Lens Questions

[mom2rtk]

Well, being the indecisive person that I am.... I have yet to decide on a new lens for our late September Disney trip. I'm learning a lot reading the boards here.

I want something I can use to get great pictures of the night parade at MNSSHP. I did buy the 50mm f1.8 for my Canon Xsi. Now (remember I told you I'm indecisive....) I'm wondering if I'll get frustrated with that fixed length and miss having something wider maybe with a little zoom. Maybe I'll decide to rent something like that. I just need to know what I should be looking for.

Help?

 

[Frantasmic]

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM would be a good one to rent if you want some length; however, that's a heavy lens and is probably quite expensive to rent as well.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM would also be good, but it might not get the best night shots.

Here's another one that probably isn't on many people's list, but it was recently recommended as a good bargain at PopPhoto.com and magazine

http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-28-70mm...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251211832&sr=8-1

It is a great price, probably what you'd pay to rent another lens. So, it'd be yours to keep. It's rated a little soft (mine is on order so I can't give you any bona fide pictures to review), but the examples I've seen have indicated it is good for the price you pay. You WILL NOT get the same quality you would with the Canon lens, but for the price, it might be worth it to have in your bag.

 

[mom2rtk]

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM would be a good one to rent if you want some length; however, that's a heavy lens and is probably quite expensive to rent as well.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM would also be good, but it might not get the best night shots.

Here's another one that probably isn't on many people's list, but it was recently recommended as a good bargain at PopPhoto.com and magazine

http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-28-70mm...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251211832&sr=8-1

It is a great price, probably what you'd pay to rent another lens. So, it'd be yours to keep. It's rated a little soft (mine is on order so I can't give you any bona fide pictures to review), but the examples I've seen have indicated it is good for the price you pay. You WILL NOT get the same quality you would with the Canon lens, but for the price, it might be worth it to have in your bag.

How would this compare for night shots to the 50mm f1.8? That's certainly the kind of range that would be helpful.....

 

[jann1033]

check out the tamron 17-50 f2.8, around $450 and mine is sharp. i've been using my 100mm prime a lot lately but i'll see if i can find a photo and post it.
it's nice and light. i have the 70-200f4, combined those give a nice range for around $1000+ a little. imo the 70-200 is good for things like animals at AK but might be to long for most other things. if i am using it as a walk around i want it shorter pretty often and i think at wdw i would for sure.

this is with the 17-50, exif is 17mm ( cropped a little so the original is a little wider) f22. it really is pretty good, not much ca for so wide a lens, the color is pretty good, sharpness is good, plus doesn't really change a lot throughout the range ( ie pretty good throughout). i'm happy with it. and for the price REALLY happy with it.

this is the biggest i can post but it's in my gallery link in my landscape gallery for a larger shot.

 

[mom2rtk]

check out the tamron 17-50 f2.8, around $400 and mine is sharp. i've been using my 100mm prime a lot lately but i'll see if i can find a photo and post it.

That would be great!

It seems like getting a little more range means bumping up to a 2.8. How will that compare to the 50mm f1.8 I already have or the 18-55 kit lens at 3.5-5.6 IS?

 

[Frantasmic]

You could go for some longer primes. I was thinking of lenses that would work for zooming AND would be decent for parade pictures.

Two others to look at are the Canon 100mm f/2.0 and the Canon 85mm f/1.8.

Both would give you more reach and also would be good for the low-light conditions. I didn't know if you wanted other primes though.

Additionally, here's a good site for lens reviews:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-Lens-Reviews.aspx

 

[KarenAylwood]

I'm looking at buying either the Canon 24-70 f/2.8L or the 28-105 f/4.0L and plan on renting both before I buy.

I think the 50mm f/1.8 would be good for night pictures (I'm taking my Sigma 30mm f/1.4) and I plan on using my 18-200 as a walk around lens. If you're looking for a walk around lens I'd either rent the 18-200 (also to see if you like it if you want to buy in the future) or rent the 28-105 as previously suggested.

You've got the 50mm for night photos and indoor pictures so you should get something a little more versatile for walking around during the day (IMO).

 

[mom2rtk]

You could go for some longer primes. I was thinking of lenses that would work for zooming AND would be decent for parade pictures.

Two others to look at are the Canon 100mm f/2.0 and the Canon 85mm f/1.8.

Both would give you more reach and also would be good for the low-light conditions. I didn't know if you wanted other primes though.

Additionally, here's a good site for lens reviews:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-Lens-Reviews.aspx

The problem is that I want one lens that does it all, and am figuring out that does not exist. I really don't want another prime. If it requires too much lens changing, I usually miss the shot. I'd rather settle for a non-perfect shot than to miss it. My problem is trying to figure out what I want to "give" on. Since we're doing MNSSHP for the first time, I want something good in low light, but don't think I'm willing to go completely zoom-less (is that a word???)

