Best lens for music

thebaz

For any experienced music photographers, what lens do you find best suited for indoors events ?

I limit myself to the 50 mm , looking into other possibilities !

AnimalRights

I assume you are referring to non flash?
If so 50mm 1.4 or 85 1.8 (which focuses twice as fast as the 85mm 1.2)

With flash the 24-105L has never let me down.
The above is aimed at pub gigs.
If bigger venue you allude too, the 70-200L 2.8 IS does very well, with or without flash (bigger venues have decent light)

AnimalRights

I would also like to add that this year I've got my hands on a photography AAA pass for Punks biggest festival and I am in a bit of a pickle as it's on 4 very different type stages and I want to travel as light as possible so not too sure what I'm going to bring yet..
Flash is allowed so will probably bring the f4 version of the 70-200L IS for the bigger stages and the 85mm 1.8 for the smaller size stages, guess I'll also bring the 24-205L for the wide capabilities.

melekalikimaka

i would say a 70-200 would be a bit too narror tbh, any gig you get a pass for, you'd be in the pit. the 18-70 2.8 is ideal imo, flash... even if allowed is really gonna kill the image, unless you want to have to convert it all to bw

DotOrg

i shoot gigs every week and have done for about 5 years and the lenses i use in order of most use would be:

24-70 f2.8 - best all rounded for small to big venues
17-40 f4 - brilliant for small venues
70-200 f2.8 - brilliant for larger venues
50mm f1.4 - essential for those venues with virtually no light

sineadw

Dot, you're on full frame yeah?

Fajitas!

Agreeing with DotOrg,

24-70 2.8 (Or equiv. range on cropped sensor) for all round
70-200 2.8 IS for a bit more range
50 1.4 when you can barely see in front of you/all round shots/travelling light

And I'll add in the 135 f/2 - Fantastic for getting in close, less than half the size of the 70-200 too.

AnimalRights

melekalikimaka wrote: »

1)i would say a 70-200 would be a bit too narror tbh, any gig you get a pass for, you'd be in the pit. the 18-70 2.8 is ideal imo, flash...
2)even if allowed is really gonna kill the image, unless you want to have to convert it all to bw

1) I will and have used the 70-200 way back to capture the whole atmosphere, I do literally cover all the positions from the floor!

2) I'm not a fan of non flash and fancy light effects on the band tbh, too cheesy and my music is not suited to it either.

Dodgykeeper

thebaz wrote: »

For any experienced music photographers, what lens do you find best suited for indoors events ?

I limit myself to the 50 mm , looking into other possibilities !

Surely this all depends on many factors such as the venue lighting, how far from the stage you are and what type of shots you are looking for. Such a vague question doesnt really lend itself to useful answers.

mehfesto2

Just outta curiosity lads, what does a NUJ press pass entitle me to?
i.e. do I need a ticket aswell as the pass to shoot the gig?

Fajitas!

NUJ pass won't really get you anywhere at a gig, you'll need to get a pass by the folk running the gig. Some security mightn't know the story, and just leave you in, but that'll only work for so long.

Dodgykeeper

Would imagine that you would still need to be on the list and that the NUJ card would just be a means of ID.

mehfesto2

Fajitas! wrote: »

NUJ pass won't really get you anywhere at a gig, you'll need to get a pass by the folk running the gig. Some security mightn't know the story, and just leave you in, but that'll only work for so long.

Bugger.
Ah well, it's worth a shot anyway! There has to be a way to get a pass otherwise.

thebaz

thanks all , i did mean non-flash - I will try out my 85 mm , 1.8 , just wondering if i was to get another lens, or trade my 18 -200 (3.5 which is too slow ) for something more usefull for indoor boxing and music, medium sized venues, like the stadium or olympia .

thebaz

and the 24-70 f2.8 looks the best option !!

thebaz

oouch its expensive - 1,600 :eek:

Fajitas!

Lol

Howitzer

Is 24 - 70 2.8 wide enough on a cropped sensor?

38-112 in 35mm cam / full frame terms.

Has anyone found they have one and can't get back far enough when they're in the pit / in front of stage?

melekalikimaka, you mention an 18-70 2.8 - is there one? Guessing it's not canon mount. Or was it a typo?

Fajitas!

Canon have a 17-55 2.8 IS EFS

DotOrg

sineadw wrote: »

Dot, you're on full frame yeah?

both full frame and a cropped sensor camera as the backup body

melekalikimaka

Howitzer wrote: »

Is 24 - 70 2.8 wide enough on a cropped sensor?

38-112 in 35mm cam / full frame terms.

Has anyone found they have one and can't get back far enough when they're in the pit / in front of stage?

melekalikimaka, you mention an 18-70 2.8 - is there one? Guessing it's not canon mount. Or was it a typo?

hehe typo, meant 24

I have a nuj card... never ever used it, pretty pointless... getting passes itsn't as hard as it seems, recently working a big big 'somewhere' ran by someone' and there was 3 photographers... two with the 24-70 on and one lass with a fuji bridge... guess which one had a very paniced looked on their face looking at their shots on screen. 24 would be plenty wide... 10-20 is pretty good too, as is the 10.5 fisheye... but the distortion kinda means its nice for a shot or two but a full set of them is a little boring.

Fajitas!

Lol.

She's one of Irelands 'top photographers' dontcha know.

melekalikimaka

Fajitas! wrote: »

Lol.

She's one of Irelands 'top photographers' dontcha know.

do you know her?... the poor lass, i think the band even gave a smug grin