HelP!! What lens is best for gig photography??!

Peach

Peach

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Name
Sharleigh
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I've been stuck with my usual 18-55 and its just not good enough

My budget is around £300, I am told that a Macro type lens (28mm / f1.8) is best for the job?!

Help!
 
Peach said:
I've been stuck with my usual 18-55 and its just not good enough

My budget is around £300, I am told that a Macro type lens (28mm / f1.8) is best for the job?!

Help!
Click to expand...

Just to clear something up, you don't want a macro lens and the 28mm isn't a macro :p

It really depends how far away you'll be, the cheap 50mm f1.8 is ok however it isn't very good at focussing in low light which is an issue.

If you'll be close the 28mm f1.8 or Sigma 30mm f1.4 will be good, a little further away the 85mm f1.8 are good choices.

If it will be varying a lot a zoom like the the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 is a nice little lens.
However I never found f2.8 to be fast enough in small venues as they're often quite poorly lit.
 
It would most probably be up close, I have a 75-300 I hardly use just because its too bloody heavy!

Thanks for the info, I'll have a look around :)
Also ... this may be a dumb question but... does the quality vary with what camera you use with the lens?

I'm currently after an upgrade... either the 550D or 50D ... I just cant make my mind up.
 
Peach said:
Also ... this may be a dumb question but... does the quality vary with what camera you use with the lens?

I'm currently after an upgrade... either the 550D or 50D ... I just cant make my mind up.
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For shooting bands I would mostly pay attention to the high ISO performance of these cameras, having not tried either I can't say which is best. Would be worth waiting for a full review of the 550D.
 
Tamron 28-75 2.8 would be your best bet to start for under £300..

your 400D will cope just fine @ ISO1600
 
Raikiri said:
Usually had to drop to 1/40th, ISO1600 (400D at the time), f2.8. Any movement at all and it was too slow.
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wow, sounds like a tough gig... those are the times I usually sprint up to iso 3200 and call the grain 'arty' ;) floz and the machine about 6 months ago had what might as well have been a dude with a red torch tha was low on batteries behind her, and that was about it.... :bat:

op, a tamron 17-50 2.8 (about £180-200 second hand on here) and a 50mm 1.8 (about £80 on here) will be a great pair, the tamron 17-50 lets you get a wider range of shots, whereas if you are shooting in a cave with a candle, you can bust out the 50 1.8.
 
Aye, very poor lighting. IIRC the place I was shooting have had a redesign since I was last there so it may be better now, unfortunately ISO3200 wasn't an option on the 400D.
 
i shoot 1/40 - 1/50 ISO1600 all the time with 2.8 , its all in the timing..

looks like you shoot with flash anyway..

now this was a tough gig to shoot!
108674313.jpg
 
Bobtographer said:
Tamron 28-75 2.8 would be your best bet to start for under £300..

your 400D will cope just fine @ ISO1600
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I'd agree with this, 2.8 could be a bit slow depending on the lighting and I have no idea how well the 400D copes with high ISO, but this is a cracking lens.
 
I bloody hate that red lighting!

A 50mm/f1.8 lens is on its way for my to try out... so i'll see how that goes, still trying to decide between the 550D and 50D though!

so tough
 
Bobtographer said:
i shoot 1/40 - 1/50 ISO1600 all the time with 2.8 , its all in the timing..

looks like you shoot with flash anyway..

now this was a tough gig to shoot!
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Me? I almost never use a flash.

Looking at the shot you posted I would consider that really quite soft, I would consider this one quite bad too:

ISO 1600, 1/40s, f1.8

iyoaqo.jpg


Had I been using an f2.8 zoom that would be a 1/15s or 1/20s shot and even worse.
 
itsdavedotnet said:
wow, sounds like a tough gig... those are the times I usually sprint up to iso 3200 and call the grain 'arty' ;) floz and the machine about 6 months ago had what might as well have been a dude with a red torch tha was low on batteries behind her, and that was about it.... :bat:

op, a tamron 17-50 2.8 (about £180-200 second hand on here) and a 50mm 1.8 (about £80 on here) will be a great pair, the tamron 17-50 lets you get a wider range of shots, whereas if you are shooting in a cave with a candle, you can bust out the 50 1.8.
Click to expand...

