Need a good lens to photograph kids

[kinsey311]

Hello,

To say that I'm a beginner photographer is more than I deserve. But, I got a Rebel T3 for an early christmas present and I am finding out that the lens that came with it is not giving me the close up pictures that I want. I would like to find a lens that will allow me to take close up pictures of my children both indoors and out, while they are running and playing. Any suggestions on what I should try? Any helpful tips would be wonderful!

[Lexie]

Welcome to the forum! My lens suggestion would be the 24-70mm f/2.8. If your camera has a cropped sensor, which I think it does, this lens will be more like 38.4-112mm. The f/2.8 will allow more light for you to get indoor shots where there tends to be low light situations. Just my opinion.

[JohnT]

Do you have a budget for said purchase?

[texkam]

What lens are you currently using? Off the top of my head, the 85 1.8 is also pretty nice.

When you get an idea of what you want, keep an eye on the "Buy and Sell" section.

[Jake]

Canon 70-200 f/4 or 85 f/1.8

[kinsey311]

My price range is on the low end...I know that you can spend A LOT on a new lens, but since I'm just starting out I would like to spend not a lot and as I improve I can upgrade.

[d2creative]

I assume you are not taking macros of kids' eyeballs or whatever.
So with that in mind, what lens could you possibly have that won't let you get close enough to photograph a child?
Or do you mean you need a zoom so you can stand back, but still get pretty close to them?
In that case, i agree with the 70-200 zoom.

[kinsey311]

Lol...no eyeball shots. Yes I'm thinking a zoom lens that will allow me to be faraway from my children, but still able to zoom in.

Sorry, I'm still learning, so forgive me if my questions seem extremely basic. But, I had a friend recommend the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens. What are your thoughts?

[Nikonfan]

Welcome to the forum. All great lenses mentioned. That said, I would avoid a Prime lens such as the 85 1.8. That means it doesn't zoom. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE prime lenses. However, you said you need a lens for indoors AND outdoors. You also said the kids will be running around. That means you need a lens that will zoom in and out. The 70-200 does this but it's rather long. Meaning good for outside. Horrible for inside. Also, it's expensive. I think the first suggestion for a 24-70 2.8 is a great suggestion. This will be perfect and it's a 2.8 which means it's fairly fast. In other words, as mentioned before this lets a lot of light in. This is important so you can use a fast shutter speed indoors to keep the pictures from getting blurry. Finally, the Canon 24-70 f2.8 can be expensive still. So I suggest you get the very similar Tamron 28-75 f2.8 which is great quality for not that much when compared to other lenses.

$399 on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo

Hope that helps!

[KenJulio]

Without knowing your budget you will get a broad range of recommendations, from the nifty fifty(50 1.8) and to the 70-200 which varies in price depending on model.

If it's ...
sub 300, Canon 50 f1.8
sub 500, Canon 85 f1.8
sub 750, Canon 70-200 f4
sub 1000, Canon 24-105 f4

You can find these cheaper used, the prices are close to new.

[Redneck]

I'd always recommend the nifty 50 to start with. It's a lens that doesn't cost much and yet one you might keep for the rest of your life.

[Nikonfan]

Originally Posted by Redneck

I'd always recommend the nifty 50 to start with. It's a lens that doesn't cost much and yet one you might keep for the rest of your life.

It's a great lens and a must have!

[kinsey311]

Okay, my budget is around $200...I know that limits what I can get.

[Nikonfan]

The 50mm f1.8 is within your budget. However, it is a prime which means you may need to be quick on your feet. That's not always ideal, but it's a GREAT lens! I am a nikon guy and not as familiar with the lesser expensive Canon lenses out there. Maybe some of the other members can make suggestions. The main thing to be aware of is that the less expensive lenses are often not very "fast." So you may have to resort to a slower shutter speed indoors or a higher ISO which adds noise to the photos.

[kenw]

Hands down the canon 50/1.8 at ~$120 NEW is your best choice for what you want to do. Had one for many years and used it for exactly those purposes. Just get it!