Lens for portraits

CanonFodder

CanonFodder

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Dave
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Hi all

Relatively new to photography and very new to these forums :)

I'm hoping people could give me a bit of advice on lenses as I'm not 100% sure which I need to be looking at.

I have a Canon 500D with the kit lens (17-55 f/3.5-5.6) and a Canon 50mm f/1.8 prime.

What I want is a good lens to do portrait pictures, I have a couple of weddings coming up and I have been asked to do pictures for them so I want to make sure I get a really good lens. I know the Canon 50mm 1.8 will give me great pics but I want something similar which allows me to get further away/closer to the subject without having to walk.

I think then I am after something with similar zoom to the kit lens but which goes to f/2.8. I want to be able to control the DoF so I think I need a lens which goes to 2.8?

Does anyone have any recommendations at all?

I have seen the Tamron SP AF28-75 F2.8 Di Can A09 Lens which is a decent price and seems to do the job?

If you do have some recommendations please let me know, I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts. You can make 2 suggestions if you want, one where money is no object, and another more realistic :)

Thanks so much
 
Have a read of these threads. Remember that you have a cropped sensor camera so a 50mm lens frames like a 80mm lens on your body due to the size of your camera sensor. Depends what budget you have to spend. But for wedding photography f4 for outside, minimum of f2.8 for indoor shots in not a faster lens, especially if flash isn't allowed in the venue.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=183052

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=177250&highlight=weddings
 
Depends how much you have to spend, if you have loads then the 24-70 IS USM L would be the best but it's a grand. Then you could get the 17-55 IS for around £800 or if you need cheaper you could get the sigma 24-70 which is about £350
 
Hi and welcome.
I find it hilarious that your user name is Canonfodder and your first post mentions the 'W' word :) sorry can't help on the 'W' side as I don't do them ;)
but for your portrait work how about the Canon 24-70 and the 70-200
 
Haha thanks SussexBlue, got to admit I'm nervous about the weddings (assuming that is the 'W' word you were referring to)

So it seems as if the consensus is the 24-70 Canon or maybe the 24-75 Tamron if I want the cheaper one?

Does that Tamron one look OK? The reviews seem good!

Am I right in thinking those kind of lenses are the right ones for what I want? I know it doesn't allow me to stand miles away and still take really good pictures but it does allow me to bring the subject out from the background (doesn't it?) But I do have the canon f1.8 already so would I be duplicating by getting one of these lenses?

As mentioned before....still a newbie! :(
 
Hi Canonfodder,

As you're using a crop-sensor camera, I can heartily recommend the Tamron 17-55 f/2.8; there are two versions of this beaut, both have excellent image quality, but, if you can, look at the new VC (vibration compensation) version to replace your current IS kit lens. Otherwise, you could also try the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 to compliment the prime you have currently.
 
for a wedding and some zoomage I would look at the tamron 17-50 VC f2.8
if you can't afford the canon 17-55

frankly what you need for church portraits...is a flash
 
ok - stupid question alert! x2

1) What is a crop sensor? (sorry)

2) If I have a 50mm f1.8 and get a 17-50 VC 2.8 as well would the amount that lens can zoom not end up with me standing only as far away as I would if I had the 50mm 1.8 on?

I know those are probably 2 ridiculous questions but since it is a lot of money I want to get as much info as possible so I can understand. For instance what are the telling differences between the Tamron 24-70 2.8 and Tamron 17-50 2.8 (apart from the 24-70 doesn't have VC)?
 
cropped sensor is a smaller sensor than what is considered 'normal' or full frame based upon a 35mm piece of film

for canon 350d, 450d, 500d, 1000d, 40d, 50d, 7d this is about 1.6x smaller in area iirc
how this affects your lenses is basically that it alters the focal length of your lenses by 1.6 x

so the 50mm becomes around a 80mm lens

the 17-50 tamron would become 27mm - 80mm

the 50mm on a 5D full frame camera remains a 50mm lens and you would see a wider field of view than if the same lens was on a 50D. That's why I have a 30mm prime... on my cropped sensor 40D this becomes around 50mm which is considered a 'standard' focal length...what you see with your eyes..

