^ This. Also, if you are looking at a 150 dollar limit, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is basically the standard choice for portraits. It is a decent option that performs well for the price point and is much sharper than your kit lens in low light. Since you mentioned being stressed about settings, try these for the graduation:

• Put the camera in Av mode and set it to f/1.8 or f/2.2.
• Keep the ISO on Auto so the camera handles the indoor lighting.
• Use the center focus point to make sure her face stays sharp. The 50mm focal length is a bit long on a 90D, so you will be walking back and forth to frame the shot since it doesn't zoom. It is a bit of a learning curve, but it works. Just make sure you dont stand too close or you will only get her head and shoulders in the frame.

Just saw this. I had issues with cheap off-brand glass early on and it was a total letdown. Not as good as expected and the focus missed constantly... unfortunately. I eventually just grabbed these to save my sanity:

• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM
• Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM The 50mm focal length is way better for graduation portraits on your 90D.

> I think it means it doesnt zoom? Yeah, exactly. A prime lens is fixed at one focal length. It sounds like a downside but it actually lets in way more light than your kit lens can handle. That blurriness youre seeing is likely from the camera using a slow shutter speed to compensate for the kit lens being slow or dark. Primes have wider apertures, which solves that. In my experience, picking the right prime depends entirely on your position. Are you gonna be sitting way back in the bleachers or right up near the stage? Also, is the ceremony inside a dim gym or outside? Since your 90D has an APS-C sensor, the effective focal length is 1.6x whatever is written on the lens. Knowing the distance and lighting helps me narrow down whether you need something wider or something with more reach for stage shots.

Helpful thread 👍

Good to know!

TL;DR: Grab the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. It fits your 150 dollar budget and offers the best low-light performance. Building on the earlier suggestion, I have been very satisfied with how this lens performs on APS-C sensors. Technically, shooting at f/1.8 gives you a massive exposure value advantage, letting in over 8 times more light than your kit lens at f/5.6. The center sharpness is excellent, and I have no complaints about the chromatic aberration control for a cheap lens. It works well for subject isolation. Actually, talking about STM autofocus, I just spent the weekend calibrating the autofocus micro-adjustment settings on my old 7D Mark II using a DIY target rig. I spent hours measuring the phase-detect sensor alignment against my dual-pixel CMOS live view. It is pretty satisfying when you get the alignment charts dialed in perfectly. Anyway, the 50mm on your 90D should be good to go out of the box. But yeah, get that one.

Jumping in here because the 90D is a solid machine, but are you planning to shoot from the bleachers or will you be closer to the stage? That really changes which focal length makes sense for you. Building on the earlier suggestion, I think you should clarify that first because:

• A long distance means 50mm might actually be too short to get a clear shot of her face.
• Being close up means the 24mm pancake style is way easier to carry around all day. IIRC, some of the older lenses can sometimes have issues with the newer autofocus systems on the 90D, but the ones mentioned above usually work well. I honestly think you should try renting or borrowing one if you can before buying, just to see what fits your style better! You got this, dont stress too much about the settings.

tbh i agree with sticking to the official brand glass rather than those random cheap ones you find on amazon. i've heard way too many stories about off-brand lenses losing connection or the autofocus just giving up, and you really dont want that happening when she is walking across the stage. reliability is huge for events like this. i think the stm motor mentioned in the previous posts is supposed to be much more reliable for tracking moving people too. not 100 percent sure how the Canon EOS 90D handles the eye-af with that specific lens, but iirc it is still miles better than struggling with a dark kit lens. just grab some extra batteries and you should be set.

Building on the earlier suggestion, the 50mm is a total beast for the price, but I actually think the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM is way more useful for a graduation day! Honestly, if you are in a crowded room or trying to get group shots with family, that 50mm is gonna feel way too zoomed in. I have owned both for years and the 24mm is just so much more versatile for long-term use. Quick tips for the big day:

• Get a used copy of the lens from a reputable shop to save even more money.
• Keep your shutter speed at 1/250 or higher so you dont get any motion blur when she is walking across the stage. The 90D is an amazing camera, you just gotta give it some good glass to see what it can really do! Love the 24mm pancake lens because it makes the whole setup so light too. You wont regret it!