Indoors, low light, which lens?

[TiCoyote]

I was at a bar the other night. I was shooting with a 50mm prime. I found that the angle was too tight, and the detail was so sharp that every flaw and blemish on people's faces stops traffic. Do I need more practice, more PS, or a 35 or 28 mm prime? I also have a 28-135 USM.

 

[KmH]

Sounds like you just need to take about 2 steps backwards before you release the shutter?

 

[TiCoyote]

Yeah, but it's in a bar, so space is tight.

 

[syphlix]

so get a wider lens that's just as fast? or get a full frame body....

 

[TiCoyote]

Of the following two, which one?

Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Digital Cameras




or

Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS

I realize that the 17-50 will only work on a crop sensor. I have a D-Rebel now. My next body will likely be a 40D, and I can't see getting a FF sensor unless Canon makes one for under $1500 or I'm ready to start selling images (so probably not for at least 3-5 years).

 

[bhphotography]

I would go with the 17-50 f2.8 for shooting in a bar. Make sure to bounce your flash and you should have much better photos!

 

[chammer]

i have the 17-50mm, and looking to pick up the 28-75mm next week. cant say enough good things about the quality of the 17-50mm. cropped body only, or not, i love it!

 

[TiCoyote]

And if I want to do portraiture? Which one then?

 

[chammer]

the canon 24-70 and 24-105 both i've seen used quite often for portraits and fashion shoots. i'd venture to say the 28-75 from tamron would also be excellent in this area as well. however, at the moment i do use my 17-50 and 50 1.8 to fill that void for the time being.

 

[TiCoyote]

Does the Tamron 28-75 yield better results (sharper images, better colors, etc.) than the Canon 29-135 USM IS? I have the Canon. I'd buy the Tamron if it will be an upgrade.

I'm thinking longer term, I'd like to get this, in this order:
1. Tamron 28-75 for walking around, general use
2. Canon EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS as a wide angle. I mostly do wide angle outdoors where there's a lot of light, so I probably don't need a very fast lens, and it's cheap.
3. Canon 85 f/1.8 for portraits
4. Flash
5. New body - 40D.

This works out to around $1500-$2000 though, so it'll probably be around 2 before I have the whole kit. I want to really learn how to use each piece before I buy the next one.

Thoughts?

 

[usayit]

The OP is shooting with a prime in tight indoors. My guess is that he/she is shooting with a lens capable of f/1.8 or f/1.4. Being tight indoors, the subjects are mostly likely not running or moving very quickly...

A slower zoom is the last lens I would consider...


On a crop body, the 50mm prime is more like a telephoto. I would recommend getting another prime of a max aperture of f/1.4 or f/1.8 of a wider focal length between 21-35mm. I used to shoot with the 24mm f/1.4L and I was happy.