AutoGal

Going to the Philadelphia Flower Show. And I need a bit of advice as to which lens would be best...

Here are my lens choices:

Nikon D7100 35mm or 50mm or 85 3.5mm (Macro)

Sony A6500 35mm or 18-135mm (No Macro, too expensive!!!)

I have other lenses, but, these are the ones I am "assuming" might be the best for the Flower Show.

Thank you!

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Personally, I would take the 50mm with the Nikon and the 18-135 with the Sony. I went there once with just a 50mm prime and liked the photos I got. Don't forget to go to the Reading Terminal Market. Good food and good photo ops with a 50mm.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Agreed, typing faster than I could with similar thoughts.

AutoGal

Thank you both, soooo much for your quick replies.

I would rather take only one camera and since I have the Nikon 18-140, (my D7100 is/was my very 1st love so I gotta take that ole gal out for a ride once in a while. To the Flower Show she goes... along with with the 50mm.

Thank you again for your kind advice.
Edee
PS Reason my Nikon is out and about, is that I just bought the AF-P 70-300 VR, it was so inexpensive that I had to try it out. I found some of my photos a bit soft, was taking photos of my hellebores. It was a bit breezy, no tripod, I handhold all. More photos are needed to make a good judgement.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Have a good time and make sure you post some of your photos when you return.

frjack Loc: Boston, MA

I envy you. Haven't been to the flower show in many years, mostly due to living in New England. The flower show is fantastic but packed. Getting good macro would be difficult to impossible. You will rarely have the chance to get close enough to some of the displays. The zoom will give a lot more flexibility. Some of the displays are miniatures while others are very large. Comfortable shoes. Use a hood to protect the lens in jostling crowds.

Definitely follow the advice to go to the adjacent Reading Terminal Market though it will be much more crowded than on a day when nothing is happening at the Convention Center. The Terminal, as it is called, has as many photo-ops as the flower show. Be absolutely certain to get a soft pretzel at the Amish stand (Fischer's Soft Pretzels) where they are served out of the oven after being rolled and twisted by Amish women who come into the city from Wed to Sat. You'll never eat an airport Aunt Annie's again (nor will I). Ever. And have a Termini's cannoli for desert. And then go to Jim's at 4th and South (easy walk) for a cheesesteak. I lived in Center City for several years, shopped at the Terminal weekly, and miss it. New England clam chowder or a lobster roll will never ever ever ever replace Philly food: cheesesteaks, scrapple, soft pretzels, and snapper soup.

edelberman

I suggest you also go Longwood Gardens for flower photography. At the moment (until March 24, 2019) they have an Orchid show. I have found Longwood Gardens great for photographing flowers.

Best of luck with your flower photography whichever camera and lens you use!

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

I only have experience with the Boston flower show but I can tell you that if Philly’s is anything like ours, you won’t be able to get close enough for macro. Take a zoom lens. I think you’ll have better luck with it as long as it isn’t one of those enormous ones.

AutoGal

Thank you all for your great replies.

Thank you frjack for all the great food suggestions...we all need good nourishment aside from the loving energy it takes to bring all our gear...😁 to shoot pretty flowers...
Edee

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

Perhaps your 18-135mm and a 10mm extension tube would give you lots of flexibility. I just tried it with my Sony A6300, 16-70mm zoom and 10mm extension tube. I changed zoom and focused using focus peaking and moving camera. I got a wide range of distance. I got my tubes from Amazon.

odujim Loc: New Jersey

I used a Nikon D7100 with the 50mm f/1.8 lens back in 2016 for the Phila. Flower Show with nice results. I did pack a zoom lens (the 18-140) just in case. I strongly recommend that you shoot RAW, because there will be so much mixed lighting that there will be a need to adjust white balance in PP. Dittos regarding the Reading Terminal Market - lots of good food!

AutoGal

Thank you!! Peter. They sound great! Ordered them!! so I can play with my Sony when I come back. The 90mm is soooooo expensive!!!! And yes, I do shoot RAW.

Love the Hogs!!!
Edee

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

Here's a sample of a past-its-prime flower taken with a handheld Sony A6300, 16-70mm @ 48mm with a 10mm extension tube, 1/125, f/11, ISO6400, no flash. Pay close attention to focus peaking. A potential problem may be with the camera's built-in flash since a long lens could block some of the flash and create a shadow. Of course, depth of field will be narrow. Experiment.

(Download)

AutoGal

Great photo, you give me hope!!

Yes, thank you...I am aware of a long lens creating a shadow. Had the Sony 18-200...

I am still learning my Sony a6500....have to go research and search for Focus Peaking. There should be an international law that all camera menus be the same...

lowkick Loc: Connecticut

I have been to the Phila. flower show several times. One thing you need to consider is the minimum focal distance of the lenses you bring. That flower show is typically very crowded and, if you step back to take a shot, someone will end up in front of you, blocking your view. Also, keep in mind that the lighting there is dim, so you will need a flash. You can shoot with a fast lens, but your depth of field at wide open settings will be shallow and flowers have depth to them.