Lens for Canon 7D?

liam1986ukuk

liam1986ukuk

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Liam
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regarding lens, i am going to cover my wifes sisters wedding for some practice in December, any advise on what lens would be good for taking shots from a distance? i was thinking perhaps something to 200mm?
 
would the 70-200 let me get close from standing say at the back of the chruch etc.. and whats the differance with the EF and the EF-S Lens @ 70-200mm?
 
EF & EF-S are the mounts, no difference in focul length. How far away from the B&G will you be. From the back of some churches 400mm wouldn't be enough! As POAH has said a 17-55 IS and 70-200 F2.8 IS would be ideal.
 
The mounts mean a different sensor size really which DOES affect the lens. you can use both on your camera giving you loads of choice.
The centre of the glass is used more so that they can be lower quality glass at the edges (cheaper) and an EF lens on an EF-S mount will change the focal length of course
on a 7D 70-200mm = range x1.6
so 112-320mm ish
decent for indoors
I used to use as 50-150 which was great for some great shots. in a church, no flash really but at the reception/speeches...why not
70-200 should be good, but you'll need f/2.8-3.2 for best use I think

p.s welcome to the forums liam :)
 
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An ef or ef-s lens of the same focul length on a 7D will be the same. It is the sensor size that makes a difference! The mounts do not mean a different sensor size. Just means a ef-s lens shouldn't be used on a full frame or 1.3 crop camera.
 
blimey, your all very helpful on TP! thanks alot, im looking forward to picking your brains alot more yet! p.s thanks for the welcome DizMatt :) just hope i can figure out how to use the 7D when it arrives on Friday! haha
 
would lens hoods for the lens ive got comming be a good idea 2? as i see Canon dont sell them with the Lens!
 
A lens hood would be a good idea. Will help to stop flare and protect the lens. What kit do you already have?
 
i dont have any kit.. ive been using a Olympus E510 on AUTO MODE for 2 years thought it about time i stopped being lazy and spend the ££ on some serious kit and learned how to take proper photos!

the kit ive got coming is....

Canon 7D
Canon BG-E7 Battery Grip
Canon EF-S 10 mm - 22 mm F/3.5-4.5 USM Lens
Canon EF-S 17 mm - 55 mm F/2.8 IS USM Lens
Canon Speedlite 420EX Shoe Mount Flash
Duracell 32GB Compact Flash 600X
Think Tank Urban Disguise 40 V2.0
:)
 
Hi Liam

Welcome to TP! I have used my 7D to shoot several weddings and got on very well with a 24-70 F2.8 L and also a 70-200 F2.8 L. When I am not the main photographer I always go with the 70-200 on the 7D which allows me to shoot unobtrusively from a fair distance, or if I am up close then I can get some cracking facials and close-up details (buttonholes, rings, etc.).

For me, the fast F2.8 maximum aperture was a really big deal because it allows me to shoot handheld in fairly dim settings. I went for the F2.8 over the F4 with image stabilisation (IS) because I also shoot sports and IS doesn't do so much (anything) for freezing subject movement but the extra stop of aperture does (faster shutter speed). Of course, the best of both worlds would be the 70-200 F2.8 IS Mk II, but it will be some time before I upgrade!

I now have the 5D Mk III which will remain paired with the 24-70 (Mark II when it is released) and the 7D will now remain paired with the 70-200.

I hope that helps.
Neil

p.s. My 70-200 came with a lens hood, as did my 24-70. Perhaps the L series always do?
 
You will probably find you will be ok with the 17-55. While the service is going on try and position yourself to one side of the B&G if you can. Just be careful if there is an official tog. They will more than likely be the other side. The best shot would be the B&G walking back down the Nave.
 
sounds like sound advice from you both, ill have a play with the kit over the week, hey i might even take it off AUTO MODE! am i best to havethe 7D shoot in RAW or JPEG to start with? ive heard that RAW are easier to edit in PS if i want to afterwards
 
Shoot in RAW. Gives you much more to play with while editing. If you need to under expose a shot to get the shutter speed you can get it back in PP.
 
i shall do just that then Dave, thanks for the tip, im a total beginner as im sure you've guessed! i wonder if you could suggest any good places for looking for a 70-200mm Lens? 2nd hand would be fine with me.
 
