OzTex Loc: Houston

Recently given a Canon 60D by my wife with EFS 18-135 IS lens. Great setup that I am still learning to use.

Looking to get an additional lens to use indoors, mainly to photograph people. The zoom lens I have is great but maximum aperture opening is limiting for indoor / low light conditions. I like trying to use available light or subtle flash lighting to capture people when possible.

Any recommendations for a good, reasonably priced, lens around 50mm and f 1.8? Some zoom range nice but not necessary. Macro capability also nice but not necessary - may need a separate macro lens eventually.

Appreciate suggestions from the group.

londonfire Loc: NY to NC

OzTex, you described perfectly the 'plastic fantastic' from Canon. It's plastic now but the 1.8 is the ticket. If you can find an early one made in Japan jump on it if the price is right. IQ is great and it will at least tell you if the 50 is right for you. And, you can always resell it when you find something better. I had the 1.8 and the 1.4. 1.4 had a better build but the pics were almost identical.

Apjar307 Loc: Cheyenne, Wyoming

I totaly agree the f 1.8 is a great low light lens. Around $100-125 you can't beat it.

londonfire Loc: NY to NC

I forgot that I also have the Sigma 50mm macro and it' also a nice lens. Very compact but as I remember it has a funny hood and cap arrangement. Haven't used it in a while but enjoyed when I did. I took some great coin shots for my brother.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

In addition to the plastic fantastic 50mm...the Canon EF 35mm f/2 is a stellar lens.

Here is what I'd suggest. (and I know this goes against the grain but I've been down the "faster lens" road to the tune of many thousands of dollars....)

Instead of getting a faster lens, get a speedlight and learn to bounce flash. You will spend less money than a good lens, and you will get better results.

Why?

Because under typical "low light" conditions you are talking about ISO's of 1600, 3200 and up...that makes the quality of the images degrade some.

Not only that, to get the benefit of the large aperture you have to shoot wide open and even the plastic fantastic isn't as sharp as it should be wide open. Also your depth of field will be TINY TINY TINY and you will miss focus and shots because of that....but if you shoot at f/4 to get better DOF then you've negated the reason to use a fast lens in the first place!

If you learn to effectively bounce flash and flag flash, not only do you learn a very valuable skill, but you also get better images because you are creating great light...not settling for what's there.

That's just another point of view, but I think it's a valid one.

Here is a link to a post I put up showing the advantage of this approach

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-93761-1.html


And here is a link to learn to bounce and flag flash:

http://neilvn.com/tangents/the-black-foamie-thing/

OzTex Loc: Houston

@rpavich : thanks for the suggestions. I totally understand the flash benefits and I have a speedlite with wireless trigger. I'll check out your links as I am still learning how to use the speedlite to full advantage. That said, I do also want a lens that will allow large aperture opening - sometimes precisely for the very limited dof.

OzTex Loc: Houston

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Much appreciated.

Charles

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Oz, you need to decide the exact use of such a lens.
The 50's are great and inexpensive, but keep in mind that a 50 on your crop is a mild telephoto, hardly the best for indoors.
Take a look at something like the Canon 28/1.8. It's much better suited to general indoor ambient sight stuff
As Arpavich has pointed out, a good Flash may serve you better, since you could use your existing zoom lens. Any of the canon mkll zooms will give you ettl use.
With a 50/1.4-1.8, it's hard to get two people in focus at the same time. You have to get good at lining people up, and you lose candidness. In a faster zoom(and their not fast), your either looking at an expensive 24-70, or a third party lens to save money.
It's a tough choice.
Good luck. SS

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Try the EF 35mm f/2 refurbished lens from B&H for $256. Can be used on full frame also:

http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-lenses/ef-35mm-f-2-refurbished

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Just remember, DOF is very much a product of distance and not just aperture.

You can shoot at f/2 at someone 50 feet away and the DOF will be large, and then shoot someone at f/4 at 5 feet and the DOF will be very shallow.

It's relative. A fast lens isn't the be-all-end-all...people just keep saying it and perpetuating that idea.

djtravels Loc: Georgia boy now

If you have the room inside, I'd go with the 85mm f/1.8. I have one and have never looked back. Not very well suited for groups but indoors it's great with portraits. I use window light and a white board for reflector. Look for refurbished or 9+ used quality. You won't be sorry. Oh! I use it on a 60d. DJT

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

50mm 1.8 is a great lens, I also have the 40mm f2.8STM, another very handy indoor lens, both are nice outside also, some times that zoom get in the way, too much to carry, Bob.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

If you are going to shoot inside and you want candid shots and don't want to blind people with the speed light go with a fast lens. The nifty 50 is a great choice.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Just so everyone on this thread knows (and this isn't a dig at you sarge) you don't have to blind people with a speedlight to use one effectively inside.

If you flag it (put something on it so that it won't shoot forward) and point it up at a 45 angle so that the bounce to the subject is "upper side light" then the light cannot blind anyone; add to that the fact that you are just "supplementing" the available light so that f/4 or f/5.6 or whatever is usable, then the "pop" of light is very small and not hardly noticeable.

You can also put a speedlight up in a corner of the room (or two opposite corners for better coverage) and turn them down so that they are consistent "fill" lights to just get the ambient light level up to a usable level...nobody even realizes that they are going off after a few minutes...

Again..not a dig at you sarge, you are right...deer-in-the-headlight-flash doesn't work.

Bruce with a Canon Loc: Islip

Lot of folks prefer the 35 and 50 for portraits, I am more of a 100mm fan. I use a 100 2.8 macro and serves me very well. I also have an 18-200 that I use occasionally.