Author Topic: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids  (Read 2444 times)

ManlyFather

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Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« on: September 12, 2017, 12:45:53 PM »
Greetings all!

I have a pretty good idea of the lenses that are useful for portraits, etc. of my kids, but I am looking for additional expertise of the super smart mustacians ;)

I have a Canon 6D (full frame, almost the same specs as the 5D mark III, but waaaaaay cheaper), and am considering either the 16-35mm F2.8 II/III USM or the 24-70mm F2.8 USM.  I'm mostly looking for indoor, low light, fast motion, and both lenses deliver.  I'm not sure about the difference in distortion in the real world between the two.  If anyone has a strong preference for one over the other, please chime in!

Also, general Canon DSLR lens discussion thread!

aperture

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Re: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2017, 01:01:09 PM »
Greetings all!

I have a pretty good idea of the lenses that are useful for portraits, etc. of my kids, but I am looking for additional expertise of the super smart mustacians ;)

I have a Canon 6D (full frame, almost the same specs as the 5D mark III, but waaaaaay cheaper), and am considering either the 16-35mm F2.8 II/III USM or the 24-70mm F2.8 USM.  I'm mostly looking for indoor, low light, fast motion, and both lenses deliver.  I'm not sure about the difference in distortion in the real world between the two.  If anyone has a strong preference for one over the other, please chime in!

Also, general Canon DSLR lens discussion thread!

The Canon 17-40mm f4L is 1/2 the price of the 16-35 f2.8.  You will have to boost the ISO for indoor shooting, but that is what the 6D is good for. 

Personally I use the Rokinon 14 mm f2.8 for my landscape/starfields/groups of people photos. It has its drawbacks (manual everything) but is super cheap and lots of fun to shoot with.

NoStacheOhio

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Re: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2017, 01:05:47 PM »
It depends on your shooting style. With the 16-35 on full frame you're going to need to get in really close.

No, closer than that.

Closer.

Yeah, about there.

The side effect is that your pictures will be better.

Have you considered a 35mm prime instead? The 35/85 combo has become my bread and butter over the last few years. I use Ls, but I also don't spend my own money on this stuff.

ketchup

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Re: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2017, 01:40:00 PM »
My GF is a pro photographer (with a 5D Mark IV) and she has that 24-70 f/2.8 (the older one first released in 2002, not the 2012 refresh).  That would probably be appropriate for indoor kid shots.  16-35 would probably be too wide to be useful (and you'd be at 35 the whole time).

Outdoors though, if you do that at all, you'll probably want something longer (GF has a 135mm f/2 and a 70-200 f/2.8 II and both are fantastic but expensive).

ManlyFather

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Re: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2017, 01:48:08 PM »
Greetings all!

I have a pretty good idea of the lenses that are useful for portraits, etc. of my kids, but I am looking for additional expertise of the super smart mustacians ;)

I have a Canon 6D (full frame, almost the same specs as the 5D mark III, but waaaaaay cheaper), and am considering either the 16-35mm F2.8 II/III USM or the 24-70mm F2.8 USM.  I'm mostly looking for indoor, low light, fast motion, and both lenses deliver.  I'm not sure about the difference in distortion in the real world between the two.  If anyone has a strong preference for one over the other, please chime in!

Also, general Canon DSLR lens discussion thread!

The Canon 17-40mm f4L is 1/2 the price of the 16-35 f2.8.  You will have to boost the ISO for indoor shooting, but that is what the 6D is good for. 

Personally I use the Rokinon 14 mm f2.8 for my landscape/starfields/groups of people photos. It has its drawbacks (manual everything) but is super cheap and lots of fun to shoot with.

I will take a look at the 17-40, I hadn't considered it (does it have IS?).  I have a Tokina 11-16 for wide shots, but I can only use 16 on my full frame (I get a circular vignette going down to 11).  Do you use any other Rokinon's?

ManlyFather

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Re: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2017, 01:49:02 PM »
It depends on your shooting style. With the 16-35 on full frame you're going to need to get in really close.

No, closer than that.

Closer.

Yeah, about there.

The side effect is that your pictures will be better.

Have you considered a 35mm prime instead? The 35/85 combo has become my bread and butter over the last few years. I use Ls, but I also don't spend my own money on this stuff.

I have the 85 prime, and didn't consider getting another prime (this would actually work great!).  What do you think about the 35 vs. the 40mm pancake?

ManlyFather

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Re: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2017, 01:50:18 PM »
My GF is a pro photographer (with a 5D Mark IV) and she has that 24-70 f/2.8 (the older one first released in 2002, not the 2012 refresh).  That would probably be appropriate for indoor kid shots.  16-35 would probably be too wide to be useful (and you'd be at 35 the whole time).

Outdoors though, if you do that at all, you'll probably want something longer (GF has a 135mm f/2 and a 70-200 f/2.8 II and both are fantastic but expensive).

I used to do mainly outdoors/landscapes for the past few years.  I really like my 24-105 and 100-400, so I think I'm good on the longer focal lengths ;)

aperture

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Re: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2017, 08:31:34 PM »
I will take a look at the 17-40, I hadn't considered it (does it have IS?).  I have a Tokina 11-16 for wide shots, but I can only use 16 on my full frame (I get a circular vignette going down to 11).  Do you use any other Rokinon's?
I do not recall if 17-40 has IS - probably not. I used to have that Tokina on my Rebel crop frame - loved that lens on that body. (Also loved using the 100-400 on a recent safari-ish trip.)  If you have not tried them, consider lensrental.com or similar to try out a lens you are considering. I have not owned other Robinson lenses and selected the 14mm after careful research because it was better rated then most others for star field photos. Best wishes, aperture.

NoStacheOhio

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Re: Best Canon DSLR Lenses for kids
« Reply #8 on: September 14, 2017, 06:03:14 AM »

I have the 85 prime, and didn't consider getting another prime (this would actually work great!).  What do you think about the 35 vs. the 40mm pancake?

I haven't used the pancake myself, nor the 35/2, but the 1.4L is freaking awesome. I've read good things about the f/2 though.