what lens to get?

[coldman]

Hi Expert,

a poor :cry: newbie here need help on the lens to get if i decided to change to a DSLR. :sweat:
currently using a 35-420mm FZ10. (auto focus too slow for celebrity taking)

me like to take photo of celebrity, fashion show, micro, paranomal, and beautiful girls.

for celebrity, i will be standing with the public and it's quite a distance from the stage. :embrass: me very poor judge of distance. will a 70-300mm be able to get me close up (face + neck) shot of them?

:embrass: so, will the following configuration work for me?
mostly will only be rich enough to get 3rd party lens. :cry:

-Canon or Nikon DSLR,
-28-70mm + filter,
-70-300mm + filter,
-external flash.

any suggestion will be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Rgds,
coldman.

 

[Adam Goi]

Budget? :think:

 

[coldman]

Budget? :think:

:embrass: now got around $4k only. :cry: :cry:

 

[espn]

D70 + 70-200vr

 

[alechim]

D70 + 70-200vr

enough meh??? I thought overshot 4K already? keke

Personally I am getting the following:

D70 without Kit lens,
Tokina 28-70 f2.8 PROII
Nikkor 80-200 ED (2 touch)
Will get the Bidma 50-500mm in future...

 

[hongsien]

:embrass: now got around $4k only. :cry: :cry:

Wah! You find this amount low?......I started with a 150 dollar camera man!....Can't you move closer? if you use a long lens, problems like vibration may become very disturbing......try to move as close as you can or allowed to, be a bit pushy lah! Explain that pics are important etc....for indoor you may need tripod with long lenses......perspective more natural from far away, thats true....

Hong Sien

 

[coldman]

but if i were to shot celebrity or fashion show, i will be standing with the public and it's quite a distance from the stage. can't get closer, got barrier to block access. :cry:

sometimes i need the 'head to neck' shot.
200mm can reach meh? :think:

Sorry har, me very poor in judging distance. :cry:

 

[mr_jason]

Not easy handholding anything above 200mm in my opinion, because you'll have to be using a relatively high shutter speed to minimise handshake. So unless lighting conditions are good and you can get away with 1/200s and higher, it's going to be hard.

The cheapest and best zoom are your legs.

200mm is more than sufficient for most fashion shows or celeb shooting, any longer lens would be more for shooting nature/wildlife or sports in my opinion.

 

[Stoned]

200mm will be able to get you a "head to neck" shot at about 15m. and i think only in horizontal composition.
Could try a 300D(dirt cheap now) + a 70-200/2.8L IS
The 1.6 crop will also give you increased working distance and you could probably fill a vertically tilted frame with a head shot at 300mm (15m) If you're gonna be further away i don't think you could get a frame filling head.
You may want to consider 300/F4L IS if thats the case.

 

[hongsien]

but if i were to shot celebrity or fashion show, i will be standing with the public and it's quite a distance from the stage. can't get closer, got barrier to block access. :cry:

sometimes i need the 'head to neck' shot.
200mm can reach meh? :think:

Sorry har, me very poor in judging distance. :cry:

Be early so that you can stand at the front.......bring a monopod, will reduce vibrations quite considerably....good luck!

Hong Sien

 

[AReality]

think u need a larger CF also. 1GB is almost sufficient.

 

[LazerLordz]

4k eh..my first camera cost 300bucks.You do not really need a DSLR for budding fashion photography, you need a good eye for judgement and a good tripod.Plus, as what many have said, just be there earlier and use vantage points to your advantage.You can try some other location besides the floor?

 

[coldman]

:embrass: my first camera (1 year ago) cost around $200++. the prolink 1.2mp.

Thanks for all the advices.

looks like i also need to buy a monopod. and maybe grow taller, so won't be block by other people. but it won't happen, too old to grow any taller.)

will also need to get the 1gb cf card.

Wow! that add up to quite a lot of $$$. :sweat:

so, for lens, maybe getting the sigma or tamron. cheaper. will upgrade when got more $$$$. :cry:

 

[alechim]

thats the expensive part going into photography hobby..trust me, its not the end!