Right lens for this lighting technique?

bradleyheathhays

bradleyheathhays

Messages
12
Name
Brad
Edit My Images
Yes
I'm a new photographer in the middle of researching buying a used camera to do a specific lighting technique called light painting. Black background, 10 sec shutter speed, cutting all the lights and illuminating the piece with a quickly moving flashlight beam. The guy that made the how-to video I'm following uses an older Canon Rebel T3i camera with a 50mm Canon EF50mm F1.8 lens. He says you can use any DSLR camera with manual mode, but for simplicity's sake I'm researching buying the same camera and lens.

So in searching ebay I'm finding lots of T3i cameras but very few with the 50mm 1.8F lens he mentions. 95% of the T3is offered are bundled with either or both... an EF-S 18-55mm lens with F 1:3.5-5.6 and/or an EF-S 55-250 lens.

I've read how the larger 1.8F would be better in low light conditions, and I wondered how this extra functionality over the more common 3.5F lens would be a factor with this technique.

Is anybody familiar with this type of lighting scheme or have an idea what type of lens would be better for it?

n1nDSlc.jpg
 
Yep, as Lee says, it makes no difference what you use.
It's technique not camera/lens equipment.
As long as you can keep the shutter open for the desired length of time any camera from the cheapest to the most expensive will do it.
The widest aperture of the lens is probably of no consequence as you would probably be stopped down to F8 anyway.
 
You don’t need f1.8 for this. Pickup a rebel with a kit lens and it will be fine.
 
It's a lighting technique. Camera and lens have nothing to do with it. Some new smartphones even have a 'light painting' mode.
 
Using light painting for product photography though is a terrible idea.
And you wouldn't shoot products at f1.8 either.
Even a really unskilled photographer could take better photos and much quicker photos with a couple of domestic house lights and a smartphone. Obviously that's not how you do product photography, but it would be a darn sight easier than light painting.
 
Thank so much for all the great info, feels good to be back into photography. I've asked my questions in a few of the forums and I've gotten a lot of great responses. Looking back I wish I would have given a little more detail about the shots I'm intending to make, but I think I see the direction things are going. First, I'll be making the exact same shot as the one I pictured. They'll be of dining tables or similar furniture up to 8 ft long, oriented the same direction. Thankfully I have a lot of room to stage and about 20 x 24ft of black backdrop.

I've decided to go with the Canon T7 and probably the 18-55 lens. Only thing I haven't reconciled yet is that I've seen suggestions for both the 18-55 lens and that I'll probably be around f8 for my shots, although this lens doesn't go smaller than f5.6. Haven't quite figured that one out yet but it seems like the 18-55 will do the trick.

Does knowing the exact shoot scenario effect the advice on what lens I should look for?
 
The 18-55 lens is f3.5-5.6.
This means that at 18mm the widest aperture ( biggest hole) is f3.5 and at 55mm the widest aperture is f5.6 so it will happily go to f8 at all focal lengths.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top