For TL2 or CL Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary

[Dopaco]

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Hello, I need help:
I'll soon be attending a low-light indoor event and would like to photograph as many scenes as possible. To do this, I have the following equipment:

Leica TL2 camera.
Leica Vario-Elmar-TL 18-56 f/3.5-5.6/18-56 mm lens.
Leica Elmarit-TL f/2.8/18 mm lens.
Leica SF 40 flash.

Could the event be covered with the aforementioned equipment?

I haven't used flash much, so I'm worried about making mistakes.

I can buy the affordable Sigma 30 mm f/1.4 DC DN and use it with the smaller Elmarit 18 mm, leaving the 18-56 mm at home, which is less bright.

I would greatly appreciate any information or advice on this.

[tommonego@gmail.com]

You have the flash, the question is, will the event accept someone, not a hired pro using flash? Since the flash is a small one will it be strong enough to cover what you want to do with it. Also if you are not used to using flash, this can be a problem. The plus for a small flash is it can deliver light into shadowy areas of the event. 

Would the 30mm Sigma and the 18mm give you enough reach. If you don't mind manual focusing the Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 can be found relatively inexpensively but would need an M to L adapter, Leica is the best but expensive, there are inexpensive ones that would work as well since you don't have a lens the camera reads. The 40mm would bring you more into a portrait range. The Sigma is reportedly a decent lens, so if you want f1.4 and AF it may be your most inexpensive solution. I can use ISO 1600 with my CL and get good images in a pinch, but I prefer ISO 800, for dimmly lit rooms. I would bring along the flash in case you have shadowy areas you want to light.

Good luck

[elambo]

I'll leave the lighting tips to those more qualified to assist, but to me there's the question of spontaneity. E.g. will there be time to switch lenses as the moments call for it, or would a variable zoom allow you to stay with the action and adjust immediately? If that's important, maybe leaning on the 18-56 would be wise. I don't know if that would create issues with low light at your particular event.

[Dopaco]

vor 13 Stunden schrieb tommonego@gmail.com:

You have the flash, the question is, will the event accept someone, not a hired pro using flash? Since the flash is a small one will it be strong enough to cover what you want to do with it. Also if you are not used to using flash, this can be a problem. The plus for a small flash is it can deliver light into shadowy areas of the event. 

Would the 30mm Sigma and the 18mm give you enough reach. If you don't mind manual focusing the Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 can be found relatively inexpensively but would need an M to L adapter, Leica is the best but expensive, there are inexpensive ones that would work as well since you don't have a lens the camera reads. The 40mm would bring you more into a portrait range. The Sigma is reportedly a decent lens, so if you want f1.4 and AF it may be your most inexpensive solution. I can use ISO 1600 with my CL and get good images in a pinch, but I prefer ISO 800, for dimmly lit rooms. I would bring along the flash in case you have shadowy areas you want to light.

Good luck

Sorry for my poor English.

Thanks for your reply... I'm going to download Flash for now because I don't have enough experience using it and prefer to use the Visoflex (020).

I have an M to L adapter and M lenses (I also have an M8 and some analog M lenses). But I prefer the autofocus.

If the TL18-56mm were brighter, everything would be solved.

The event would be next year, in 2026; there's plenty of time to test.

The ISO can be raised quite a bit with the TL2 and CL cameras, and the AI handles noise very well.

[Dopaco]

vor 12 Stunden schrieb elambo:

I'll leave the lighting tips to those more qualified to assist, but to me there's the question of spontaneity. E.g. will there be time to switch lenses as the moments call for it, or would a variable zoom allow you to stay with the action and adjust immediately? If that's important, maybe leaning on the 18-56 would be wise. I don't know if that would create issues with low light at your particular event.

Sorry for my poor English.

Thanks for your reply...

You're absolutely right about the Leica TL 18-56mm zoom. If it were brighter, it would be ideal.

The TL 18mm f/2.8, thanks to its size and performance, is very efficient.

 

One of my last photos with the TL2 and the TL 18mm f/2.8 lens, in plenty of light.

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[Le Chef]

I have both the 30mm f/1.4 and the 56mm f/1.4

The issue I have faced with both, particularly in low contrast light, is that the lenses hunt to get focus. In the same situation the 18-56mm does not hunt.

I would stick with what you have and denoise in post. 

[Dopaco]

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vor 4 Stunden schrieb Le Chef:

I have both the 30mm f/1.4 and the 56mm f/1.4

The issue I have faced with both, particularly in low contrast light, is that the lenses hunt to get focus. In the same situation the 18-56mm does not hunt.

I would stick with what you have and denoise in post. 

For this event, I'm considering the opportunity to purchase the SIGMA 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary and bring only that lens. An f/2.8 at maximum zoom might be attractive.

The reviews I've seen suggest it's a very good lens.

[elambo]

20 hours ago, Dopaco said:

For this event, I'm considering the opportunity to purchase the SIGMA 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary and bring only that lens. An f/2.8 at maximum zoom might be attractive.

The reviews I've seen suggest it's a very good lens.

I have a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 Art and it's a very good lens. Not quite on the same level as the Leica alternatives but it's more affordable.