need a good lens

[jethro_munro]

im after the best lens for taking school or sport team photos that is

group of kids two lines ets. can anyone advise. at present im using my

kit lens. bear im mind im extremely competant in photoshop as im in

the transition from pre press to pro photography with great results. i

do own a 70-200 VR which is too much in yor face. is a 50mm 1.4

acceptable or shoud i go for a 85mm. you comments would be greatly

appreciated geoff

[gan_esh]

I've never shot school group photos before, but I'm guessing a 50mm 1.8 should be fine. Its cheaper than the f1.4 and you'll mostly be using small apertures for more D.O.F in these kind of shots.

 

85mm may be too long.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Cheers!

[vivek iyer]

Your kit lens should do just fine if you are hoping to make 20x30cm prints (from a D70?).

[ryan_brenizer]

Is there a particular reason that you're looking at mild telephotos to shoot a wide subject? Assuming this is a digital, even that 50 doesn't have a normal frame anymore.

 

The 50 should be fine, though, but most sports group shots are outside right? One way or the other you're going to want a broader depth-of-field for this subject than you'd get at 1.4, so for this situation save the money at get a 50mm f/1.8 for less than $100.

[ryan_brenizer]

And, for the record, I'm not recommending shooting it at f/1.8. The kids probably all want to be able to recognize their faces in the result.

[erickpro]

If you own a 70-200mm why do you want a prime 85mm (especially when you say the other lense is to much in your face)?

 

 

If you are shooting crowds, go wide with a 24mm (if shooting DX even wider)

[erickpro]

and if you are shooting teams outside then a 35mm will do rigth, even the 50mm might be okay but remember that you may need to get back to cover bigger teams.

[jeff h.]

Where I live, the yearly sports team photos are taken by a pro that produces great photos,

both individual players and entire teams. The team photos are taken with a medium

format camera and (I think) a standard 80mm lens. The individual shots (torso and head)

are taken on an old, pro, manual focus Nikon body (with motor drive), flash (SB-28) and a

50/f1.4D lens. I myself (not a pro) have used a 50/1.4 for candid and posed portraits with

great results. I have the 85/f1.8D lens, which I got for dedicated portraits, and I find that

the depth of field can be so shallow, that you have to work harder to get results. I have

taken not a few photos wide open where the tip of the nose is in focus but the eyes look

blurred. You may have better results, but if you already have a 50mm lens, I wouldn't go

out and get an 85 just for this.

[michael_millard]

If your heart is set on buying a new lens, I'd say the 50mm f/1.4 is probably your best all-around choice (in addition to the kit lens).

 

As someone else mentioned, I too seriously doubt you'll ever need the extra stops that the f/1.4 would offer for team photos (indoor or out!), but it's always a good idea to have some fast glass available for all the other things you shoot (or will shoot). You really can't go wrong with the 50mm.

 

So, to recap: I'd have to agree the kit lens is fine for your intended application. Probably better than a prime because the kit lens provides flexible subject framing. And for that same reason, I also agree that an 85mm is probably too restrictive.

 

Personally, dollar-for-dollar, I think the f/1.4 over the f/1.8 might be the cheapest f/stop advantage you'll ever purchase. So why not?

 

Best of luck deciding!

[jay_blocksom]

<BLOCKQUOTE><I><B>jethro munro, jul 28, 2005; 07:16 a.m.</B>

<br>

im after the best lens for taking school or sport team photos that is group of kids two lines ets.

</I></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I'm not entirely sure I understand the question...  Do you mean formal "Team Portraits", like the typical boring "Mrs. Jones's Fifth Grade Class of 2004/2005" photos so ubiquitous in the public school system?  Or are you perhaps referring to individual portraits of team members, or to candids and/or "event" shots of the team in action?  These are three (maybe four) *entirely* different sorts of things, photographically and (to at least some degree) in terms of the equipment you'll need to do them right.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><I>

can anyone advise. at present im using my kit lens.

</I></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

*What* "kit lens" You never mentioned what camera you're using for this application.  Dare I presume you mean the 18-70mm f3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom that is supplied as part of the Nikon "D70 Outfit"?

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><I>

bear im mind im extremely competant in photoshop as im in the transition from pre press to pro photography with great results.

</I></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I'm at a loss to understand what this has to do with anything, let alone the question you actually asked.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><I>

i do own a 70-200 VR which is too much in yor face. is a 50mm 1.4 acceptable or shoud i go for a 85mm. you comments would be greatly appreciated geoff

</I></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

What, exactly, do you mean by "in yor face", in this context?  Presuming the "formal group photo" scenario that I *think* you're talking about, a lens that long would require you to back *waaaaay* off, just to fit everyone in the frame -- especially on a DSLR, with its attendant "crop factor". 

<br>

<br>

But that is the direct antithesis of "in your face", which I equate to trying to do people pics with a too-short lens, requiring you to stick the camera almost directly under their nose(s) in order to fill the frame, hence intimidating (or at least distracting) your subject(s).  Avoiding that sort of intimidation/distraction is one reasons the 85mm and 105mm focal lengths have come to be regarded as "standards" for single-subject (and very small group, like couples, possibly with one or two kids) portraiture with 35mm film.

<br>

<br>

So perhaps if you can describe your shooting scenario and state your question more unambiguously, you can get "better" answers.

<br>

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[dmin-99]

Why do you need another lens? I've done this before. You need to get the proper framing from ~10' away from the nearest subject. Mark the grass/ground with tape to keep everyone in the field of view. Use whatever focal length is appropriate... do NOT change the focal length during shooting. Keep all the little bugger's heads the same size (except for the genetics involved). I used film but I'm guessing that 50mm on a digital may be a bit too tight. I'd go with a medium-wide zoom and tape the zoom in place once the right fl was established. You'll be shooting ~f/8 so a fast lens isn't needed.

 

Regards,

Wayne