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Telephoto used in studio shoots?

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jbl

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I'm wondering what are the lenses usually used in photo shoots...

I'm guessing 24-70 for wide
50 1.4
85 1.4
105 2
135 2

??
For my shoot I used 20mm f1.8 (stopped down is really good, but I found it a tad too wide... the shots I made with it were mostly for fun anyway) the 50mm f1.8, not ideal but it did the job.. and I used a 105mm f2.5 MF pretty sharp lens.

But i'm thinking of getting a 70-200 AF-S VR for both low light telephoto needs and versatile lens.. I know the lens is not as good at 200mm but I think my use of 200mm would most likely be outside and stopped down a bit..

I recently did some candid shots with the 105 in very low light condition... I had extreme high ISO and my shutter speed was not always high enough, these flaws added to the fact that the lens was manual focus gave me pictures that often had good subjects, good frames, interesting composition, but out of focus :( I'd expect the 70-200 to fix this in such a condition. Last time I tried the lens, it was in a relatively low light condition and I got surprised by how slow the shutter can go and still have sharp shots at 200mm, hand held.

What do you guys think?

Posted 3 years ago #
adamz

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I love the 70-200 and never had any problems with softness @200. It's almost as sharp as 24-70 and with a good handholding (no jokes please) technique You can get really good results on low light. As for working with t in studio, well if you have enough working distance fir sure You will love this lens and its bokeh.

Posted 3 years ago #
ted2001

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I almost never used wider than 50/2mm and longer than 105/2.5mm. My favorite was an old 85/2 Nikon. Not very sharp, but very pleasing for people. If I had had more room, I would have been likely to go both a bit wider and a bit longer. (Room was about 15x18, but stands and lights and softboxes take up a lot of space.)

Posted 3 years ago #
jbl

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The room that I rent would offer enough space to use 200mm... even if I wouldn't plan to do so. I had a lot of fun with 50 and 105.. but sometimes I would have liked to try between this range and a bit over.

The minimal focus distance is 1.5m... Is that at all focal length? 1.5 at 70mm seems a bit too far. On FX considering the lens is a bit wider.. that 1.5m is something that could restrict me I guess.. but now I shoot DX. I guess this lens shines at 105-135-150ish where you can go back to avoid distortion and have a more flexible frame for your subject... and still can do headshots at 1.5m by zooming a bit more. The minimal focus distance is probably one of the most underrated spec of a lens imo.

Anyway if I want to get close I got other lenses. (but that would contradict the idea of working without changing lens.

I usually prefer working with primes as I don't mind using my legs and framing the shot while keeping a specific focal length.. I find that this works very well for architecture, street photography and the stuff that I usually do, but with my recent shooting, sometimes the model was moving just a little and the pose was nice but I had to move to reframe the arms and all.. the ability to slightly zoom in and out is probably going to help me there.

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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I just love my 70-200 2.8VR for studio shots. It works great for 1 to 3 people and I usually have at the 90mm area then you can zoom a bit both ways if needed, Also it so great and easy to to shot vertical with the lens attached to a Tripod just turn the lens on the lens collar and lock it down, and outside I would mostly shoot hand held and it does give you a fantastic bokeh

Pete

Posted 3 years ago #
Gentoo

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I agree with the others on the 70-200. It's a great lens for many situations and has a FL that's quite flexible. The bokeh is great!

Posted 3 years ago #
NSXType-R

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Yeah, I'm sure you can use it. NikonDTown covered that. They pretty much advocate for the 14-24, 24-70, 70-200 all the time and forget about those with tight budgets. :D

Posted 3 years ago #
jbl

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NSX it might sound silly but I see the 70-200 as only telephoto for outside, indoor, studio and all as a pretty tight budget option. Yes the lens is 1500-2000$ so it's not tight budget in kit lens terms but for a pro (not saying that I am one) it could be justifiable to use specific primes such as the 105 f2, 50 f1.4, 85 f1.4 in the studio, the 70-200 and a longer fast telephoto for sports, etc..

