Basil Loc: New Mexico

ALL - Based on what Bill_de posted, I guess I just won’t bother taking a camera at all. Cameras with detachable lenses are apparently on the list of prohibited items.

bkwaters

Did you definitively learn that interchangeable lenses are prohibited? If not, take the 70-200 and get that once in a lifetime shot of the diploma being handed to her. No one cares if there’s noise and imperfect composition. Some photos are about the memories and not the artistic merit. While the school will likely have a professional photographer shooting each graduate, it’s not the same as having a photo that you took yourself.

jtm1943

Don't know about that arena, but have recently shot 3 of the 10 grandkids college graduations - all in huge arenas (basketball venues), and rather badly lit. I used m4/3 with a PL50-200mm f2.8-4 lens. I also took a PL12-60mm f2.8-4 lens, but didn't use it. The 50-200 lens was barely long enough to capture the graduation ceremony. Go early so you have choice of seating. We sat rather high up, near the end where they will be walking toward as they get to shake hands with the faculty and get their diplomas. Shot with continuous focus, auto ISO, auto WB, low, continuous bursts, and sorted it out later. Also took a few of them sitting, walking up, and returning to seats with diplomas. Keep in mind the overhead, florescent lighting will render faces as washed out , pale white and all the black robes will add noise. Plan to add some color back in post processing, and use a denoise program to have the pictures as good as possible.

However, after graduation took lots of family shots with Sony RX100 vii. After graduation is chaotic, and the bigger m4/3 gear is very awkward. The P&S proved much better. Lots of crowding. Get it set up ahead of time and take lots of pictures. Sort out in post. Again, lighting is problematic, and little or no time to be fooling with cameras and settings - or chimping. I found that for family pictures the 50-200 lens is way too long, so either take a good P&S (preferred) or a shorter lens for that.

So, for you, take the 70-200 lens, shoot with ISO auto, shoot in short bursts as they get their diploma, AND take a good P&S camera for the family shots after. Go early to choose your seating (We were pretty high up on the side the graduates would be walking toward). Since after gradation, family shots are so chaotic, I'd say a good P&S is a must - or maybe a phone.

That's my experience, and it has worked well. Don't forget to take pictures with the family at lunch - if planned, and posed with family members in the parking lot or where ever.

jtm1943

If cameras with detachable lenses are really prohibited, I suggest the Sony RX100 vii with a 200mm lens or an Olympus Stylus 1 with a 300mm f2.8 lens. Either of those might work well with no flash and set up for use with the drive mode set to burst, matrix metering, and with auto ISO and auto WB. Others to consider are the Panasonic ZS100/200, the ZS80 or the Sony HX99. Rent, if needed.
John

Basil Loc: New Mexico

It is stated in the link that Bill_de posted above. I'll call to confirm this.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

UPDATE. My nephew had gone into the event about 30 minutes before we arrived and texted me that he was able to enter with his Sony with long lens attached and they didn't give him any grief. So, I decided to go ahead with my R5 with the RF 70-200 f/4.0 attached. Turns out it was a good choice. The lighting was sufficient such that my ISO fluctuated between 2500 and 4000 - not really too bad for this camera, plus I was able to easily deal with the noise in Lightroom. These are some "general " shots, not specific to my niece, from the event.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

In 2015, my Canon Rebel died a week or so before our daughter received her Master’s Degree {we already knew it would be the last degree earned by my family}, so I used my ‘backup’ a small-sensored Pentax Q-7 {my other choice was a Pentax {film}”Super Program”. The longest native lens for that camera is a {35mm equiv} 70mm-200mm lens {I think it is something like F4.5}. I pushed my wife to arrive very early {she was basically grumpy about arriving when there was nothing to do}. This was at the Xavier Univ basketball arena, which was brighter than I expected. My photos turned out fine.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Well done!

When my son got his masters, I was still shooting film and using a darkroom, and he rented me a Canon 7D and a 70-200 f2.8 L and handed it to me about 5 minutes before the ceremony. We were too far back to get a good shot of the stage, but fortunately, the school had a pro shooting each graduate, which was a lifesaver. Since I had zero familiarity with the camera, I just put it in “P” (for professional 😎), and just shot post graduation images, which amazingly turned out mostly OK. A month or so later, I bought a 7D and a 24-105 f4L, so in a way, my son turned me on to digital.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

That’s a great story. The 7D was my first “real” serious DSLR (I had a 6MP rebel before that but I wouldn’t call it a serious camera)

jtm1943

Very nice. ....and I'm not seeing the ultra white, washed out faces caused by florescent overhead lighting.

jtm1943

I made this little colage of Sam's graduation. Of course there were many more pictures taken. EM1 iii with pl50-200mm lens. John

Bill_de Loc: US

Great, glad it worked out.

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TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Great day, isn’t it?

Basil Loc: New Mexico

Indeed it was.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

It's true that the 135 f2 + 1.4 extender (which I own) would have been a stop faster than my RF 70-200, but it would definitely not be 1/2 the weight. Just out of curiosity, I looked up the specs. The EF 135 f2 is 750g, and the extender is 225g, so the combo would be 975g. The RF 700-200 f/4 is an amazingly light 695g, so almost 300g lighter than the EF combination.

As mentioned above, I did end up going with the 70-200 f4 and feel that lens turned out to be the right choice. The ISO (in auto) varied from about 1500 to 4000 depending on the specific scene and lighting. The R5 handled those ISOs very well and any noise was easily dealt with in post. In retrospect, I'm glad I had the flexibility of the variable focal length because I was able to be much more flexible especially in the post event photos outside the venue.