I had this combo (but 50/1.4) on my 50d and it was very very nice
 
yeah the 50 1.8 is a bitch for low light, trying to get an in focus shot with that is never fun..

the 1.4 is a much better class of lens

first band is a local band called
longestdayuk
, 2nd shot was from a Green Day tribute called Green Bay playing @ Mr Kyps where im house tog..
 
I made a progression,
1st 2-3 gigs used 18-55kit lens, due to lighting was fine (happily shot iso400/800 no flash).

Then upgraded to a 17-55 f2.8, which was/is very nice although a bit pricey. Where majority of work was happily done at iso400 no flash (did a few shots at iso800, just to ensure i had something).

Last couple ive done, due to having to borrow a sigma 24-70 (my 17-55 is broked), ive ended up using 2 bodies one with 24-70, the other 70-200, with the short tele and long tele combine was awesome (has made me want a second body now). But due to really, really bad lighting, I ended up keeping 5% of the pics I took as the only ones that came out (even after shooting at iso1600).

So its not always about the lens you have, its about the enviroment your shooting in as well.
 
Bobtographer said:
yeah the 50 1.8 is a bitch for low light, trying to get an in focus shot with that is never fun..

the 1.4 is a much better class of lens

first band is a local band called
longestdayuk
, 2nd shot was from a Green Day tribute called Green Bay playing @ Mr Kyps where im house tog..
Click to expand...

Yeah I guessed Green Day tribute from the Les Paul and black shirt red tie combo lol. Think I saw them in Doncaster sometime.

I just bought the 50 f1.8 hope it works out for me!
 
Raikiri said:
Yes, I did. 1/13th, ISO3200. Which would be 1/6th and look even worse on the 400D as it only does ISO1600.

Thank you for proving my point.
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my point was there's worse light than 1/40 @ 2.8 ISO1600 ;) the other tog in the pit with me that night gave up.. and good luck with getting the plastic fantastic to lock focus in that light!

+ ISO3200 isn't a natural ISO for the 20/30/40D so you can push ISO1600 on the 400D in post and get the same results :)

when shooting gigs you are in the hands of the lighting technicians who don't give you a second thought, their only job is to make the show look good to the paying public, not to the photographer, so unless its a huge show where there is a crowed of 1,000+ you're looking at lighting @! ISO1600 1/30-1/125 depending on what mood the tech is looking to create..

this was a pretty decent gig down this neck of the woods and a pretty well known British rock band, the lighting was what was to be expected for the size venue, not very bright, but dynamic
117578414.jpg

^ ISO1600 1/50 @ 2.8

on the other hand, I've come back this evening from shooting at the O2 Academy where the Noisettes were playing, and the light was bright enough for me to shoot ISO400 1/80-1/800 @ 2.8..
122270771.jpg
 
I do a bit of gig photography, and for £300 I personally would invest in a Canon 50mm f1.8 (£70ish new) and a Tamron 17-50 f2.8 (£180ish second hand)

This white lies gig had quite good light and was shot entirely using the Tamron 17-50 @ ISO1250:
4166607893_fb039f1833.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/weetobix/sets/72157622955858024/

This Sonic Syndicate gig had really poor light and was shot mostly (not including the wide angle and portrait shots) using the Canon 50mm @1250-1600 ISO:
4157048589_2f4901b274.jpg


http://www.flickr.com/photos/weetobix/sets/72157622932470110/
 
Bobtographer said:
my point was there's worse light than 1/40 @ 2.8 ISO1600 ;) the other tog in the pit with me that night gave up.. and good luck with getting the plastic fantastic to lock focus in that light!

+ ISO3200 isn't a natural ISO for the 20/30/40D so you can push ISO1600 on the 400D in post and get the same results :)
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Yeah, I was forgetting you an push it in PP. I only mentioned the 50mm f1.8 in passing, as it's cheap. To be honest I wouldn't use it either (USM and HSM have spoiled me recently, I guess :D).

