Lens to use in an art gallery (museum)?

Anybody home?

 

I'm taking my wife to see some paintings on Sunday. She is a big fan of Monet so we are going to Exhibition hall far from home. I've never

been there but I imagine it must be dark as any museum. Since I can't afford to buy any paints I promised her the second best choice! I'll

buy a good lens :) to get a few good shots. DSLR's are aloud but no tripod or flash. My first choice of lens is my 17-55 but I'm afraid it

won't be fast enough and I', concern about barrel distortion. We won't have the chance to go again to retake any shots.

 

I thought about a few primes: Sigma 30 f/1.4, Nikon 35 f/2, 50 f/1.4 or 85f/1.4

 

My Dilemma, the Sigma was my first choice but I just found out it is a DX lens. Would the 35 f/2 be fast enough? The 50 and 85 might be

too long and I'm still hopping for an AF-S 85 which would kill me if it comes out after I buy the AF.

 

What do you guys recommend? Is there any other better choice?

 

Thank you! Rene'

Sorry, NO PC lenses!

Any f/2.8 lens will be fast enough for most museums I've been to. Might have to crank up the ISO but I'd rather have the versatility of the 17-55 zoom than a faster prime. You don't always have a choice of ideal framing and distance in museums.

 

For example, one of my local museums has a Van Gogh protected by a small, low fence. Folks couldn't seem to resist the impasto and wanted to touch it. In another case a huge Monet doesn't have a lot of room to back up for framing with a normal focal length. Then you factor in jostling with other visitors.

 

I'd take the 17-55 and one fast prime.

The 17-55mm f2.8 is a DX lens, of course. The problem with lenses faster than f2.8 is the extremely shallow DOF. If the painting is large and you have to tilt the lens back, I would bet part of the painting would be a bit out of focus. I'd take the 17-55mm as it offers the most options, and the 30mm f1.4 because it is a modern lens and should be able to handle the light better than the old lenses you mention.

 

 

Kent in SD

I'd go with the 35 f2 but have you considered buying some books that include pictures of the paintings? I'm sure the museum gift shop will be selling Monet books and they will be taken under perfect lighting etc. that you won't be able to duplicate.

When I do copy work of original art, I use the 60mm Micro almost exclusively. It is very sharp, and distortion is almost nonexistent. F/2.8 should be fast enough in a museum setting. The 35mm f/2 would work as well, but not as sharp as the 60, 85 or the 50mm. A zoom such as the 17-55mm would make it easy to capture various sized pieces, and work around the crowds.

 

I've found that most museums are very open to photographers, IF the subjects you are shooting are in their permanent collection. Namely, traveling exhibits and shows are not eligible for random photography, due to copyright and contractual obligations. The specific rules and regulations will be spelled out clearly at the front desk.

 

Regardless, take some good shots, and remember to put the camera down occasionally and enjoy the art.

BTW, the best museum photos are of the people, not the paintings. In which case, the best lens depends on your comfort zone where it comes to photographing strangers. I'm shameless so I'd use a fisheye.

Rene, it is rare that museums allow flash. At least that's my experience. Since you have a D300 so just take the 17-55 and let your ISO fly. :-) You can correct any distortion in post processing, if you even have any.

 

BTW, I have the 35mm f/2 and really love it. Not a bad lens to have anyway, even more so on a DX body though I suspect I would really enjoy it on a D700, too. And I think both would be fast enough.

 

Just an IMHO, I would pass on the 85mm for this. Fabulous lens but AF-S won't be that important inside a museum anyway and it is probably a bit long.

My first choice would be 50/f1.4, but if you're concern about it being too long, 35/f2 will certainly do (its shorter focal length allows you to hand hold at slightly longer shutter speed which in effect makes up for its slower maximum aperture.) Set ISO to 800 and max f-stop if need be, brace yourself against a wall or entry way, and I'm sure you and your wife will come back with keepers.

It would be cheaper and a better quality to buy a good Monet book that has the images from the exhibition.

Since Monet is was an Impressionist, the lens doesn't have to be tack sharp. ;-)

 

I took this image hand held, without flash in the Musee D'Orsay, Paris, with my 18-200mm, f4.3 @ 1/25th sec, VR on.

Since Monet is was an Impressionist, the lens doesn't have to be tack sharp. ;-)

 

I took this image hand held, without flash in the Musee d'Orsay, Paris, with my 18-200mm, f4.3 @ 1/25th sec, VR on.<div></div>

Lex,

 

you're too amusing - - you photograph people at a museum with a fisheye? I want to see an example. Fast.

 

I'm thinking of taking my daughter to a small museum in Santa Ana, they have very special exhibition. Before they had the Forbidden City & now they have the Terra Cotta Army in Xi'an - - both Chinese exhibitions. This is probably one of the most impressive museums I have been to in the US. Beautiful exhibitions.

 

Don't think I'll use the 10,5 Fisheye, but I just might use the 14-24 I just got.

 

Lex show us some of your Fisheye museum shots please......

