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Question: Group photo - Canon 40d with 17-40mm or Canon 5d with 24-70mm!?
I mostly do portraits and some weddings and currently own a 40d and a 24-70mmL!. I use a Rebel XT for backup!.
I was asked to photograph a very large group (up to 80 people) indoors!. I planned to rent a 17-40mm lens ($60) to help make sure I can fit everyone in the frame!. I have been entertaining the idea of buying a 5d as my main camera (& using the 40d as backup)!. I'm just not quite ready to drop that much money on a camera!.
I started doing the math!. 17mm on a 40d (1!.6x crop factor) would be the equivalent to 27mm!. My current lens on a 5d would actually cover a slightly wider area!. I'm thinking it might not be a bad idea to put my $60 (17-40mm rental fee) toward the purchase of the 5d!. (eventhough $60 barely puts a dent in the price)!. The only benefit I see to the 40d is that it's using the center of the lens (less distortion)!.
***So, I guess my main question is: For this ONE group photo, if you could pick a 40d with 17-40mm OR a 5d with 24-70mm, what would you choose!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
5D- the resolution from the full frame sensor is critical, but!.!.!.
The biggest issue really will be the lighting!. 80 people huh!? 80 shadows!.!.!.
You will need a lot of even lighting across the group!. At least two umbrellas on the outer edges and most likely a third center light source!.
Then you need to think depth of field!. These people will probably be at least 3 rows deep!?
Stop down a lot probably in the f11 / 16 range!.!.!. this will increase the light demands to keep shutter speeds high to keep from getting blur!.
Live View with Focus assist on the 40D will help a lot with this!.
So it is really not an issue of the camera and lens (assuming good glass - think L series and prime if you are going to rent)
This completely a lighting nightmare!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Both!. Use your 40D +17-40 and rent a 5D with a 24-70 lens, or maybe even a 24mm prime!. Tell everyone that youll be using both cameras and dont go nowhere!. Have your assistant take the shot off of one or the other if you want!.
I would also be concerned with lighting!. You may have that covered though!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Get a decent tripod with a good panorama head on it, plus a hotshoe bubble level!. Make a panorama!
Look here:
http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/jgwynhall/2!.!.!.
- that was done with a "Bogen - Manfrotto 3275 / 410 Compact Geared Head", Canon's "Photostitch" and a cheap dual bubble level on the hotshoe!.
Otherwise, yeah, the 17-40L is a great lens that I wish I had!. The 5D is a FF camera, so it does wider, easier!. Rent the 17mm lens AND the 5D - bets of both worlds, right!?Www@QuestionHome@Com