Bobtographer said:
when shooting gigs you are in the hands of the lighting technicians who don't give you a second thought, their only job is to make the show look good to the paying public, not to the photographer, so unless its a huge show where there is a crowed of 1,000+ you're looking at lighting @! ISO1600 1/30-1/125 depending on what mood the tech is looking to create..
Click to expand...

This is completely true, which is why I suggested the 30mm f1.4/85mm f1.8. You've got to make the most of what little lighting there is :)


Bobtographer said:
this was a pretty decent gig down this neck of the woods and a pretty well known British rock band, the lighting was what was to be expected for the size venue, not very bright, but dynamic
117578414.jpg

^ ISO1600 1/50 @ 2.8
Click to expand...

Wildhearts, nice :)
 
Thanks for all the advice guys... I have ordered the 50mm f1.8 as its just so bloody cheap to resist ... £75 new on Amazon.

I'm thinking about the 30mm f1.4 as I'm guessing this will shoot faster?
I'm pretty new to lens' so you'll have to excuse me.
 
thats a good price Peach :D make sure you give it a thorough thrashing before you take it out to a gig, focusing @ 1.8 is an art!
 
Peach said:
Thanks for all the advice guys... I have ordered the 50mm f1.8 as its just so bloody cheap to resist ... £75 new on Amazon.

I'm thinking about the 30mm f1.4 as I'm guessing this will shoot faster?
I'm pretty new to lens' so you'll have to excuse me.
Click to expand...

The Sigma 30mm f1.4, is a cracking lens for gigs. It looks like you shoot bar gigs mainly.

Ive just bought a Sigma 50mm f1.4 and love it.

13.jpg


07.jpg


Keep at it, and may even see you at a gig in the North East

Phil
 
I've found that if a venue is that small and badly lit (ie. small club or pub gig), then you can get away with using a flash. Yes, using a flash is a concert no-no, but if it's a lowkey local gig, then it's really not going to be an issue.

I've not had a chance to use it yet, but have recently bought a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 for gig purposes. I opted for this ahead of the 17-50, as I think I'll appreciate the extra zoom for cropped shots, rather than having a more wide angle.

I always carry a 35mm f1.8 which is good for most situations, shooting in raw you can always crop in PP.
 
Yeah I like local raw bands... you get the best shots really and the bands really appreciate it.
I experiment with a flash but for me it takes the ambience from the room.

Not sure if you familiar with the Dog and Parrot in Newcastle Phil... the room they use us there is like a black box! Really good atmosphere though.


Just wondered if anyone knows how you get a photography pass for big gigs? I'm guessing you just haggle with the venue?

Cheers :)
 
Peach said:
Yeah I like local raw bands... you get the best shots really and the bands really appreciate it.
I experiment with a flash but for me it takes the ambience from the room.

Not sure if you familiar with the Dog and Parrot in Newcastle Phil... the room they use us there is like a black box! Really good atmosphere though.


Just wondered if anyone knows how you get a photography pass for big gigs? I'm guessing you just haggle with the venue?

Cheers :)
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for bigger gigs, ideally you either need to be a recognised freelancer, or shooting for a publication/website... in which case get them to apply for a photopass on your behalf. Or yes, try the venue, but that's probably the least likely option.

if the pub is a black box, then even a f1.4 lens isn't really going to save you... so a flash is an unwelcome necessity. But it's a case of being creative with the flash, aim it behind so you're not bleaching your subjects, get some diffusers, etc...
 
benners said:
for bigger gigs, ideally you either need to be a recognised freelancer, or shooting for a publication/website... in which case get them to apply for a photopass on your behalf. Or yes, try the venue, but that's probably the least likely option.

if the pub is a black box, then even a f1.4 lens isn't really going to save you... so a flash is an unwelcome necessity. But it's a case of being creative with the flash, aim it behind so you're not bleaching your subjects, get some diffusers, etc...
Click to expand...

Ah right... I have just turned up before and got infront of the barriers... I think I just got away with it... guess i'll have to have a look into the 'official' route.

I have a flash with a 'fixed' light... I reckon i'll invest in one on a rotator so I can point it upwards as I've heard that works well?
Or does anyone have any recommendations for a hand held? Not too pricey mind!

Thanks!
 
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