuminate the subject, 85 won't be too long.
Ummmm..... thinks....
Could you post an example image with intact EXIF data? There are a few other explanations that could be explored. I'm wondering, for example, if it is just an exposure or metering issue, or if boosting ISO might have helped.

Jarrad wrote in post #4892268
The answer is always yes.

He's right, y'know .

You didn't give us a budget, or if you wanted a zoom or prime. You did give us a focal length range to play with though!

Zoom options I'd recommend:
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8
Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS if you can afford it
Or...24-70 f/2.8 L

Primes:
Sigma 30 1.4
Canon 50 1.4
Canon 85 1.8

Pick your poison

Given you were trying to shoot kids that were moving you're going to need to get a faster shutter speed which you won't get without boosting the ISO and likely moving to a faster lens.

Here is a picture with some of the issues I am thinking could be improved with a faster lens. In this particular shot, the children were not dancing but some of the 'dance' shots have similar brightness issues.


File Name sample.JPG
Camera Model Canon EOS 30D
Shooting Date/Time 2/10/2008 2:32:15 PM
Shooting Mode Auto
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/60
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF-S17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Focal Length 56.0 mm
Image Size 3504x2336
Image Quality Fine
Flash On
Flash Type External E-TTL
Flash Exposure Compensation 0
Red-eye Reduction On
Shutter curtain sync 1st-curtain sync
White Balance Mode Auto
AF Mode AI Focus AF
Picture Style Standard
Sharpness 3
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Color tone 0
Color Space sRGB
Noise Reduction Off
File Size 2451 KB
Custom Function C.Fn:01-0
C.Fn:02-0
C.Fn:03-0
C.Fn:04-0
C.Fn:05-0
C.Fn:06-0
C.Fn:07-0
C.Fn:08-0
C.Fn:09-0
C.Fn:10-0
C.Fn:11-0
C.Fn:12-0
C.Fn:13-0
C.Fn:14-0
C.Fn:15-0
C.Fn:16-0
C.Fn:17-0
C.Fn:18-0
C.Fn:19-0
Drive Mode Single-frame shooting
Owner's Name unknown
Camera Body No. 1620912130

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perryge wrote in post #4892347
He's right, y'know .

You didn't give us a budget, or if you wanted a zoom or prime. You did give us a focal length range to play with though!

Zoom options I'd recommend:
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8
Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS if you can afford it
Or...24-70 f/2.8 L


Pick your poison

I feel my price range in the 500-800 range....
I want a zoom over a prime... I think the high end of a 50 might be on the short side.

A fast lens will definitely help you. What's your budget? Are you looking for a zoom or a prime? (primes will give you apertures larger than 2.8 )

Edit, woops you posted right as I did. Get a Tamron 17-50 2.8 and an 85 1.8.

It looks like the output of your flash is not as strong as it could be. ARe you bouncing off that 16 foot ceiling? That may be soaking up too much of your light output. Get a Lumiquest reflector or shoot your flash directly at the subject.

How are the batteries in that flash?

Would ISO 800 or 1600 have worked better for him?

You a longer zoom in that price range huh? Tough to find. What about a Sigma 50-150 f/2.8 or Tokina 50-135 f/2.8 to compliment the 17-85?

Tom W wrote in post #4892512
It looks like the output of your flash is not as strong as it could be. ARe you bouncing off that 16 foot ceiling? That may be soaking up too much of your light output. Get a Lumiquest reflector or shoot your flash directly at the subject.

How are the batteries in that flash?

Flash was shot straight at the subject and I removed my diffuser. Batteries were brand new.

From my experience you could have bumped up your ISO to 1250 or 1600 and still had a pretty noisless picture. I shot at a bike show with a slower shutter speed and higher ISO and my pictures came out alright. Shooting in RAW doesn't hurt either.

Justin_NJ wrote in post #4892568
Flash was shot straight at the subject and I removed my diffuser. Batteries were brand new.

Hmmnnn...

Based on the shadows, it appears that the flash output was weak. The overhead lights seem dominant. You shot in green box or "P" mode or did you shoot in Av or Tv? In Av and Tv, the flash takes on a secondary "fill" mode.

Were all the shots like this, or just a few? Did you give the flash time to recharge (red indicator light) after the previous shot?///

Here's a 5D shot with the 550EX at f/8, 1/100. ISO 400. I believe that I had the flash head angled to bounce, but with the diffuser extended to also reflect some of the flash directly at the family as a catchlight. Ceiling was around 12 feet.....