What lens would you use for indoor/night dinner?

[DrunkenGiraffe]

So I possibly got a gig doing a weekend conference/dinner I have done a couple before, using my Nikon D5000 and just my 18-55 kit lens but this time I am getting paid for the weekend so I want to use some of that money and definitely rent a flash and possibly a lens as well.

I can rent the SB600 or SB900, I'm happy to get either, however the 900 is twice as much as the 600, will there really be much noticeable difference? My local camera shop has the SB400 for sale really cheap so maybe I would be better off buying it? A flash has being on my wishlist for quite some time now.

Here is the list of available lenses for rent and to be honest, I'm not really sure which would be the best.


Lenses – For Nikon
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 fisheye*
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro (IF) DX
Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 ED-IF AF-S DX
Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II DX VR
Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED DX
Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S
Sigma AF 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM DX
NIkkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-S G ED
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX
Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D*
Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DX ED VR
Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 AF-S Micro G ED
Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 II HSM
Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED-IF VR II
Nikkor AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6G
Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D*
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G AF-S Micro IF-ED VR

Also I'm looking at buying the Nikon AF-S 50mm f1.8 G, would this lens be suitable at all? I want to get it for other reasons, but not sure whether the fixed focal length will be a bit of a pain for the event and I would be better off renting something else and buying this lens later on.

 

[yoman]

i would go with 50mm f/1.8D because it is good for low light photography and it is also sharp, i also recommend you to buy that lens because it is cheap and reliable.
you can get it below $120 from amazon and i dont think that there would be much different between the "50mm f/1.8D" and "50mm f/1.8G" one
and for the flash i would go with sb600 for a long term (i mean if you want to buy it) well again because it's cheap and reliable i think, but if it is just for temporary then i would go with sb-900

 

[DrunkenGiraffe]

I don't think the 1.8D autofocuses on the D5000 though
I only really have enough to buy the SB400, otherwise I will just rent one of the other two. So would it be better long term just to rent one now and not buy the SB400?

 

[tyler_h]

i would go with 50mm f/1.8D because it is good for low light photography and it is also sharp, i also recommend you to buy that lens because it is cheap and reliable.
you can get it below $120 from amazon and i dont think that there would be much different between the "50mm f/1.8D" and "50mm f/1.8G" one
and for the flash i would go with sb600 for a long term (i mean if you want to buy it) well again because it's cheap and reliable i think, but if it is just for temporary then i would go with sb-900

G vs D makes the difference of AF on the D5000

Consider the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX ; 50 (75) could be a little tight in limited space. That being said you have stated that you have done it before so probably know better than us what FL you can get away with.

 

[yoman]

i would go with 50mm f/1.8D because it is good for low light photography and it is also sharp, i also recommend you to buy that lens because it is cheap and reliable.
you can get it below $120 from amazon and i dont think that there would be much different between the "50mm f/1.8D" and "50mm f/1.8G" one
and for the flash i would go with sb600 for a long term (i mean if you want to buy it) well again because it's cheap and reliable i think, but if it is just for temporary then i would go with sb-900

G vs D makes the difference of AF on the D5000

Consider the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX ; 50 (75) could be a little tight in limited space. That being said you have stated that you have done it before so probably know better than us what FL you can get away with.

I don't think the 1.8D autofocuses on the D5000 though
I only really have enough to buy the SB400, otherwise I will just rent one of the other two. So would it be better long term just to rent one now and not buy the SB400?

oops sorry, didnt see the word D5000 eacesign: yeah i guess it would be better to use the sb-600 because i think it has some features that you can adjust compared to sb-400, well the sb-600 is quite expensive but if you find a good price then it would be worth to buy.
well its actually up to you that you want to buy it or only rent it, it depends on whether youre gonna use it for a long term or a short term
hope it helps

 

[Derrel]

Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 ED-IF AF-S DX

And the SB 600,rented.

 

[cdino88]

Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 ED-IF AF-S DX

And the SB 600,rented.

