Which lens would you recommend?

I'm pretty new to photography got my 3200 about 2 months ago. So far love it. The 2 lenses I currently have are the kit 18-55 and a 50MM prime that a friend sold me for cheap. The wife wants me to get a zoom lens for her upcoming sisters high school graduation. I'm not super sure of the layout of the venue but pretty sure it's a auditorium. So would like to get a zoom to setup tripod in back of room. Unfortunately finances are kinda tight right now so here are the two options I'm looking at: The Nikon 55-200 which I can get refurbished at B&H photo for $109.Or the Sigma 70-300 which I can get off ebay for around $100 or new from Adorama for $160.

At this point it's really a toss up for me. I like the option of the extra 100mm for $50 more. And it has great reviews online. But also like the Nikon...well because it's a Nikon lens and easier to find if I decide to go used. So I figured I'd come here and ask for your help.

Thanks in Advance,
Jeffrey

save your money, get there early and get a front seat so you can use the 50mm. the 50mm prime is a faster lens, good for low light situations. A slow zoom lens fully extended will probably not give good results in this environment, hand held will be nearly impossible due to the slow shutter speed required (auditorium, low artificial light) to get the required exposure, resulting in either camera shake if hand held or motion blur if on a tripod. Either get close with your fast prime, or get a good fast zoom lens, which is probably going to break the budget.

If it is an indoor event, and poor lighting or even decent lighting, the 55-200mm will not get you what you need. You will need something f/1.8 or faster at its longest length. Maybe rent a lens if the event is very important, say a 200mm f2.8. Or make sure you get close.

As some others have mentioned, I'd be concerned about how much light you're going to have to work with. You *might* want to consider getting a monopod for this event, especially if you think you could arrive early and get a good, front row-ish seat. The monopod would give you the stability you're going to need to keep steady without the huge "footprint" of a tripod. Pair up a monopod with the less expensive 55-200mm and you'd be set I'd think.

A decent monopd can be had for about $20 and for something this simple I wouldn't bother with a ball-head, just screw the monopod right into the tripod socket and go for it.

...

Auditorium will most likely have bad lighting, but only you will know. watch your white balance. personally, Id take a monopod and 70-200 2.8. since its a hefty price tag, consider renting. I highly doubt the 55-200 will be enough and I highly doubt itll be fast enough focus wise. thats my opinion only. prime might work but since you dont know where youll sit in relation to the people giving the diplomas and how close/far youll be, youre taking a chance. if youll be able to walk around then the 50/85 may be the way to go.

if theres a stage and its higher than the front seats, youre screwed. if you go up to get a level shooting position, youll have shake from zooming in. think sports (freeze motion at roughly1/200 shutter), bad lighting and youll get the idea. both the 55-200 and 70-200 are meh lenses. all I can say is shoot a lot and raw. bring extra cards and battery.

you need proper tools to do a proper job. and the gear is a bit lacking for low light and freezing movement.

Go check out the venue today for lighting. Take your 50mm and see what the lighting is like with that lens.
Then come back here and see the advice above.

Yes you would be better off with a fast lens for bad light. So i would rent a fast lens other wise its way about your budget.

As others have suggested, go to the Auditorium one day ahead.
- Take your 18-55 with you. Start at the rear of the auditorium; then 2/3 from front, 1/3 from front and front row; and check the field of view at 18-55mm adjusting the focal length to suit your view.
- Now you know what focal length is required where. As you max out at 55mm, I doubt it will suffice beyond 1/2 way from front. At front row you may need 25-35mm.

If you do not want to buy any more lenses, then aim to position your self where the 50mm will cover what you want (keep a bit of a margin all round).

If you can, get the 35mm F1.8 DX. That is an excellent low light lense. A few days ago I shot a concert with this lense. Without flash I got decent images at ISO 800 and ISO 1600. It was a bit less wide from the front row, but perfect 1/4 from center.

Check out my low light concert shows here http://nikonites.com/d3300/22585-low-light-shots.html#axzz31msJewbU

I should have mentioned, the problem with the 50mm is that's it's not a AF-S lens. So it will not autofocus on 3200. It works great for portraits or shots when you have time to focus. However, I doubt I'll have that much time for graduation. Would rather have auto focus zoom and do burst shooting to make sure I get a good shot.

Unfortunately live in a small town and closest thing we have to a camera store is a Best Buy & a Target. So can't rent anything. Think the closest true camera store is about 2 hours away.

I think I'll just try the 55-200. I want the extra zoom anyway. If the pictures aren't great, I shoot RAW so should be able to atleast make them decent. Or maybe I'm just overvaluing my post processing skills. LOL

Rent a fast zoom?

Anything you buy on your budget is likely not going to hit the mark for indoor low light at 200 / 300mm... I'd keep saving for a lens "For you" and in the mean time, rent a fast zoom or telephoto prime for this one-off special occasion. Also, renting can be done by mail, so you don't need a local store.

Figured I'd update you guys. Graduation was this past Saturday. I bought a 55-200 to try and figured it'd be nice to have anyway. It was a home school graduation, so it wasn't as packed as I figured. However I still went up to the balcony and shot up there using the 55-200. It had pretty decent lighting, they only dimmed to show videos of each student graduating, then they'd bring the lights back up.

Here's a precermony pic with her nephew taken at their house with the 50MM.

Here's a picture taken during ceremony with 55-200.


Overall I thought the 55-200 pics turned out decent. More noise in some then others but wife like them and that's all that really matters. As it was her sisters graduation.

SteveH said:

Also, renting can be done by mail, so you don't need a local store.

Click to expand...

BTW just saw this part of the quote, can you recommend a site to rent from? Might come in handy in the future.

drummerJ99 said:

BTW just saw this part of the quote, can you recommend a site to rent from? Might come in handy in the future.

Click to expand...

I believe it's called borrow lenses.com