I have a ESO Rebel T3i camera I was wondering what is the best lens for zooming far.

[kim225]

What is the best lens for zooming far when trying to capture your child in a play or on stage performing?

[jrhoffman75]

The "best" lens would be a long, fast lens like the 70-200 f/2.8. But that's a $2000 lens. 

I would recommend the 55-250 STM zoom lens. You can get it for less than $150 as a refurb from the Canon eStore. 

[Waddizzle]

Be careful what you ask for. It sounds to me like you might need the two things that add up the most, a long focal length and a wide aperture, for low light shooting without a flash.

The "best" can be expensive.  How far away would you be?  Are you trying to capture a full body shot, I assume?  What sort of budget are you looking at?

[kim225]

What about this one EF 70-200mm f/4L USM? I am loking to take graduations pictures and plays.

[kvbarkley]

Any 'L' lens is a good choice, though IS might be good for low light conditions.

[kim225]

This one EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM with the stabilizer are they good.

[Waddizzle]

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@kim225 wrote:

This one EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM with the stabilizer are they good.

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I would think that you would get MUCH better results from the 70-200mm f/4L, and cropping the photos in post.  While this lens may not have IS, it does have a wider aperture when zoomed. 

You're going to want fast shutter speeds, as fast as what is practical.  If you can attend a rehearsal, then I strongly suggest that you go and practice taking some shots.

[RobertTheFat]

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@kim225 wrote:

What about this one EF 70-200mm f/4L USM? I am loking to take graduations pictures and plays.

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The 70-200mm f/4L is a fine lens for outdoor daytime use. But indoors where you can't use flash (or where you're so far away that flash wouldn't help much), you'd need a camera with excellent low-light performance. e.g. a 6D or a 5D Mark III.

[ScottyP]

Save money with 2 lenses. 

For indoor shots of a dim play get a bright 85mm f/1.8 prime instead of the expensive 70-200 f/2.8.  Or get a 50mm f/1.4. Or get a 100mm f/2. These are all about $350.00 and all of them are even better in low light than the $2,000.00 70-200 f/2.8.  Between 2x and 4x as good. Pick the length that works. Sit close or far enough where you get the right framing for slightly wider shots, and just crop a little where needed.  On a Rebel body these should give plenty of range for a school play. More than enough really. 

For the telephoto for daytime sports get the inexpensive 55-250 or 70-300 lenses. You don't need the expensive big aperture lenses for a bright daylight use. 

[ebiggs1]

Kim,

The ef 70-200mm f4L would be a killer graduation lens.  It would do a fair job in an auditorium shooting musicals and such.

The 75-300 or the 55-250 would not be on my list of choices at all.

I like Scotts idea of the 85mm f1.8 prime lens.  He just forgot to say, you need a good post editor.  That is where you will make your shots work. The 85mil would do a great job on Senior and grad shots.  It is fast and would hole its own in the auditorium.

The main most feature of these two choices is they are constant aperture lenses.  They don't loose aperture as you zoom. (Of course the 85mil doesn't zoom.)

Check out the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM Lens and the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens. If these are your kids remember it only happens once.  What's that worth?

I shoot this stuff all the time and I can say the 70-200mm f2.8L is my goto lens for it.

Another outstanding choice is the Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Zoom Lens for Canon (make sue of its name).

I can't emphasize enough how important a post editor is for this work.  That is where your shots will be made.  Not in the camera.