new borns: ok so i shoot outdoors mostly birds!! my son and his wife are expecting in sept so my question is do I purchase a 50mm lens or shoot with my 24-70 lens? camera is full frame...

MS. DONNA Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH FL

ok so i shoot outdoors mostly birds!! my son and his wife are expecting in sept so my question is do I purchase a 50mm lens or shoot with my 24-70 lens? camera is full frame

Thank you

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Why wouldn't the zoom cover it?
You might only loose a stop or two in speed depending on the lighting.
There are no "indoor/outdoor" lenses.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I’d stick with the zoom. 70mm gets you closer to a portrait length.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

You didn't say what brand you shoot with.

Canon 50mm lenses come in 1.8, 1.4, 1.2 f-stops.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=canon%2050mm%20lens&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma

The Canon 24-70 is a 2.8

Unless you want to shoot wider open than the 2.8 just set your 24-70 at the 50mm range.

I bought the 50 1.8 so I could shoot indoors without a flash. It quickly became one of my favorite lenses. My daughter got interested in photography and "borrowed" it along with one of my cameras and haven't seen either since, which is okay with me. But I am going to buy another 50mm to replace it. It's a fun lens to have.

Haydon

Your 24-70 is all you need. If I were you, I'd use the money more wisely with an OCF and an umbrella if you do not have available window light. Here's a link that should help you get started with newborn photography.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nFiMmtFEw

wrangler5 Loc: Missouri

Haydon wrote:

Your 24-70 is all you need. If I were you, I'd use the money more wisely with an OCF and an umbrella if you do not have available window light. Here's a link that should help you get started with newborn photography.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nFiMmtFEw

This. You've got all the capture equipment you need (to start with.) Light can make all the difference between an ordinary and a spectacular image, so it's time to focus not only your money but your thinking on light, and how to manage (create, suppress, redirect, etc.) it.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a lot more control over light, what you have to do is learn how to think about it. I've always enjoyed https://strobist.blogspot.com/ , where he talks a lot about getting great results with one or two Speedlights (or whatever the Canon equivalent is) and inexpensive light modifiers.

MS. DONNA Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH FL

jim quist wrote:

You didn't say what brand you shoot with. br br C... (show quote)

thanks, canon

MS. DONNA Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH FL

Haydon wrote:

Your 24-70 is all you need. If I were you, I'd use the money more wisely with an OCF and an umbrella if you do not have available window light. Here's a link that should help you get started with newborn photography.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nFiMmtFEw

thanks, i think i have pleanty if light im gonna do a set up first if not enought light i will ahve to get umbrella etc so thank you for the tip

MS. DONNA Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH FL

wrangler5 wrote:

This. You've got all the capture equipment you ne... (show quote)

thank you for the info

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

MS. DONNA wrote:

ok so i shoot outdoors mostly birds!! my son and his wife are expecting in sept so my question is do I purchase a 50mm lens or shoot with my 24-70 lens? camera is full frame

Thank you

The ambient lighting is something to consider. I don't think you would want to "light up" an infant (flash or other source). A fast 50mm (the faster the better) would be a good choice to photograph an infant without startling or frightening the child. Besides a good 50mm prime lens is a great addition for your bag.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Mac wrote:

The ambient lighting is something to consider. I don't think you would want to "light up" an infant (flash or other source). A fast 50mm (the faster the better) would be a good choice to photograph an infant without startling or frightening the child. Besides a good 50mm prime lens is a great addition for your bag.

I don't think bouncing a flash off a ceiling or wall would frighten an infant, and the light might be better. I have shot infants this way with no problem.

Drip Dry McFleye

I can't claim to be a pro but my daughter and son-in-law were quite pleased with the photos of both of their newborns who are now age 3 & 5yrs. Here's what I did: I used a short zoom ( I would think your 24-70 would work very well) and I used TTL flash diffused and bounced off ceiling of hospital room. I shot full manual but certainly aperture or shutter priority would work just as well. Don't forget about the camera's max flash synch speed. In the end, I really think composition and capturing the moments as they present themselves are the real priority. Take lots and lots of pictures. You won't have any regrets. Best of luck and don't let the pressure get to you!

MS. DONNA Loc: NEW SMYRNA BEACH FL

Mac wrote:

The ambient lighting is something to consider. I don't think you would want to "light up" an infant (flash or other source). A fast 50mm (the faster the better) would be a good choice to photograph an infant without startling or frightening the child. Besides a good 50mm prime lens is a great addition for your bag.

thank you

Haydon

For those questioning flash being used for newborn photography, I'd suggest to look at the plethora of professional newborn photographers using it. The majority of infants are posed and asleep. I've never heard anyone of them suggesting flash was harmful in the least bit. I'm sure if it was, a lawsuit would be commonplace. The majority of newborns at that age sleep most of the 24 hours away.

Using base ISO with a choice of shooting wide open or closed becomes much easier with flash.

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

My thoughts exactly! I have used lighting for newborn and infant photos. Not harmful, and the images are better.