 

Lil :)

<P>Rene, buy a book for images of the paintings and spend the day photographing the visitors. Lex is right. I had

fun doing just that at MOMA NY last year (see: http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=779253).

</P>

<P>If you are going to try photographing the paintings, I would go with the 35 f/2. It is a great, lightweight,

fast-focusing lens. If you are using a DX system, it is the focal length you want -- I have the 50 1.4 and it is

just too long for museums. I have shot a number of artifacts for use as slides etc. . . in museums and I use the

35 f/2 almost exclusively and the 50 f/1.4 only for very small items.

</P><P>

If you have a new D700, then get the 50mm.

</P><P>

Lil, this isn't a fish-eye (I don't have one); but, it is a 12mm shot. I was about 2 feet from the woman or

less:</p><p>

 

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/6589972-lg.jpg" width=400></p><P>Waiting in line at MOMA.</P>

Well..... I got my wife's blessings to buy a new lens! That's the only reason I'll take her! (Joke)

 

LEX... "I'm shameless so I'd use a fisheye." I think I saw you on a u-tube video! lol

 

KENT.... "The 17-55mm f2.8 is a DX lens, of course" What? You're kidding me! :) I meant I don't want to buy any more

DX lenses.

 

WALT, WILLIAM.... She got a lot of books and I'm sure she'll buy more but there is nothing more rewarding than saying:

"I took that picture"

 

ROBERT.... Do you have any more pictures? You might save me a trip to the museum! :)

 

OK.... Thank all for your advices! I knew I could count on you! Let's see what I can do with my 17-55 and I'll save a few bucks!

Thanks! Rene'

Okay, here you go.

 

On a serious level, I think a 17-55mm will do perfictly, Rene'. Good luck.<div></div>

Didn't give the details, but in case anyone wants to know. "Another Monet" was shot hand held at Musee d'Orsay, Paris,

with a Nikon D80, Nikon 18-200 f3.5-5.6 VR, ISO 640, f4.2 @1/25, 32mm, VR on. Image is not cropped.

"...but have you considered buying some books that include pictures of the paintings? I'm sure the museum gift shop will be selling Monet books and they will be taken under perfect lighting etc. that you won't be able to duplicate."

 

Walt is right. Your own pics won't be as good as reproductions that were made unter perfect conditions. Better enjoy the museum and take some pics of the visitors. That's more fun.

Are you going to a museum exhibition of extraordinary pictures and missing the chance to see COMPOSITION, COLOR,

ANGLE of VIEW etc by the masters? To study it, what you like, see, understand, .. or just going to fiddle with a new lens in

a new environment, annoying the wife and everyone else with your clicks and so forth. Think about this, please before you loose your chance

of ever being taken to an art exhibit again ... as the .. you portrait yourself as.

 

Can you change your wife's mind to let you buy the lens that you do not really need but WANT and then keep the camera at

home, just to view the art itself in the company of your lovely wife.

 

Have you ever considered that she is (or maybe thinking of) taking you there so that your journey into art and composition may begin or

progress?

And so that your pictures will improve, good sir?

 

To let you start seeing, rather than gearing?

 

Lucky husband you are with such a wife!

Wow, there is some serious high-ISO noise in those Monet shots! Definitely time to upgrade to the D700 ;~)

Lex has a good point about the people. An ultrawide does seem to work best.

 

 

Kent in SD

"Wow, there is some serious high-ISO noise in those Monet shots! Definitely time to upgrade to the D700 ;~)"

 

Don't say stuff like that Dan, I don't have any will power.

IAN.... Nice work and thanks for the advice!

 

ROBERT.... I don't know what to say! If I can get any shot likes yours the old lady will be really happy. She is bugging

me already, wanted me to download your files! May i? I don't know if it is noise or what but looking at your pictures they

look like 3D or something. You can almost feel the texture of the paintings! Nice work! Thank you!

 

FRANK.... "annoying the wife and everyone else with your clicks and so forth" Uhmm! I hadn't thought about that! But

Yeah! That's another good reason to go! Sorry! Just kidding! I hear you! And a new lens is not a reason to go. She doesn't

care about my gear coz she knows if she did I'd get involve with her shoes and Channel bags!

 

KENT, LEX... I'm sure my Tokina 11-16 would serve me well for that. Uhmm! The problem is Japanese people, as soon

as they see a camera pointed at them, right away they make a fake smile and a peace sign! It's funny but it is so hard to

get some kind of nice candid unless you have a telephoto glass. But yeah! You've giving me a few ideas! Thanks!

 

Rene'

Rene',

 

You are welcome to copy these images. I'm not at my own computer at the moment, but later today I can email larger files to you, if you would like.

 

The three dimensional quality of these images is purely due to the genius of Monet. At 100% enlargement of the original jpg files, I can see quite sharp detail, including brush strokes, and the actual texture of the canvas. Even in the second Monet image above, it is easy to see horizontal canvas texture. I don't actually see much noise at 100%, either.

Some brush stroke and canvas texture.<div></div>