I finally saved up enough for a Canon 90D body but now Im totally stuck on glass. Im heading to a music festival in three weeks and need something versatile that wont break the bank since I only have about 300 bucks left in the gear fund. I keep seeing people recommend the 50mm f/1.8 STM because its super cheap and sharp but honestly I dont know if a prime is gonna be enough for live music where I cant really run around and get close to the stage. Then I looked at the 18-135mm kit lens because of the range but some forum threads say its soft at the long end and not great in low light? Im just frustrated because I feel like Im compromising either image quality or convenience. My logic was to grab a used 18-55mm plus something else but that seems like way too much lens swapping in a crowd. Is there some hidden gem I missed or should I just suck it up and get the fifty even if I have to crop like crazy later? Really need to pull the trigger on something by Friday...
Honestly, 300 bucks for a festival setup is tough but doable if you hunt for used gear. Forget the kit lens, itll just frustrate you once the sun goes down and the stage lights start moving around. If you cant move, a prime like the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is super sharp and cheap, but you might feel really limited if the stage is huge. Youre gonna spend a lot of time cropping later, which isnt ideal. For a festival, reach is king. I would honestly try to track down a used Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM if you can find one in your price range. It fits the budget if you look at sites like MPB or KEH and it gives you that constant f/2.8 aperture, which helps a ton in low light compared to the kit lenses. Its way more versatile than the fifty for general crowd shots too. If you really need the reach, look at the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM. It is surprisingly sharp for the price, though you definitely need a decent shutter speed because of the variable aperture. Basically, if you prioritize low light, go for the Sigma zoom. If you need to grab shots from the back of the crowd, the 55-250 is the way to go. Just bring extra batteries, cause the 90D eats them up pretty fast!
Adding my two cents, are you shooting from the front row or the back? You might want to consider the Tamron SP AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD for reach.
Like someone mentioned, zoom is king in a pit. Honestly, check out the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM. You can find it used for around 300 bucks if you look on MPB or KEH. That constant aperture is a total lifesaver when the stage lights get dim! It is way sharper than the kit lens and gives you that nice background blur. Seriously, for festival work, it is honestly the best value you will find.
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