Newbie to photography..Slow hunting indoor lens - put money towards a

[chad]

flash unit or buy a faster lens? I think this could be answered by either Olympus or non-Olympus users..Newbie to photography and have a zuiko 14-42 f3.5-5.6 lens that's pretty good outdoors, but hunts terribly in low light. Would it be wiser to put money towards a flash unit, or buy a used zuiko 14-54 f2.8-3.5 or sigma 18-50 f.2.8 lens? I use this camera for family functions and really just need a way to take faster/better multi-purpose indoor shots. Also have a couple family weddings coming up and would like to be able to take some decent shots at them.

 

[MixedMojo]

Most of the time, it's not the lens - it's the camera, that has the issue with focusing in low light. The lens simply transmits distance information, but the cameras autofocus system is what finds focus. Most cameras don't focus as quickly in low light, as they do in good light. At this price class, it doesn't matter what lens you put on the camera, it's still going to hunt. Olympus lenses are focus-by-wire lenses, and all made the same unless you get one of their pro lenses, which would still be subject to the cameras focus system.

I don't know what peoples obsession with "speedy" focus is these days, but honestly, it doesn't matter. I use an olympus E-P1, with the 14-42mm zuiko digital lens (micro-4/3 version), and in low light, the half second longer it takes to focus doesn't put me off in the slightest. Putting your money into a flash won't help focus, first off. Second, the difference between 150 milliseconds and 500 milliseconds isn't much. These aren't the types of cameras for all that. People always want faster and better, but don't want to pay for it these days. Cry me a river.

 

[kshollywood]

Both will help but you need a flash anyway so buy the flash first. Some people will tell you a lense doesn't matter, bull hockey!!! The faster the lense the more light it brings in, the more light it brings in the easier it is to focus. When buying a lense save up and buy what you need and want do not settle or you will be disapointed.

 

[the old dog]

Both. But first buy a flash if you're coming up to a number of indoor shots like a wedding or family get togethers. After you get your flash, (and do not buy cheap! It will show in your work.) after you get your flash then save up for a superior lens even faster than the f.2.8 sigma lens you're looking at. The faster the lens the more expensive they are but in the long run? It is the wiser choice to make. In the arts buying cheap is going to hurt your work. Save and earn for the best of your materials.

 

[jbethphoto]

Watch every wedding photographer and you will see the same thing- a wide angle lens and an off camera flash.

When you are photographing weddings, you need a wide angle lens for shots where the entire family is standing together, and it can also come in handy shooting hunting shots too. If you get an off camera flash and point it towards the ceiling when you are shooting, you will get a nice fill of light without the harsh shadows of an on-camera flash.

So invest in a wide angle lens (the same brand as your camera is the best way to go) AND a flash (also the same brand).