Considering that telephoto will always be 2nd to me, the 70-200 is already a lot of money but I'd expect it to be a multi purpose lens.. that I will use at 200mm to get something far away, (the uwa maniac that I am couldn't justify buying something longer than 200mm at the price and size that they are) for low light, flash-less candid eye and portraits, studio shots at f8-f11 (I hope I won't ever need anything smaller than that). I'm really a maniac of low DOF so I'd love to get a 105 or 135 f2 on FX sensor just for portraits but it's hard to justify.

Posted 3 years ago #
Demisthene Akatsuki

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Im not a studio guy, but when i do shoot people pictures, i always use my 70-200, and i do know a lotta people who does the same.
i like this lens because its also very multi functional.

Posted 3 years ago #
jbl

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ya... I really think I can't go wrong with this lens.

Posted 3 years ago #
Demisthene Akatsuki

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Actually i remember seeing Joe McNally use this glass for portrait work in a studio.
you can check out what he uses here: http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/whats-in-the-bag/

i see the 200/2 there which could be used for portrait work, its so sharp it'll cut you if you don' watch out.
other than that i see the 105/2.8 micro and the 24-70, so id reckon he uses the 70-200 quite a bit, its got the nice 85-100 sweet portrait spot.

Posted 3 years ago #
jbl

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The guy has a nice kit with all the lastest toys... I wish I could afford all that.

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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We all have to start somewhere and the 70-200 2.8 is a good start and sure to be on your camera a lot

Pete

Posted 3 years ago #
NikoDoby

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Joe McNally's wife also works for Nikon so I'm sure that helps too.

Posted 3 years ago #
NSXType-R

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NikoDoby, no doubt, the expensive lenses eventually have to come, but as a poor college student, that's still way out of my league, at least until I have a steady income.

I just wish there was a lower end pro, just like Canon. :D

Posted 3 years ago #
JMCS

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Well, I use a Canon 135mm softfocus lens at the studio where I work. But for myself, I'd use a Nikon 105mm DC.

Posted 3 years ago #
jbl

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Wow I bet that 135 and 105 are awesome for portraits...

I remember wanting the 105 DC a while ago.. but at its price... for me, it's easier to justify a 70-200.

I feel that it's weird to buy an AF-S 70-200 f/2.8G VR I, just a few days before the II version. But considering that I'm buying it used and that the II version will cost even more... I get a good deal.

Posted 3 years ago #
NikoDoby

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Nikon's 135mm f/2 DC lens is awesome for portraits and on a DX camera that's f2 at about 200mm!
But it's an old design and might actually have been recently discontinued? :^(

Posted 3 years ago #
jbl

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They should upgrade the DC lenses... make them AF-S (or are they already?) and VR... and f/1.8

Until then I guess I can shoot my newly acquired 70-200 :) :)

Feels weird to buy a lens before it's upgraded but... I wouldn't be able to justify the overpriced VR II version anyway.. and I tried the 70-200 in the kind of low light where I shoot and I just love how it does the job. You shoot at 1/40 at 200mm, hand held in a shaky metro wagon and you actually nail the shot.. it's impressive!

Posted 3 years ago #
jbl

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I'm PPing some shots in extreme low light and wow.. how can a shot taken at iso 1600, 250mm equivalent be that sharp when my subject is moving, I'm moving and the shutter speed is at 1/60... I mean I won't cut myself on that shot but it would be sharp enough to print, even if I shot in horrible conditions.. I think I spent my money at the right place.

Posted 3 years ago #
NikoDoby

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So I guess your staying with Nikon? ;^)

Posted 3 years ago #
jbl

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Yeah... I'm disgusted by Canon's ergonomics and I love my D300, I doubt I could be more satisfied than I am with my D300 by going to Nikon. About the video, well I can do awesome "video" with still pictures.. I love stop motion. So I'm going to specialize in it. (it's so popular anyway... not that I want to be popular at all costs, but at least it's not some obscure understood stuff)

Posted 3 years ago #

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Telephoto used in studio shoots?

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