What is the best lense for a childs birthday Party?

[PJ5000]

Hi I have been asked to shoot a child’s birthday party and it will be indoors with maybe not so great light. I normally only shoot outdoors with natural light and I need to know what is the best lens to use for shooting indoors and with low light on a small budget? I have a 270EX Speedlite, not the best, but I prefer shooting without flash anyway. I have a Canon 50D, kit lens 28-135mm and 55-250mm. I can spend around 600.00 to 700.00. Thanks for any feedback.

Also, I can use any advice on how to shoot a 1 year olds birthday party that will have kids ranging from 1 to 4 years old. I have only been working as a part time portrait photographer for about a year and I normally only shoot portraits, this is my first event. So I am a little nervous.

Thanks for any advice on both topics.

 

[Dao]

If the birthday party place's ceiling is not too high, I will suggest getting a flash that allow you to bounce the light off the ceiling. If the 270EX is already able to do that, I will use it with the kit lens. Or at least try it out at home and see. Sometimes, you may want to put a little white card behind the flash head to allow some forwarding light.

http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/4-bouncing-flash/
http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/1-natural-looking-flash/

 

[subscuck]

Neither of the kits are suitable without flash. So, maybe a Canon 50mm 1.4, about $350, or Sigma 50mm 1.4, about $500. Or if you want a zoom, Tamron 17-50 2.8, about $500. If you don't want to use flash, you'll need fast glass. Tho I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to.

 

[Dao]

Also, I shoot my daughter birthday parties and few friends birthday parties, The lens I use often is my Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8. However, I seldom shoot it wide open because of the shadow depth of field.(DoF). Sometimes, I will switch the lens to a fast prime to take some head shots with blur background. But most of them are wide angle shot with bounce flash except at a place where the ceiling is high. If the place is large place with low enough ceiling, you may want to learn how to drag the shutter so that the background is not going to be too dark.

I did that one time with my friend 's son birthday party at the bowling alley. My flash was not going to light up the whole place, but enough to light up the subject while I exposed the shots to the ambient (background)

 

[analog.universe]

Learning how to bounce your flash and balance it against the available light sounds like the best suggestion to me :thumbup:

There's nothing like having fast glass in low light, but I think at a little kid's birthday, you would end up using the flash anyway to freeze motion, even with fast glass.

 

[Texas Parrothead]

Learning how to bounce your flash and balance it against the available light sounds like the best suggestion to me :thumbup:

There's nothing like having fast glass in low light, but I think at a little kid's birthday, you would end up using the flash anyway to freeze motion, even with fast glass.

+1 to this!

I would put your money into a really good speedlight....with those little kids you will have too much blur if you don't use a flash...even with fast glass.

 

[480sparky]

If at all possible, I try not to use flash at all. I prefer to WB the existing lighting and use that.

However, you may need to make a decision on what to do once you get on-site. The lighting may be extremely poor for taking images, or a mish-mash of various color temps that will never look good no matter what you do.

I shot all afternoon using my 18-105 95% of the time.

 

[PJ5000]

Thank you for all of your advice. I do bounce flash off the ceiling or walls when available, but the place where the party is being held is too large. The ceilings are very high and I find the flash is too harsh, any other suggestions on how to soften the flash? I have a soft box for the flash unit but have never tried it, have any of you ever used one and do you think this would work?

I found a 17-85mm f/2.8 at B&H for 449.95 and was wondering if it this would do instead of the 17-50mm?

 

[Dao]

Are you sure about there is a lens with the spec of "17-85mm f/2.8"?

 

[Mike_E]

Take a look at these.. StudioPro 3.0 Flash Diffuser $58.95 | Peter Greggs ABBC ABetterBounceCard for Canon Flash Nikon Flash and Digital Cameras

 

[PJ5000]

Oops, I was wrong it is 17-85mm f/4-5.6.

 

[PJ5000]

Take a look at these.. StudioPro 3.0 Flash Diffuser $58.95 | Peter Greggs ABBC ABetterBounceCard for Canon Flash Nikon Flash and Digital Cameras

I really like these. Thanks!

 

[Robin Usagani]

$60???? Rip off

 

[PJ5000]

So I was wondering if ya'll think I should invest in a better speedlite, like the 580EX II, instead of new glass? My flash recycling time is just so slow. I do have a 50mm 1-1.8 Lens if that will work. I just don't want to have to get in to close to the kids so I really would like to use a zoom, that's why I thought maybe the 17-85mm f/4-5.6 might work. Unless ya'll think I can use my 28-135mm kit lens if upgrading my speedlite is a better idea.

 

[subscuck]

Oops, I was wrong it is 17-85mm f/4-5.6.

Without flash it's no better than what you have now. It's actually a little slower on the wide end. Your 50 1.8 is your best no flash lens, or any of the fast primes or zooms previously mentioned.