what lens to use during graduation??

[eternalSun]

Hi everyone! Recently was thinking to get the tamron 17-50mm 2.8 and was already planning to go down to cathey to get it during the weekend when my friend asked me to help take photos during our graduation day. they were planning on going around singapore to take some photos, so this made me think should i still get the 17-50mm or should i get a wide angle lens instead? maybe the tokina 11-16 2.8? Further more i was thinking i might need a tripod as well since i intend to be in at least some of the pictures that is to be taken. I only have a budget of $1k. I've not actually been to any shop to ask how much the tokina 11-16 cost but looking at the price guide it costs $950 during dec 09 at OP (hoping price has dropped somewhat). the tamron 17-50 cost <$600 from what i checked.

So my question is:

Should i get the 17-50mm and spend 300+ on a carbon fibre tripod(heard the sirui isn't bad at all)

OR

Should i get the 11-16mm and get the cheapest tripod i could get my hands on.

By the way i currently only own a D90 with the 18-105mm kit lens and my group of friends consits of 5 people.

 

[ovaltinemilo]

indoor wise, 17-50mm 2.8 is going to be useful. I would feel your current 18-105mm and 17-50mm 2.8 is sufficient. tokina 11-16 2.8 might be too wide and you might need some time to get use to the ultra wide angle and distortion before you put to practical use...11-16 might include alot of unwanted stuffs in your frame during the busy graduation. Btw, at 18mm, 17mm, they are already wide angle.

btw, 11-16mm on the cheapest tripod you can get? what if the tripod topple and land your UWA on the ground?

 

[Rashkae]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

 

[garbled]

-- 11-16 is too wide, imo, i would never use this lens for people / group shots but superior in landscapes.
-- 18-105 covers all you need.
-- 17-50 if you have extra cash to spare, why not.
-- you don't need tripod, it could be troublesome to mount it since you'll be in a crowded place? graduation?
-- I'll use my trustee 35mm for this kind of events.

 

[daredevil123]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

+1 :thumbsup:

 

[Numnumball]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

+2:thumbsup:

 

[Octarine]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

+3 :thumbsup:
Do you want to take pictures of the graduation that you still like to see and show in 10 years or take some funky shots with Ultra Wide Angle where you always need to explain to all uncles and aunties what you have done to the camera?
Think about perspective and focal length.

 

[eternalSun]

:bsmilie: seems like i should dump the idea of an ultra wide angle lens. Ok shall get a decent tripod then. Flash i'm not so sure....maybe due to my nature where i hate to attract too much attention and a flash going off is a sure way of getting half the people in a room to look in your direction. Reason why i was thinking of the wide angle was because they were planning to go around singapore to shot photos and not just plainly indoor shoots.

seems like most people are recommending not to get a new lens. If i don't get a new lens that means i can spend more on my tripod....oh no is this the so called bbb virus? :bsmilie: Or should i just forget about buying anything and just go there with my D90 + kit lens.

 

[zac08]

Hi everyone! Recently was thinking to get the tamron 17-50mm 2.8 and was already planning to go down to cathey to get it during the weekend when my friend asked me to help take photos during our graduation day. they were planning on going around singapore to take some photos, so this made me think should i still get the 17-50mm or should i get a wide angle lens instead? maybe the tokina 11-16 2.8? Further more i was thinking i might need a tripod as well since i intend to be in at least some of the pictures that is to be taken. I only have a budget of $1k. I've not actually been to any shop to ask how much the tokina 11-16 cost but looking at the price guide it costs $950 during dec 09 at OP (hoping price has dropped somewhat). the tamron 17-50 cost <$600 from what i checked.

So my question is:

Should i get the 17-50mm and spend 300+ on a carbon fibre tripod(heard the sirui isn't bad at all)

OR

Should i get the 11-16mm and get the cheapest tripod i could get my hands on.

By the way i currently only own a D90 with the 18-105mm kit lens and my group of friends consits of 5 people.

Go for the 17-50, too wide and you'll get distortion for portraits.

Practise more first before you do the actual shoot.

 

[qwerty628]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

+4

Your d90 kit lens good enough.

