what is the best lens for pet photography. Both portrait and action shots?

[elroysworld]

HI

I currently own a canon EOS rebel xti with  a canon lens EF 50mm  1:1.4  My goal is to be able to take action shots of pets within their natural Indoor settings under natural day light.  I am having Nothing but difficulty with this set up and am getting such varied opinions on what I should buy.

Does anyone know the best set up to take fast action shots of pets indoors?

thank you

diana

[Samsen]

You have the right lens for indoor/ outdoor.

To stay with limited budget, you could use non L 85mm 1.8 also or if you are good with manual focusing, an 85mm F1.4 Rokinon.

Look into flash that would be your next issue for the indoor light or fill in outdoor.

[cicopo]

You may also want to read my suggestions here re how to match the camera to the job at hand.

http://forums.usa.canon.com/t5/EOS/what-are-the-settings-for-a-60d-to-take-pictures-in-a-gym/m-p/822...

[ScottyP]

Dogs and cats, right? 

The issue is that you are shooting indoors, where the light is dimmer than sunlight.  For that, indoors, without flash, you need a lens with a decently wide maximun aperture.  Your best bet is a fixed-focal length lens (NOT a zoom lens), as the fixed length lenses ("prime lenses") have wider apertures and better image quality AND sometimes cheaper prices too.

50MM on a rebel camera is a good length for a dog or cat assuming he is sitting there for his portrait. If your pets are running around and whatnot, then an 85mm f/1.8 would be a good lens for you.  If these pets are really far away, like they are competing in Flyball events or something, then maybe a 100mm lens or a 135mm lens. 

You have the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4, which is a pretty good lens for what you are doing, really.  How do you like it?  What would you like to see work better than what you have?  What are your subject pets doing in these photos (quiet up-close portraits, or super-fast far-off Flyball?)  What is your budget for another lens, if you don't mind?  What other uses would you like to get out of any new lens?