Shooting a dinner
Discussion
I take a fair few photos at dinners and my cousin has asked me to take informals at his wedding next month, so I have a hankering for a new fast lens. I've go the Nikon 18-70 kit lens with my D70 and a tamron 28-300 but thinking of a tamron 17-50 or Sigma 18-50 2.8.
What do other people use for portraiture at such events where you may not be using flash?
P.S. I'm not made of money, so a budget of around £200-£250
Ta
What do other people use for portraiture at such events where you may not be using flash?
P.S. I'm not made of money, so a budget of around £200-£250
Ta
I have a Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8 and can safely say that it's an awesome lens, but you will still need to crank up the ISO if you are shooting without flash. I find in something like a reasonably well lit church at f/2.8 I still need ISO 800.
I'd personally get a 50mm f/1.8 (or not need to cos I've already got one) or even a 1.4 as there is really no substitute for the extra stop or three. Plus primes make you think about your photography a lot more. I shot an entire day a couple of years back with a D70 and a 50mm f/1.8 at a party, and the results remain some of my favourite work in that genre.
With the leftover cash I'd buy an SB600 and a diffuser, don't know how I lived without a decent flash to be honest.
Just watch out for the DoF at f/1.8 cos it aint much!
I'd personally get a 50mm f/1.8 (or not need to cos I've already got one) or even a 1.4 as there is really no substitute for the extra stop or three. Plus primes make you think about your photography a lot more. I shot an entire day a couple of years back with a D70 and a 50mm f/1.8 at a party, and the results remain some of my favourite work in that genre.
With the leftover cash I'd buy an SB600 and a diffuser, don't know how I lived without a decent flash to be honest.
Just watch out for the DoF at f/1.8 cos it aint much!
Edited by _dobbo_ on Wednesday 7th February 12:47
Nice one, buying a 50mm f/1.8 seems to be a rite of passage for photographers whether they use Canon or Nikon.
It's one of those items that you might not use a lot but is totally worth it's weight in gold when you do need it. Luckily they are cheap as chips too.
As long as you familiarise yourself with the slightly slow focus (compared with your 18-70) and how little DoF you have, you will get on great with it.
Enjoy!
It's one of those items that you might not use a lot but is totally worth it's weight in gold when you do need it. Luckily they are cheap as chips too.
As long as you familiarise yourself with the slightly slow focus (compared with your 18-70) and how little DoF you have, you will get on great with it.
Enjoy!
Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff