Fireworks photography, which lens?

[Johan1]

Hello,

I'm actually new to photography. After a few years of 'basic' filming of fireworks, I'd like to do the photography of fireworks (it's for a hobby website, we have filmers who do the more advanced filming, but we don't have photographers yet).

This summer I'll finaly buy a DSLR. Most likely it will be the Canon EOS 650D. It often comes with a standard kit lens, but instead of that I'd rather buy the body only and select a lens myself. Why not just start with the kit-lens? Because I'd rather start good directly, not having to buy another lens after a half year.

As told, I'm new to phoptophy, so maybe somebody could help me pik a good lens to start with... :thumbup:

 

[tirediron]

My suggestion would be to go with the kit lens (normally an 18-55) and then find out what that lens won't do for you so that you can choose a lens more appropriate to your needs. I find that I'm typically shooting fireworks with fairly short focal-lengths (wide-angle), but every now and then I can't get as close as I would like, so I need to reach for the 2-300mm glass. The short answer is, IMO, "It depends".

 

[480sparky43 42]

What lens you need really depends on how close you are to the launch site. If you're across the street, you may need something in the ultra-wide (10-24mm) range. If you're back far enough not to have to bust your neck looking up, a kit (18-55, 18-80, 18-105mm etc) will suffice. If you're a mile or so away, you'll need the reach of a decent telephoto (150, 200, 300mm +).

 

[Tony S]

I've done fireworks with a fisheye, a 17-35, 24-70-, 70-200 and 400mm lenses. It all depends on how close you are, the size of the display, and what you want to show as your vision of the image.

 

[hirejn]

Amateurs are way too picky when it comes to gear, and I can't emphasize that enough. It's difficult to get the concept through without hands-on learning. You're telling us you're new to photography but already the piece of glass Canon includes with the camera is not good enough for you. That's equipment addiction. You want a grand piano before you know how to play a chord. You can purchase whatever equipment you want, but if you expect the equipment to improve your photography, that's an expensive and disappointing path. Perfect creative exposure and about 10 quality megapixels is all it takes to knock out a great 20x30 canvas print, regardless of lens price or camera brand. For decades photographers made great images with equipment we now view as inferior. Ansel Adams, man that guy lugged around a heap of ancient stuff, but look at his images. Take the "kit." Master it. There are no wildlife cameras or lenses, no sports cameras or lenses, no fireworks cameras or lenses. There are just cameras and lenses. They're all made for great photography. What matters is what can you bring out of it?

 

[amolitor]

I think the answer is "surprisingly long". It's sort of startling how SMALL an area of the sky is taken up by a fireworks display as seen from a generally popular viewing area. As indicated, if you get close enough you might need to go wide. If you're out on the riverbank or the hill or in the field where the general population is, something long would not be amiss.

 

[Overread19 7]

It also depends what kind of shot you want, frame filling - selective, showing the scenery as well etc.. Not every firework shot has to show the whole firework

I agree with the others, get the camera and get the kit lens and revisit this question after a month or two and some experience shooting. By that point the various focal lengths will have a real world "meaning" to you and you'll know what you'll want more specifically.

 

[480sparky43 42]

........There are no wildlife cameras or lenses, no sports cameras or lenses, no fireworks cameras or lenses. There are just cameras and lenses. They're all made for great photography. .........

Another analogy: Saws and hammers. There are no 'new home' hammers as opposed to 'home remodeling' hammers. A carpenter will use the same saw to cut a 2x4 if he's building a new house, finishing an existing basement, building a deck, a gazebo, a shed,....or a playhouse for the kids. It's not what you have, it's whether you know how to use what you have properly.

 

[Johan1]

These were actually the answers I expected I would get. I guess it would indeed be wise to just start with the kit-lens, so I'll experience by myself what the limitations are. I thought, maybe there were bad experiences with the standard kit lens for shooting fireworks... But probably an expert could also make great pictures with poor gear. Just buy the thing and give it a try.. Trial and error will probably do the thing.

Most of the time I'll shoot consumer firework demonstrations, so that ain't the biggest caliber and the distance isn't really big either (30-60m, sometimes further). Stuff like this will be the biggest fireworks I'll do;



I'm sorry for the poor english by the way.