Low light gig lens help/advice.

potphotos

potphotos

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Hi all at TP.
Still new to digital photography and I'm looking for a lens suitable for pub gig photography. I've a Canon 450D
I don't really like to get right up in front of the band, usually standing about 25-30 feet away to the side.
I've a Sigma 55-200 f4.5.6 and have tried shooting bands with pretty poor results due to the low lighting in the venue.
On the exif of some of the 'better' shots it states the focal lenghts from where I shot, ranged from focal length 67mm to around 115mm on the Sigma.

I'm going around in circles trying to decide with which to go for.
A few lenses within my price range:-

Canon 50mm EF F1.8 Mk II (too short?)
Canon 85mm EF f1.8 USM Lens (too long?)
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4.5 DC Macro (Canon Fit) (not enough light at the 70mm end?)

I'm drawn to the 85mm as it could also be useful for some good portraits, but think it might be too close for the gig shots?

Any ideas on help with my choice would be very welcome.
Thanks
 
if you dont want to come to close 85 on crop would be just fine .

have a look on my post here . follow the link in this thread for more photos.
All photos ( except the ones in dressing room) were taken with 105mm F2.0 :)

50mm might be too short...or if you have enough cash go for 70-200 f2.8 :)
 
potphotos said:
Hi all at TP.
Still new to digital photography and I'm looking for a lens suitable for pub gig photography. I've a Canon 450D
I don't really like to get right up in front of the band, usually standing about 25-30 feet away to the side.
I've a Sigma 55-200 f4.5.6 and have tried shooting bands with pretty poor results due to the low lighting in the venue.
On the exif of some of the 'better' shots it states the focal lenghts from where I shot, ranged from focal length 67mm to around 115mm on the Sigma.

I'm going around in circles trying to decide with which to go for.
A few lenses within my price range:-

Canon 50mm EF F1.8 Mk II (too short?)
Canon 85mm EF f1.8 USM Lens (too long?)
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4.5 DC Macro (Canon Fit) (not enough light at the 70mm end?)

I'm drawn to the 85mm as it could also be useful for some good portraits, but think it might be too close for the gig shots?

Any ideas on help with my choice would be very welcome.
Thanks
Click to expand...

You will need a fast lens to capture these images. 17-70 just won't cut the mustard.

You'll need a minimum of f2.8, but would recommend a faster lens like the 2 others you have suggested. You camera doesn't have the best ISO performance, but you'll need to increase that as well to achieve apertures and shutter speeds required to capture those type of shots, especially if your not using a flash.

Have a look at the canon 50mm f1.4 or the sigma version or the canon 100mm or 135mm f2's, the 85mm f1.2 probably out of you price range you want to pay, but its that sort of lens you'll need to look at for this type of photography
 
Thanks guys!
Going to treat myself, so I think it'll be the 85mm f1.8
Hope to get some decent shots like a lot of yours Bastic!
 
why do n't you use the 85 AND the 50mm? :thinking:
 
I would look at the Sigma 50mm f1.4

Faster than the Canon 85mm and if you cannot get back enough from the stage then you can shoot at 50mm and crop but you cannot recreate the cut-off edges if you use the 85mm and you are cutting off people's heads.
 
A monopod may also help!
 
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