I want the 17-55 so bad. I could literally cry. Definitely get the zoom if you are going to be sitting around so you don't have to get up and move around to compose. If that doesn't matter, still get the 17-55

 

[kundalini]

If you're adding flash to your rig, the 18-55mm lens already in hand will do a nice enough job. I would then consider renting a higher end second body with possibly a 70-200mm and add another flash. Move your feet to fill-in the missing gap in focal length.

 

[Derrel]

If you're adding flash to your rig, the 18-55mm lens already in hand will do a nice enough job. I would then consider renting a higher end second body with possibly a 70-200mm and add another flash. Move your feet to fill-in the missing gap in focal length.

But what about that slow f/5.6 maximum aperture hunting for focus indoors in poor light? THAT is the rap on the kit zooms, as far as I am concerned, especially on the lower-end cameras with lower-echelon focusing systems. If you're willing to switch to Single-shot autofocusing, AND switch on the AF Assist beam, then, yeah, the 18-55 kit zoom will do "okay" indoors...while irritating the crap out of everybody present...

 

[joealcantar]

Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 ED-IF AF-S DX

And the SB 600,rented.

-
2nd this..............some shops apply the rental fee towards the purchase of the model you rent if you like it. Food for thought.
This combo on any camera should do fine. If you use the stoffen diffuser that comes with it and flash head at a 45degree angle (killer combo).

 

[Patrice]

If you are thinking of eventually buying only one flash to do you for a while, do not spend your limited dollars on an SB400. It's not a bad little flash for what it is. And what it is is a pop-up flash that has just a bit more power and a bit less functionality. It will not swivel side to side, it is not cls compatible either as slave or commander and it can not be controlled manually.

On a dx body I consider the 17-55 and the 70-200 the premier lens set for events. Weddings, parties, corporate events, family and class reunions, barn raisings, ... I've photographed more than a few and eventually I settled with:

DX: 17-55 AFS 2.8 70-200 AFS 2.8 50 AFD 1.8 (or 28 AFD 1.4 or 85 AFD 1.4) sb800 with Quantum battery.

I've now changed to d700 so I added a 1.4 teleconverter to the 17-55. For all practical purposes this turns it into a 24-77 at f/4.0.


This is an expensive bunch of stuff but you don't have to get it all at once. Budget a regular amount from your regular income to set aside for these purchases, and augment the pot with any extras that come your way. In the meantime try and rent them as often as you can to get familiar with how it all works as a system.

 

[KmH]

A flash has being on my wishlist for quite some time now.

I'm surprised you don't have a better understanding of the differences between the SB-400, 600, 700, and 900, and how using strobed light to make photographs is very different from only using ambient light.

What shooting, focus, shutter curtain flash sync modes were you planning on using?

Nikon's automatic iTTL flash control is about as good as any in the industry, but is pretty complex to use and will still give inconsistant results.

It is easier to learn how to use the D5000, and will deliver more consistant results by using a less expensive 3rd party strobe, with both the camera and flash in manual modes.

Using strobed light (flash) adds a level of complexity and decision making to doing photography that is best approached by increasing one's technical understanding of photography.

 

[djacobox372]

You can't tilt a sb400, which makes it not much better then your on-camera flash. Go with the sb600.For the lens I suggest a 35mm f1.8 or the 24-70mm f2.8.

 

[Patrice]

You can't tilt a sb400, which makes it not much better then your on-camera flash. Go with the sb600.For the lens I suggest a 35mm f1.8 or the 24-70mm f2.8.

The flash head of the sb400 will a full 90 degrees from horizontal to vertical.

 

[mrpink]

You can tilt a 400, you cannot swivel it. Either way, buy a 600 or rent a 900. As for which lens to use, I will tell you this, if I was going into a situation where I could only bring one lens and a speedlight to an indoor event, it would be my 17-55 2.8 for sure. Awesome glass. p!nK