Lens for night photography

[Tunesmithnw]

I currently shoot with a Canon 80D.  I want to start shootinig night street scenes, night cityscapes & holiday decorations.  I KNOW there is more to night photography than just the lens but I am hoping that you folks could suggest a lens or two that would help me with night photography.  Something that doesn't break the bank if possible.  I currently have the usual kit lenses plus a Tamron 18-400mm lens and an EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM.  I do not have a 50mm lens.

Any helpful suggestions would be very much appreciated.  TIA! 

[MikeSowsun]

Rather than getting a lens, I would suggest a tripod for night photography. The lenses you have now will work just fine if you put them on a tripod and use longer exposures.

[jrhoffman75]

I agree with Mike. For night sky photography lens is very important. For what you described your regular lens on a tripod is best. 

You could spend a lot of money, maybe get one or two more f/stops of light in a faster lens, and still need to be using a tripod.

[Waddizzle]

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@Tunesmithnw wrote:

I currently shoot with a Canon 80D.  I want to start shootinig night street scenes, night cityscapes & holiday decorations.  I KNOW there is more to night photography than just the lens but I am hoping that you folks could suggest a lens or two that would help me with night photography.  Something that doesn't break the bank if possible.  I currently have the usual kit lenses plus a Tamron 18-400mm lens and an EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM.  I do not have a 50mm lens.

Any helpful suggestions would be very much appreciated.  TIA! 

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Tripod or handheld?  I am guessing that a tripod could be an inconvenience.  Consider a monopod, too.  I like the Canon macro lens, but not the Tamron zoom, which has much too wide of a zoom range to have high quality images.

Obviously, you would be better off with a wider aperture lens in your bag for handheld, low light shooting.  The wider the aperture the better, but that also introduces DoF issues into your shots.  Every photographer should have at least one wide aperture lens in their bag, f/2.8 or faster.

I would suggest a wide angle, wide aperture lens, something like the EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM, for handheld shooting.  But, that lens is a budget choice, not my first choice.  I would want a lens that is f/1.8, or faster.

It takes more “glass” to make a wide aperture lens, or a wide angle lens.  It takes even more “glass” to make a lens that is both wide aperture and wide angle.  In other words, the best Canon lenses for low light, handheld street photography are not cheap.

[Tunesmithnw]

Just FYI - and I should have mentioned this before, but I do have a tripod. Thanks.

[ebiggs1]

You have all you need. Go shoot some night time shots.  SHow us some, too! 

[ebiggs1]

" I currently have the usual kit lenses plus a Tamron 18-400mm lens and an EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM."

Any lens can be used for night photography.  Any lens can be used for almost any photography. Just some are better suited for specific situations.  What you have will work.  Although what you have is not top quality lenses. With in reasonable parameters, it is the lens that makes the picture, not the camera.  Always choose and but this best lenses that you can.  Not to say, any lens is better than no lens so you make do with what you can afford. I understand.

So this leaves us with what is left?  Your technique!  Like my forum friends suggested a tripod is a good solution. Perhaps an off camera flash. Sand bags might work, etc.

"I do not have a 50mm lens."

A nice very affordable addition to your bag.   IMHO, I would sell the Tamron to help finance the purchase of the Tamron 150-600mm along with the 50mm f1.8 Canon.  These two lenses will transform your photography. It will be like night and day difference!

[ebiggs1 · Accepted solution]

BTW, the Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 to steep of a hill to climb? Consider used.  Tamron has updated the Tamron with the G2 model so the first version is at really reasonable prices on the used market.  Besides Tamron lenses don't hold its value as well as Canon lenses do.

In the mean time do consider buying the ef 50mm f1.8. Just $125 brand new.