Advice for shooting opera

[Kofman13]

My girlfriend has an opera scenes recital tomorrow and i want to know your guys opinions! Should i use my 14-42 3.4-5.8 kit lens or my new OM 50 mm/1.8 i just got ( I LOVE THIS LENS)?

also what settings?

It is going to be a blacked out concert hall with different kinds of spot lights mostly.

 

[Josh66]

How close will you be?

50mm might be a little short...

Settings all depend on the light...no way to predict what that will be. The light will probably be on the low side though, so wide aperture and high ISO... Just depends.

EDIT
Take them both and decide when you get there.

 

[skieur]

I would shoot with a 200mm 2.8 prime at f 4 and hope that the llight is sufficient for a reasonable shutterspeed to stop motion.

skieur

 

[jnm]

bring both and use whichever the situation calls for.

 

[KmH]

Dude, where's your pictures? You started it!

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...allery/184391-post-your-olympus-pictures.html

 

[GeneralBenson]

I would shoot with a 200mm 2.8 prime at f 4 and hope that the llight is sufficient for a reasonable shutterspeed to stop motion.

skieur

Why not at 2.8?

Also, I believe he's on 4/3s so 50 isn't that short.

 

[jnm]

Also, I believe he's on 4/3s so 50 isn't that short.

i thought the only thing that changes is how much of the field is visible to the sensor, not that a cropped sensor actually makes the lens more zoomed in. i.e. 50mm is 50mm, the difference is in how much field of view you get.

 

[Kofman13]

so the show was today and i took both lenses with me and i found my 50 mm 1.8 was wonderful! i only used my kit zoom lens so i could get farther out and get the whole stage. ill post some pictures when i get home. i mostly did it with spot metering, iso 400 ( 800 for when the singers were acting alot and moving) and mostly f 2.8 and sometimes 1.8 ( but it was too bright with 1.8 sometimes).

 

[TJ K]

so the show was today and i took both lenses with me and i found my 50 mm 1.8 was wonderful! i only used my kit zoom lens so i could get farther out and get the whole stage. ill post some pictures when i get home. i mostly did it with spot metering, iso 400 ( 800 for when the singers were acting alot and moving) and mostly f 2.8 and sometimes 1.8 ( but it was too bright with 1.8 sometimes).

If it was too bright with 1.8 that means you can bring your iso down to 200 and have super clean shots.
TJ

 

[skieur]

I would shoot with a 200mm 2.8 prime at f 4 and hope that the llight is sufficient for a reasonable shutterspeed to stop motion.

skieur

Why not at 2.8?

Also, I believe he's on 4/3s so 50 isn't that short.

2.8 on a 200mm prime produces very shallow depth of field. Moreover the weaknesses of any fast 2.8 lens are lessened one stop down from wide open, so it is a good choice.

skieur

 

[GeneralBenson]

I would shoot with a 200mm 2.8 prime at f 4 and hope that the llight is sufficient for a reasonable shutterspeed to stop motion.

skieur

Why not at 2.8?

Also, I believe he's on 4/3s so 50 isn't that short.

2.8 on a 200mm prime produces very shallow depth of field. Moreover the weaknesses of any fast 2.8 lens are lessened one stop down from wide open, so it is a good choice.

skieur

The shallow depth of field would be great for something like this, and I wouldn't spend money on a 200/2.8 unless I planned on shooting it wide open alot. Which is what I do with the one I have, and it's plenty sharp at 2.8.

 

[skieur]

Why not at 2.8?

Also, I believe he's on 4/3s so 50 isn't that short.

2.8 on a 200mm prime produces very shallow depth of field. Moreover the weaknesses of any fast 2.8 lens are lessened one stop down from wide open, so it is a good choice.

skieur

The shallow depth of field would be great for something like this, and I wouldn't spend money on a 200/2.8 unless I planned on shooting it wide open alot. Which is what I do with the one I have, and it's plenty sharp at 2.8.

Sharpness is generally not a problem but light fall-off toward the corners can be, depending on the lighting and the lens. Of course, it depends on how picky you are and whether it is hidden by the particular nature of the shot and the background.

skieur

 

[PatrickHMS]

I am glad for those of you who enjoy opera. There is some beautiful stuff this time of year.

But if I had to listen to too much of it, I would be ready to shoot myself, a 357 Magnum oughta do it.