What are your favorite lenses for Children and Family?

<p>Hi! I have searched the forums and found some great answers to questions about lenses. But nothing specific to children and family photography. I'm starting out and need some advice on what lenses I should try with my Canon Rebel. What is your lens when shooting children and families?<br>

Thanks so much!! I appreciate it!<br>

Amy</p>

The kit 18-55mm (or whatever is the equivalent in Canonland) zoom and a decent speedlight makes a

pretty convincing combination, especially when starting out.

<p>Need more details…family shots can be <strong>very</strong> different from children shots. I mean, "family and children" go into one category, but there're too many different ways of shooting to recommend just 1 lens.<br>

But <em>if</em> I had to choose, I'd go with a 35.</p>

<p>I recommend the 18-200mm first. Once you figure out what mm you use most...then, narrow lenses down. simple and easy. Cheaper...I would go for a something like 17/18-55mm.</p>

<p>I have a beat up old Canon 35-350L that is perfect on FF, fast AF, really close focusing, and quick to jump from wide to medium to long tele without a hiccup. Might not suit everyone but works for me.</p>

<p>Also if the children are playing sports, let us know what kind of sports as the lenses recommendations for sports are very different from your normal everyday lens. For example, playing baseball outdoors requires something special, and it very different from playing indoor basketball in poorly lit school gyms. </p>

<p>Sorry, I wasn't more specific. No sports, just portrait shots. Newborns, children and family portraits. Mostly outside, need to be able to shoot inside, but not in a studio. Hope this narrows it down. <br>

And thanks for the responses. </p>

<p>I recently purchased the Tamron-28-75mm to use with my Rebel XTi ( http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/tamron_28_75.html ) and I love it for casual "around the house" and portrait shots.</p>

<p>I use three different lenses depending on how many people are in the frame, how bright the ambient light is, using flash or not, etc.<br>

My go-to for posed groups is a 28 f/2.8. You can find it used for a decent price since it's an older lens. It's sharp, focuses pretty quickly, and has a good combination of depth-of-field and field-of-view that makes it an ideal for mid-sized groups of people. Add an off camera flash at 45 degrees to the camera, and you have a great combination.<br>

With one person in the frame, I'll use a 50mm f/1.8 mk I or an 85 f/1.8. The 50mm for indoors, 85mm for out. You can use the 50mm for smaller groups of people, like three or four. Any more than that and some people start to be out of the focus range.<br>

The 85 is for photographs while kids are running around. It autofocuses so quickly you can't even tell it moved.</p>

<p>Amy, I offer up the various children shots (including some action shots) featured in my 2009 and 2010 folders to beat the drums for the Canon A540 P&S (or current equivalent model) It's 5.8mm - 23.2mm (35 to 140 equiv on a FF camera) has proven successful for me. And I can get great 12" x 18" enlargements with ease. So I can agree with the choices of all the above posters. Except my way is cheaper and lighter. OK, so I can't control the DOF to the extent the DSLR and FF cameras can. Life's a compromise. Best, LM.</p>

<p>Amy, In fact, here's an action shot I took just this afternoon at my grandson's soccer game with the Canon A540. Best, LM</p><div></div>

<p>I like a normal field of view fast prime. On full frame the Canon 50mm f1.4 works for me. On your 1.6 crop you might try the Canon 35mm f2.0.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone!</p>

<p>I'm not a Canon user but for what you describe, since you are just starting out, most kit lenses will work fine. I see that many of the Rebels comes with a 18-55 lens. This is fine as a starter. if there is an option to change the kit lens to something close to the Nikon 18-105, I would consider it.</p>

<p>Learn to master the Rebel first with the kit lens. After you've had it for a while and you begin to understand what limitations the camera and kit lens gives you for what you want to shoot, then you should begin looking at additional lenses. Otherwise you will just be throwing money at a problem without understanding if there even is a problem. </p>

<p>Also one last thing. When you buy your camera, there are a few musts that you should invest in. This includes extra memory cards, an extra battery, something to clean the front lens with (make sure you understand how do to this first!!). a bag of some sorts to hold everything, and an external flash. </p>

<p>For general purpose, an 18-55mm kit lens is good as long as you have plenty of light. The kit lenses aren't fast but they are economical. You can get good results, especially outside (personally I hated my kit lens indoors, however IS versions are better).<br>

If you plan to get serious and use your Rebel to it's fullest capabilities, then you will eventually want to shelve the kit lens, and opt for something with a big aperture. It's like any other hobby. The more you get into it the thinner your wallet gets (in a hurry).<br>

As Robert said, the 50mm or 85mm prime lens are great. They won't zoom so you have to take some steps forward or back. Personally, I use an 18-50 f2.8 for general purpose, reach for my 50mm prime or 70-200 f2.8 for portraits. </p>