Why don't you hire one and see how you get on. The canon 70-200 f2.8 is an expensive (but stunning) lens. The sigma 70-200 f2.8 can be picked up for arount the £400-£500 mark. Have a look at Lensesforhire. He is a forum member here.
 
didnt even know you could hire lens! thats a great idea! i could even hire it out for the week of the wedding too. would be a cheap way of doing it i guess! have you used that rental company before Dave?
 
perfect, that would be a good idea i think, try before i maybe end up buying one in the future, could you suggest any good tools for keeping the lens and camera nice and clean?
 
o.k then, ive seen lens pens and allsorts on the net, they a waste of ££ im guessing then?
 
A lens cloth should be enough. Maybe some cleaning fluid for any stubborn marks. If you contact stuart at lenses for hire he will be able to give you some advice.
 
haha fair enough, ull just mention TP, thanks for your help Dave, how you finding the 1DMark III?
 
Here's an uncropped example at 185mm and f/2.8 on my 40D from the back of a "normal" sort of sized church....

20080829_142935_7906_LR.jpg


I was second shooting at the time and used a tripod for long the shots during the ceremony, which was quite a blessing as it's a heavy lens and the tripod meant I could focus, frame and forget in advance and just wait patiently to release the shutter whenever anything interesting happened.

This was at 200mm and f/2.8 on a 50D from the far end of an "orangery", with a tiny crop to remove a distracting element. Once again, tripod used. This was an overcast November wedding and the light was poor, needing 1/60 at f/2.8 and 3200 ISO, no flash allowed, and I've given the highlights a little push too.

20081130_143845_2676_LR.jpg


I suspect a 70-200 will be ideal, but nothing slower than f/2.8, and either IS or a tripod will probably be essential for December.
 
hi tim, that first shot looks spot on! no chance i could get that sort of pic with taking the shot hand-held?
 
liam1986ukuk said:
hi tim, that first shot looks spot on! no chance i could get that sort of pic with taking the shot hand-held?
Click to expand...

I think with IS that 1/100 is not a problem, but waiting for the right moment with the camera raised to the eye and the IS spinning away in anticipation could become very wearing (for arms and battery). Even a monopod would help, just to take the load for several minutes.
 
hi liam
you've got some decent kit on the post for a 'beginner'
everyone can learn something I think, even a hardened pro

Mmmmm....equipment does not the photographer make </yoda> :)

for lots of money you can get pro 70-200 L glass, f2.8 for churches
for less money Sigma do a nice one, f2.8 stabilised. but it's BIG
I just sold and REALLY liked my cheaper alternative, sigma 50-150 f2.8
smaller and easier to use, no OS or IS on it.
However, on the cropped 7D (I have a 40D), it becomes similar in focal length to a 70-200mm
There is also a sigma 2.8 70-200 which is moderately cheap (ish) and not stabilised but would give you some more range at f2.8 throughout and also has macro option

Remember all DSLR lenses are advertised with the focal length that you would find on a full frame sensor....even if it's an EF-S lens (cropped only)
(someone will correct me if I'm wrong quick quickly I think :P)
so your 17-55 is a 27-90mm even though it cannot be used on a full frame canon camera like a 1D or 5D. odd but as far as I know... true.
 
Everything Tim said, but I use a monopod with a non-IS 70-200 2.8.

The monopod will get me a low enough shutter speed for people, IS will get a lower speed, but, too low and you'll get subject movement.

The monopod is a Manfrotto Neotec, faster than a fast thing to set up and take down.
 
