Suggestion for just the right lens?

[MiracleB]

I use a 70-200 f/2.8 for shooting dancers in awkward light situations, usually from the back of the seating in the venue. Works awesome.

Is there an equally awesome fast lens for shooting closer in?  Think sitting at a table next to a dance floor at any wedding you have ever attended.

I need fast.

TIA

[RobertTheFat]

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@MiracleB wrote:

I use a 70-200 f/2.8 for shooting dancers in awkward light situations, usually from the back of the seating in the venue. Works awesome.

Is there an equally awesome fast lens for shooting closer in?  Think sitting at a table next to a dance floor at any wedding you have ever attended.

I need fast.

TIA

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Some say the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II is adequate for the purpose you describe. I don't own one, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of that assertion. But the lens may well be worth your consideration.

WARNING!!: That lens is LARGE and (for those who favor such devices) requires 82mm filters! 

[ScottyP]

For stuff like that I use a 35mm prime lens. F/1.4 is notably better than f/2.8 in a dim venue.   The 2 stops of light you gain is the difference between shooting at, say, ISO 1600 instead of ISO 6400.  

My 35 is the Sigma Art and it works beautifully. Right up there with my Canon 70-200. There is of course a 35mm Canon offering too but it is 2,5 x more money. 

[ebiggs1 · Accepted solution]

You have the ef 70-200mm f2.8L?  The obivious choice and by far the best choice is the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens.  I have lots of, and tested lots of lenses, personally, over the past few years.  I can emphatically say it may well become my most favorite lens of all time.  It is that good.  It has no peer.  My current most favorite all time lens is the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens but the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM may just unseat it as King!

IMHO, I would not choose any prime lens. In your environment, unless you are free to move around, you definitely want a zoom.

[cicopo]

I think the answer depends a bit on what body you're shooting too, & whether you shoot RAW. You can jack the ISO up & edit out noise better shooting RAW than if you try cleaning up jpg's. I also think budget comes into play but think a prime like the 24 or 35 f 1.4 may be a better fit but that depends on the average light you get to work in.

[ScottyP]

And if you are shooting people who are dancing, you need a decently fast shutter to freeze the motion.  If your subjects were just sitting then a 1/60th shutter might be great.  For dancing, I'd feel a lot better with about 2 stops faster.

[MiracleB]

Thanks all!! 

I am not a fan of primes, so those are out for sure. Rented a 24-70 to test out at an event. Hoping this will be just what I need.

I do shoot raw. My camera is a T5i.

The light varies depending on the venue, but it's almost one version of dark or another. I am also quite often restricted from using a flash AND have only whatever stage lighting is available which means lots of random colors, lol.

Most of what I shoot are belly or burlesque dancers, so there is always a lot of hair and fabric in motion.

The attached photos are better lit than most I get to shoot, but representative of what I am trying to capture. They are grainier than I want so I'm hoping the 24-70  f/2.8 will do the trick.

[ebiggs1]

Well I don't get to shoot belly dancers and the like  but I do get some pretty challenging tasks from time to time.  This shot of the annual half time Light Show was in total darkness.  Except for the colored lights attached to the students uniforms.

It was shot with the ef 24-70mm f2.8L USM II on a 1Ds Mk III.  ISO was 1600, f2.8 and SS of 1/6.

The 24-70 just seems to always pull off the shot.  Notice the Moon, too?

[ebiggs1]

While on the topic ....

IMHO, there just is no way you can pull off a shot like that with a prime.  The football field is just too big to get yourself into position quickly enough.  Unless you are just lucky.  I wound up with some 200+ photos as I tried to get each students picture.

A Rebel T5i should be capable enough to get you good shots.  My Ds3 is ISO limited to 1600