Request Advice

[sury]

I have been asked by a friend to take some photos at his 50th Birthday bash. The event will take place in a small winery. The event hall is (soft) lit by incandescent lights (no mixture lighting) and the tables are relatively close. I have to go wide. My equipment is: A900, A700, 35-70/f4, 50/1.7 and HVL58. One of the requests is that he wanted each table of guests be photographed with him being at the table.
Any advise on settings, trip and techniques is requested and much appreciated. For this event, I am restricted to the lenses I have due to time and financial constraints.
BTW, if you want to suggest any lenses I should acquire in future for this kind of photography, please do so.

Thank you in advance.

With best regards,
Sury

[pakodominguez]

Sury,

If you have a white ceiling, just bounce the light BEHIND you. If the ceiling is colored, you'll have to deal with the white balance. Use the A900 + the 35-70 (1/30 f8 @400/800ASA)

Doing tables isn't that hard, but isn't funny either. While arriving to the table with the host, check who's the older person, or the most important person in the table and place the host behind him, then ask the people in the oposite side of the table to move -gentle but firmly.

Try to get DK's favorite 28-105 3.5-4.5. The Sigma 28-70 f2.8-4 UC is a winner for 45 US$

Enjoy!

[sury]

Pako,
Thank you for the tips and the suggestions for the lenses. The room has a high ceiling and bounce is not an option. I will try to get the lenses if possible before the weekend. 28-105 is Minolta right?

With best regards,
Sury

[pakodominguez]

Pako,
Thank you for the tips and the suggestions for the lenses. The room has a high ceiling and bounce is not an option. I will try to get the lenses if possible before the weekend. 28-105 is Minolta right?

With best regards,
Sury

this is the Xi version eBay # 190324445916 (the lens barrel doesn't look that nice but it's a good price with a "buy it now" button)
a high ceiling doesn't mean that you can not bounce your flash (just that you need more fresh batteries handy)

[sury]

Pako,
Thanks for the link. Lens has been purchased and hopefully it might arrive in time.

With best regards,
Sury

[sury]

Pako,
Thank you. I used an old Vivitar 70-210 2.8-4, Minolta 35-70 and 28-105/4-5.6 I bought from eBay.
The photos turned out well. Unfortunately I could not post any examples as my friend was not comfortable
with posting any images. He is a Canon shooter and very impressed with the quality of the pictures inspite
of not having a quality glass.

With best regards,
Sury

[pakodominguez]

Pako,
Thank you. I used an old Vivitar 70-210 2.8-4, Minolta 35-70 and 28-105/4-5.6 I bought from eBay.
The photos turned out well. Unfortunately I could not post any examples as my friend was not comfortable
with posting any images. He is a Canon shooter and very impressed with the quality of the pictures inspite
of not having a quality glass.

With best regards,
Sury

Good that you resolved your event, and got your friend happy.

It was the Xi version of this lens, isn't it? how did you "like" the zoom handling? I have the 35-20 Xi and I like it even if some times it suffers of CA (but for events with artificial lighting it's ok)

Please, post examples from this lens -not your freind's pics, just next weekend brunch or so.

Regards.

[sury]

Pako,
Yes, it is XI version. This was the first time I handled a mechanized zoom on a DSLR.
Here are some test shots I took as soon as I received it.

With best regards,
Sury

[pakodominguez]

Hello Sury,

After almost 2 month with this lens (28-105 Xi) what do you think about it?

Regards

[sury]

Pako,
I am enjoying it quite a bit, thank you for the suggestion. Especially with HVL20, it stays on my A900 most of the time.

With best regards,
Sury

[pakodominguez]

Pako,
I am enjoying it quite a bit, thank you for the suggestion. Especially with HVL20, it stays on my A900 most of the time.

With best regards,
Sury

I was asking because I'm thinking about buying the same lens -but I'm not sure yet...
some samples?


Regards

[sury]

Pako,
Here are some samples from a weekend trip to Muir Woods north of San Francisco, CA.
These are straight from the camera. Please let me know if you want me to take any
particular type of image. I will try.

Sury