 

[qwerty628]

:bsmilie: seems like i should dump the idea of an ultra wide angle lens. Ok shall get a decent tripod then. Flash i'm not so sure....maybe due to my nature where i hate to attract too much attention and a flash going off is a sure way of getting half the people in a room to look in your direction. Reason why i was thinking of the wide angle was because they were planning to go around singapore to shot photos and not just plainly indoor shoots.

seems like most people are recommending not to get a new lens. If i don't get a new lens that means i can spend more on my tripod....oh no is this the so called bbb virus? :bsmilie: Or should i just forget about buying anything and just go there with my D90 + kit lens.

Having half the room look at you is better than getting a underexposed, blurry, grainy etc crap shot.

Seriously, you want to go flashless indoors in a dark place either u stock up on fast primes or dump your current kit and get d3s + 24-70.

The 'hate to attract much attention' nature will soon wear away once you tio bbb. Soon you will want to attract the most attention by having the biggest and longest around:bsmilie:

 

[pasay]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

+5 :thumbsup: couldn't have said it better myself

:bsmilie: seems like i should dump the idea of an ultra wide angle lens. Ok shall get a decent tripod then. Flash i'm not so sure....maybe due to my nature where i hate to attract too much attention and a flash going off is a sure way of getting half the people in a room to look in your direction. Reason why i was thinking of the wide angle was because they were planning to go around singapore to shot photos and not just plainly indoor shoots.

seems like most people are recommending not to get a new lens. If i don't get a new lens that means i can spend more on my tripod....oh no is this the so called bbb virus? :bsmilie: Or should i just forget about buying anything and just go there with my D90 + kit lens.

don't think about "attracting other people's attention" with a flash. by that logic, even a small P&S camera will surely attract half the room just because someone used it with the built-in flash? :dunno: anyways, after the event, no one is gonna remember the "guy with the big cam and flash" but your pictures will come out better coz it wasn't underexposed or too dark or grainy etc.

 

[takafan]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

+6

With a good flash and tripod, u can take a lot of group photos just like what u wanted.

18-105 is good enough.

 

[zac08]

Sorry, missed the part about your existing lens. Get a SB-900.

You'll do better with a good flash than a fast lens alone.

 

[eternalSun]

Ok i shall heed the advise of all the pros here and get a flash. Will look into which flash to get. As for the tripod any advice? thinking of the sirui R series and the g20 ballhead. good enough for my d90 w/ kit or overkill :bsmilie:

 

[takafan]

Ok i shall heed the advise of all the pros here and get a flash. Will look into which flash to get. As for the tripod any advice? thinking of the sirui R series and the g20 ballhead. good enough for my d90 w/ kit or overkill :bsmilie:

Well, if u got the budget, then go ahead with something that is better, instead of getting something lower-end and u end up selling/buying.

Sirui CF ones are pretty value for money, combined with a G20.

R Series i think u can get R2204 + G20 at $310.

Check this out:
http://www.facebook.com/tkfoto?v=app_7146470109&ref=ts#!/tkfoto?v=app_6009294086&ref=ts

 

[sherchoo]

Don't really know what you intend to shoot with a 11-16mm in a graduation. You'll probably take a whole lot of people you don't know.

I'll go for the Tammy 17-50mm anytime as this is my current favorite lens. Use it almost for all occasion parties, office events, D&D, holidays..... like I said almost everywhere. This lens, in my opinion fair better than for the kit as the graduation is indoors, and lighting may be a major issue unless you have an external flash.

I would personally for the flash and tripod first. Then extra cash, buy new lens.

 

[VainKid]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

+7
agree!!

 

[skyguy]

Keep yor lens, invest in a good flash and tripod.

+8

you will need the flash for indoor...
u won't need the UWA, even for outdoor shot... u can do stitching of two photo if u wanna do paranoma...
tripod not necessary when take graduation photo i think... but good to have around and for future use

 

[Octarine]

tripod not necessary when take graduation photo i think... but good to have around and for future use

Would not even recommend to try. In crowded dim places people will trip over the tripod legs or bang against the tripod when everybody is squeezing to get a got spot for pictures.