for portraits, 50mm x 1.6 = 80mm is pretty good I feel.
however, if you want to get further out, for full length shots (brides spend a LOT on their dress and shoes don't forget) then you need to go wider.
there's little reason to get closer unless you have to stand away from the B&G, for example shots allowed during the ceremony

there are lots of groups on flickr using these lenses to get a feel for what they can achieve
I like wide ish shots, so I went for the 17-50 tamron.
VC will be handy and just make your shots that bit sharper..even at 1/60s using a flash
 
CanonFodder said:
ok - stupid question alert! x2

1) What is a crop sensor? (sorry)

2) If I have a 50mm f1.8 and get a 17-50 VC 2.8 as well would the amount that lens can zoom not end up with me standing only as far away as I would if I had the 50mm 1.8 on?

I know those are probably 2 ridiculous questions but since it is a lot of money I want to get as much info as possible so I can understand. For instance what are the telling differences between the Tamron 24-70 2.8 and Tamron 17-50 2.8 (apart from the 24-70 doesn't have VC)?
Click to expand...

1). Sensor size is compared to the old 35mm days. So a Full Frame camera like the 5D MKII or 1Ds have a full frame sensor. Most of the beginner or intermediate camera from canon so XXXXD, XXXD, XXD and 7D have smaller sensors which results in the path of the light direction changing to accommodate the smaller sensor which results in a crop factor. The lens will be the small focal length, so a 50mm lens is still a 50mm lens on either sensor type (crop or full frame), however because the sensor is smaller on a cropped sensor camera you lose the edges of the image, so a 50mm lens will actually frame like a 80mm lens (your camera has a 1.6x crop factor). So your 18-55mm lens actually frame like a 28.8-88mm lens on your camera.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/digital-camera-sensor-size.htm

Tamron 24-70mm f2.8
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Tamron-28-75mm-F-2.8-XR-Di-Lens-Review.aspx

Tamron 17-50mm f2.8
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Tamron-17-50mm-f-2.8-XR-Di-II-Lens-Review.aspx
And VC version
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Tamron-17-50mm-f-2.8-XR-Di-II-VC-Lens-Review.aspx
 
Ah thanks! That actually makes sense to me. Thanks for the explanation.

So would it be worth me getting that 17-50 or similar then? I'm not sure my 2nd question made sense, if a lens is 17-50 does that mean that I wouldn't be able to get any further away from the subject than if I was using my 50mm and keep the shallow DoF?
 
CanonFodder said:
Ah thanks! That actually makes sense to me. Thanks for the explanation.

So would it be worth me getting that 17-50 or similar then? I'm not sure my 2nd question made sense, if a lens is 17-50 does that mean that I wouldn't be able to get any further away from the subject than if I was using my 50mm and keep the shallow DoF?
Click to expand...

The prime would be better than the zoom for shallow DOF
 
Seems like the 24-70 Tamron and a 70-200 Lens would be what you need.

Your looking at £250ish for the 24-70

And a Sigma f2.8 70-200 would be £550ish

Also bare in mind a 70-200 like the Sigma may make the balance of your camera feel weird.

You could also hire them just for the event would be a lot cheaper and you could hire 2 top end lenses for under £150. Plus gives you the try before you buy option

Lenses for hire on here are meant to be good, not used them personally, but good reviews.
 
Thanks so much to everyone for your help.

I didn't realise you could hire lenses. I might take that option in the future.

I think I'll either get the Tamron/Canon 17-55 2.8 or the Tamron 24-70 2.8 and have it along with my 50mm 1.8 which should allow me to get some great pics, not just for the wedding but I guess the 17-55 or 24-70 would be great all round lenses too!
 
CanonFodder said:
Thanks so much to everyone for your help.

I didn't realise you could hire lenses. I might take that option in the future.

I think I'll either get the Tamron/Canon 17-55 2.8 or the Tamron 24-70 2.8 and have it along with my 50mm 1.8 which should allow me to get some great pics, not just for the wedding but I guess the 17-55 or 24-70 would be great all round lenses too!
Click to expand...

Apart from f/2.8, those lenses won't do much for you that you can't do already.

You said you wanted shallow DoF and some more reach. In which case, you'll need a 70-200 2.8. Preferably with IS. V popular for weddings, portraits, social candids etc.

I think hiring is a good idea. From here www.lensesforhire.co.uk and StewartR will look after you. Could save you some expensive mistakes ;)
 
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