What next to complement current lenses?

[Headshotzx]

70-200mm f/4IS or f/2.8IS

Price and weight considerations only-- they are both as sharp as the other, with the 70-200 f/4IS being the sharpest Canon zoom lens up to date. Check : http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=465032&page=5 for prices. I personally own the 70-200 f/2.8IS.

 

[charlesleong]

My sweet spot for using my DSLR primarily involves shooting portrait shots of people in casual settings with low-light conditions, basically in places where compacts usually do a crummy job.

70-200mm f/4IS or f/2.8IS

while excellent choices, neither of these lenses will aid in low-light portraits unless you have a flash. low light situations will typically involve primes of large aperture (f/2 at least), and the portrait focal length will really depend on the user's choice (full body, half body, head and shoulders, head only etc).

 

[chsurfer]

Charles, don't forget I already have access to a 28mm, 50mm, and 85mm prime lenses already on top of my 17-50mm.

are there zoom lenses in the f/1.8 range (canon or non-canon)? prob must be v expensive..

 

[charlesleong]

Charles, don't forget I already have access to a 28mm, 50mm, and 85mm prime lenses already on top of my 17-50mm.

are there zoom lenses in the f/1.8 range (canon or non-canon)? prob must be v expensive..

borrow and find your favourite focal length(s)....

canon zoom lenses have a max aperture of f/2.8. Olyumpus makes a couple of f/2.0 zooms though...

 

[iMac08]

you sound cash rich.anyway,if you are so disturb by noise control,i'll say get e 5D2! Your answer to high iso with low noise! With lens prices going up by 20% many things are too high.the 5d2 kit price still e same and more worth it.i don't think your lens will help in e noise very much..135f2 is difficult to use on a 450D.i tried once,indoor is def no go unless you got e distance.

 

[chsurfer]

Actually the thought has crossed my mind to upgrade my camera body, but no lar, can't bring myself to do it. Besides, lenses can keep for a long long time and reuse for different camera bodies whereas the camera bodies themselves will always keep getting better and better.

Any thoughts on using flash in public and crowded environments? My feel is that I prob will use the flash for a couple of group shots in low light environments. Otherwise if I keep "flashing" someone will prob throw his drink at me at some point in the night..

 

[davsmiths]

Any thoughts on the use of flash in these places? I find that I get annoyed glares when I use my built-in flash more than once (and you know how the 450D uses the pre-flash to meter the shot), let alone a 580EXII hurhur.

If im not wrong, the built-in flash pre-fires because it's acting at Auto Focus assist lamp.
If you have an external flash, the Af Lamp will light up instead.

 

[ahbian]

Your "casual portrait shots" means candid street shots of strangers is it? I'm quite sure you will have a little trouble if you go flashing around with an external flash. A fast lens is a better bet.

 

[antacid]

how about the creamy-smooth, converted-to-EF-mount Rokkor 58/1.2?

love it when used on people.