concert lens

[bap]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I'm looking for a lens for concert pictures I know this has been talked to death but I can't find a thread that fits. First of all I have complete access to the stage so I don't need something from the audience. I have a 1960 90mm F2 (chrome) it's heavy and very difficult to focus and not very sharp. So I'm thinking the new 90mm might be better or maybe the 135 but it seems by reading what people say the 135 is difficult to handle.. hand held. So I'm leaning toward the 75mm but not sure between the cron and lux...any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Frank Sprow]

Although the images still often require cropping, I find the 75mm Summicron Aspheric works pretty well for this purpose on the M8.

[dseelig]

HI A 90 alone on an m8 is just alittle too much tele . It is alittle too muc h one way or too little the other. i would go with a 75 and a 50 if I could do both David P.S> an 85 on a fill frame is my faviorite lens for concert work http://www.davidseelig.com You can see alot of concert shots on my web site. Bruce on the opening page is an 85 1.2 L on K 64. David

[lars_bergquist]

I'm looking for a lens for concert pictures I know this has been talked to death but I can't find a thread that fits. First of all I have complete access to the stage so I don't need something from the audience. I have a 1960 90mm F2 (chrome) it's heavy and very difficult to focus and not very sharp.----

 

That old beast is a real brute, and really a collector's piece more than an actual shooter. Any more modern 90 would be better, but I agree that the 75 would probably be more useful. An alternative would be the combination of the current 50 mm Summilux (also a fabulous lens) and a 90 mm Elmarit. Even one of the old Tele-Elmarit lenses may well do, depending on light levels. The question is simply how much you can vary your shooting position backstage.

 

The old man from the Age of Tri-X

[l.ceva]

It dipends from what kind of pictures you are looking for and from the the distance you will be able to work from the players.

 

In the last jaz concert I documented I used basically 35-50-75

 

this picture was taken with the summicron 75 asph.

 

ciao

 

Lorenzo

 

http://www.lorenzocevavlla.it

[albertknappmd]

Agree... I have been using my 90mm ASPH to great effect and am happy with it...

[topoxforddoc]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Bruce,

 

What sort of show are you shooting - rock, jazz, folk or classical etc? Personally I love using my 75 lux for stage work. As a paying punter (and not press) I find this works well either from the front or from above the stage. Will you be using a film M or a M8? When I use my DMR for stage work, I use a 80-200 - but from front of stage the 80 can sometimes almost be too tight with the crop factor.

 

Good luck

 

Charlie

[mat_mcdermott]

I think the answer depends entirely on what type of images you like to make. If I have access to the stage, or even the front row, a 28 or 35 on the M8 would be fine. But I don't see the world in tight crops. When I first started taking pictures of shows I would often be in the front row with a 21mm lens the entire time.

[bap]

I'm shooting rock and have been for a long time but with a Nikon and the medium long stuff works best... as it's for programs and CD covers but that is zoom stuff and auto focus. It may be that the Nikon D2x is best suited for this kind of thing but I have become such a Leica nut since the M8 I was hoping I could get it done with the m8

[frc]

Very low light, a few dimmed par cans.

Velvia 400 ( not pushed ) 1/8th at f1.4 Lux 75.

[telewatt]

I would go for the 90mm APO...it is perfect at f/2 and you have no flare problems !!!

 

..normaly it is not to much on normal stages..and if it is so, you can go for the cheap 50mm summicron..

 

[ATTACH]33986[/ATTACH]

 

regards,

Jan