DizMatt said:
hi liam
you've got some decent kit on the post for a 'beginner'
everyone can learn something I think, even a hardened pro

Mmmmm....equipment does not the photographer make </yoda> :)

for lots of money you can get pro 70-200 L glass, f2.8 for churches
for less money Sigma do a nice one, f2.8 stabilised. but it's BIG
I just sold and REALLY liked my cheaper alternative, sigma 50-150 f2.8
smaller and easier to use, no OS or IS on it.
However, on the cropped 7D (I have a 40D), it becomes similar in focal length to a 70-200mm
There is also a sigma 2.8 70-200 which is moderately cheap (ish) and not stabilised but would give you some more range at f2.8 throughout and also has macro option

Remember all DSLR lenses are advertised with the focal length that you would find on a full frame sensor....even if it's an EF-S lens (cropped only)
(someone will correct me if I'm wrong quick quickly I think :P)
so your 17-55 is a 27-90mm even though it cannot be used on a full frame canon camera like a 1D or 5D. odd but as far as I know... true.
Click to expand...

Don't get hung up on crop factors, and really don't second guess. Focal lengths are a physical measurement, and a 17-55 is a 17-55. It'll never be a different set of figures. The angle of view will vary with the sensor size, but that doesn't matter to the OP who only has one sensor size to consider. All he needs to know is that it's a great range for a std zoom on his camera, on a FF camera it'd be a wide to mid zoom (if it fit).

The 70-200 2.8 is the lens to use, and it happens to be the best for this job on FF, 1.3 crop (1d btw), or 1.6 crop, or even Nikons 1.5 crop.

If Canon made a 50-150 2.8, and it was loads cheaper than the 70-200 and as good, it might be a goer, but they don't, so it doesn't matter. Btw, some of us use the 200 end of that zoom at weddings, and could sometimes use longer too!
 
hi Phil, kits just arrived, cant wait to go play at the weekend! havent got a tripod as of yet, as all my gear only came this morning, it makes me old Olympus E510 look like a baby! this new stuff it soooo much heavier too!
 
Hi Liam, welcome to the forum. Looks like you've got some good kit on the way, the 7D is a great camera if used correctly. It's a bit unforgiving if you get the exposure a bit off, but if you're shooting RAW you'll be able to pull it back in PP if needed. Most of the time for just general shooting I use Jpeg's, but for something important it's RAW every time.

The focal length of lenses don't change when using a crop sensor camera, it's just the field of view changes to that of 1.6x closer. The 70-200 f2.8 IS L is a great lens, and the MkII is even better (though I haven't tried it) and will be a terriffic companion to the 17-55 2.8.

If you're anywhere near to lincoln, feel free to drop by and have a few clicks of my lenses to try before you buy sort of thing.
 
HI Stuart, im based in Boston, im in Lincoln everyweek end pretty much, as the fiancee parents are there, some tip from you in person would be great!
 
Hi Liam.hope it goes well for you. in the late 60's early seventies used to knock about with the Boston Skinheads as i was working in Skegg those Summers,fond memories of the Gliderdrome on a Sat night:)
 
liam1986ukuk said:
i dont have any kit.. ive been using a Olympus E510 on AUTO MODE for 2 years thought it about time i stopped being lazy and spend the ££ on some serious kit and learned how to take proper photos!

the kit ive got coming is....

Canon 7D
Canon BG-E7 Battery Grip
Canon EF-S 10 mm - 22 mm F/3.5-4.5 USM Lens
Canon EF-S 17 mm - 55 mm F/2.8 IS USM Lens
Canon Speedlite 420EX Shoe Mount Flash
Duracell 32GB Compact Flash 600X
Think Tank Urban Disguise 40 V2.0
:)
Click to expand...

You are going to love your 17-55. I got the advise to buy that one from this forum and it was great advise. As far as range goes it really depends on how big the church is. The 17-55 could very well be to short. If you all the way in the back why chance it. I would go straight to the 70-200 in that situation. At least you are assured to have your range covered.
 
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