Thanks for the lens review site. I'll spend some time there, but still welcome other suggestions!

 

[jann1033]

at the narrower end it should be lots better due to the 2.8 ( than the kit). but you don't have the IS ( although it's not hard to get a fast enough speed in the daytime, you would want a monopod or probably tripod at night anyway ) i use my 50mm f1.8 still quite a bit. ie , at the zoo last week i thought i needed the extra aperture for a jelly fish exhibit they have cause the lighting is all blueish so not particularly bright. in the end i could have used either but my 50mm is just tack sharp so i have a tendency to use it first. i should have tried the 17 since i would have liked to zoom out a tiny little bit on a few of the shots to get the whole jelly fish in,. i ended up taking most at f3-4.5 anyway but i kind of forgot about my other lens it once i got in there( one track mind and the track was on the fish ).

 

[Steve's Girl]

The parade at MNSSHP is very dark. You will want to use the 1.8 lens. A 2.8 lens will not give you enough light. Last year, my settings for that parade were ISO 1600, f1.8 and 1/60 to 1/90 for shutter.

Here is a shot from that parade

I also had the Tamron 28-75 2.8 lens with me, but at the night parades you really need all the light you can get. The fixed focal range can be a little challenging, but I find it works well to stand in a spot where you can take photos from further away as the floats are coming towards you and then get a closer shot when the float or characters go by you.

 

[KarenAylwood]

You could go for some longer primes. I was thinking of lenses that would work for zooming AND would be decent for parade pictures.

Two others to look at are the Canon 100mm f/2.0 and the Canon 85mm f/1.8.

Both would give you more reach and also would be good for the low-light conditions. I didn't know if you wanted other primes though.

Additionally, here's a good site for lens reviews:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-Lens-Reviews.aspx

I have the Canon 100 f/2.8 macro lens and I LOVE it but it's not good for normal shooting- I like it mostly for macro shooting, and it takes pretty portraits. I know it's not the same as the 100mm f/2.0 but it's the same focal length. I don't find it very versatile because of the length but I do love it. I plan on bringing it to Disney but not to the parks, I just don't think I'd get much use out of it.

For the parks I like the OP's idea of bringing the 50mm f/1.8 and another versatile lens. I still think that the 50mm will be enough for night shots and that another lens is needed for walking around in the daytime.

 

[boBQuincy]

I have a 24-105 with IS and in theory it is as good in low light as a f/2 but IS does not help for moving subjects. The 50 is probably your best bet, or maybe even renting a 50 f/1.4 if possible. That's 2 stops better than the good f/2.8 zooms!

 

[Frantasmic]

OP, I looked at your flickr pictures. You did a really good job with the kit lens on your last trip. It seems like the parades did well with the flash. I think you will like the nifty 50.

Toward the end of your picture stream, I noticed that "Alice" looked a lot like "Sleeping Beauty". Do you think they were the same?

 

[mom2rtk]

OP, I looked at your flickr pictures. You did a really good job with the kit lens on your last trip. It seems like the parades did well with the flash. I think you will like the nifty 50.

Toward the end of your picture stream, I noticed that "Alice" looked a lot like "Sleeping Beauty". Do you think they were the same?

Thanks for looking! I actually wasn't using the kit lens at the Christmas parade. It was my Tamron 18-250 that I use as my "walking around lens". I love having that range at my fingertips. I'm actually thinking of upgrading that one to the VC version for many reasons, not the least of which is my unsteady hands.

As for the parade, this all started with my frustration over photographing that MVMCP parade last December. I did OK with the flash, but found that it required a really long recycle times leaving me high and dry for many of the photos I wanted. I started reading and asking questions here, which is how I decided maybe I needed to try it flashless with a better lens.

As for Sleeping Beauty and Alice, I never even noticed! I guess they could be the same. At that same meal, Ariel asked us if we had been to CRT the day before. I was perplexed and she said she and Cindy were good friends. It wasn't until I got home and looked closely at the photos that I realized they were one in the same!

 

[YesDear]

just remember what fstops represent. They represent a halving and doubling of light that goes though the lens. As Bob said a 1.4 lets in 200% more light than a 2.8 does. So a 1.8 is 150% more light than a 2.8. That is a lot of light!

 

[mom2rtk]

I've been thinking on the idea of just moving back for a better shot with my 50mm/f1.8. Yet I don't want people in the way. I did like our spot at MVMCP, sitting in the hub before Main Street turns into the hub. Maybe I can get more from a distance there.... Or maybe I should climb the stairs part way up to the train station?

All thoughts are welcome........ as are photos. I would love to see more examples of MNSSHP photography!