Which combination is best?

It is a rather unusual question but I’m serious! I have Canon 500D, 5D and 5Dll and F4 lenses as well as 24mm f1.4 but I don’t have a f2.8 telephoto lens for full frame (has to be IS). I cover many community events under low light where f4 in not really the answer for the sharpness/ noise freeness that I’m looking for.

 

I have f2.8 IS (17-55mm) for 500D which gives good results but of course the noise at high ISO is a limiting factor.

 

I’m thinking of two possibilities: either buy 70-200mm f2.8 L ll IS at about £1800 and enjoy the low noise performance

of my 5Dll or buy a 7D (about £1100) and use my well proven 17-55mm f2.8 IS at high ISO enjoying the low noise

reputation of 7D and save £700.

What would you recommend!<div></div>

<p>For a one stop difference and for your subject I would simply turn the ISO on the 5D II up one more notch. 1600 is acceptable, 3200 is pushing it a bit. Otherwise the expensive IS II zoom is overkill, and so is getting yet another camera. A used Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 IS (version 1) would be plenty for what you need and in your budget. If you can live without the zoom and just crop a bit, when necessary, the Canon 135mm f2 L would be exceptional, and also within your budget. </p>

<p>John is spot on.</p>

<p>For those of us who remember shooting available darkness with GAF 500 slide film, the amount of noise on even your 5D, much less the newer ones, is trivial compared to the grain we used to accept as an inevitable consequence of what we were doing. If you are not printing at huge sizes, the likelihood is that no one but a pixel peeper would even know.</p><div></div>

<p>Get the 24-70mm 2.8 zoom lens, the standard for event photography for money on full frame. Get either the 85mm 1.8 or the 100mm 2.0 for the other full frame body. Wait until these two lenses make enough money for you to afford the 70-200mm 2.8 IS II. By that time you may not feel that you need it. Good luck!</p>

<p>It may not suit your needs, but I have been really impressed with the Topaz DeNoise software for PS. Free trial version is available at Topaz Labs. Would be the least expensive solution if noise is the only issue.</p>

<p>Let's see.... your example is shot at f5.7, so whether you shoot with an f2.8 or f4 lens is immaterial. Sure, you could shoot at maximum aperture, but then you won't have the depth of field needed to achieve the range of sharp focus for such an image. So I don't see why lens choice will impact this. Perhaps someone brighter than me can correct me if I'm wrong, or you might have another example that would show why a faster lens would help you.<br>

Furthermore, with the exception of the gray panels on the walls, there is no uniform area in the photo at all that would be adversely affected by the minimal grain of these modern cameras. For a "record" shot such as your example, I think concern of grain for such a subject is un-necessary.<br>

Take all this with a grain of salt, Husain -- I'm a child of the film era, and still think ISO400 to be breathtakingly fast, and am astonished at the images I can get at ISO800 with my 400D. You may have finer and more demanding requirements for noise/sharpness than me. Good luck.</p>

<p>Simply turn up the ISO on a 5D2 and you'll be fine. It's good up to ISO 6400, easily, with minimal NR.</p>