Best lens combo for baby shots at hospital

My wife and are are potentially days away from the birth of our first child (a little girl) and I want to have my kit ready for in hospital shots after my responsibilities during labor are complete (i.e. camera is not coming out until the baby has arrived and we've both had a chance to hold her). I have a 5D3 and am trying to figure out what lenses to bring with me. Given that I won't bring a flash (too bright for newborn eyes) I'm trying to maximize my fast lenses while still having enough flexibility for nice shots.

My initial thought is to bring these lenses:

1. 24 2.8 IS

2. 50 1.4

3. 70-200 2.8 IS

4. 100 2.8 Macro (tokina)

What do you guys think? as an alternate I thought of bringing my 24-105 but at F4 it may be too slow for nice shots and is heavier than the 24 prime. I know the 70-200 is a beast but it just shoots so nice that I think I'd be disappointed without it.

While I would like to do the flash, I know with full certainty that my wife would not be happy with it and I need to keep her happy, especially after having gone through labor.

My thought on the 24 was so that we could get a group picture, possibly with the grandparents too (though 50 may be wide enough and I could likely throw in my 40 pancake to a little extra width just in case).

KN13 wrote:

My wife and are are potentially days away from the birth of our first child (a little girl) and I want to have my kit ready for in hospital shots after my responsibilities during labor are complete (i.e. camera is not coming out until the baby has arrived and we've both had a chance to hold her). I have a 5D3 and am trying to figure out what lenses to bring with me. Given that I won't bring a flash (too bright for newborn eyes) I'm trying to maximize my fast lenses while still having enough flexibility for nice shots.

First of all, congratulations.

Second of all. SLEEP NOW. Write down what it was like. Refer to it for the next couple of years.

My initial thought is to bring these lenses:

1. 24 2.8 IS

For Mom and child together, yes.

2. 50 1.4

This for baby. Normal distance (same room) lots of portraits.

3. 70-200 2.8 IS

This for baby - if you're at distance only. Otherwise, leave at home, big and heavy.

4. 100 2.8 Macro (tokina)

What do you guys think? as an alternate I thought of bringing my 24-105 but at F4 it may be too slow for nice shots and is heavier than the 24 prime. I know the 70-200 is a beast but it just shoots so nice that I think I'd be disappointed without it.

That's it. You don't need a flash at all anyway  - there's enough light in a hospital no problem-o. In fact, it would never occur to me to bring one even if I could. It's just not necessary with your camera. Just adjust for the white balance - or fix in PP (shoot RAW). There will be lots of fluorescents mixed with LED probably.

The macro is redundant (covered by 70-200) unless you want some nice eyelash shots. I don't know how it is in hospitals anymore - my Wife does but she's off on an Alaska cruise! I'd wager that just the 24 and 50 would be enough.

The 5D MkIII is capable of perfect low-light shooting, and I bet you don't have to get much over 400 ISO and still have a fast enough shutter speed and high enough aperture (around 5.6) to keep everything in focus. I've been surprised that I can pretty much shoot at ISO 160 or so indoors (like a hospital) and keep above 1/60 and about 5.6. They keep these places well lit.

If I was doing this, I'd just bring my 24-70/2.8 II if that gives you a hint.

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IMO you are bringing too much gear, etc.

I brought a 6D + 85mm 1.8 and an EOS-M with the 22mm pancake.  I had the 85mm and 35mm focal lengths covered.

It is possible to do it with just the 50mm f1.4.  50mm 1.4 has closer MFD which is nice.  The 85mm 1.8 framed a lot of pictures nicely for me on FF.

Jonathan Brady wrote:

I agree with everything you wrote except this...

Timbukto wrote:

IMO you are bringing too much gear, etc.

He'll be in one room for 2-3 days. IMO, it doesn't really matter how much gear he brings. He only has to lug it to and from the car (or have friends/family bring it for him). Otherwise, it's simply going to sit in a corner or be in use. To me, there's practically no effort involved and practically no downside to bringing it all either.

My daughter just turned 2 yesterday and I still remember carrying two bags full of all the stuff we'd need (and a bunch of stuff we ended up not needing) plus my camera bag with every piece of equipment I owned AND wheeling my wife down the hall in a wheelchair. His adrenalin will be PUMPING and he won't feel a bit of weight. My wife unfortunately ended up having to have a C section and even when they moved us out of the labor room into surgery, the nurses were really nice and just let us put our bags behind their counter in a corner until we were out of surgery and into the MBU (Mother Baby Unit). I went back, got everything, and came back to the room. No biggie. Upon departure, I leisurely took everything to the car and loaded it up, came back, got my wife, went to the final class before we left, had our baby girl's feet stamped, left my wife and baby behind, picked up the car and brought it to the front door of the hospital and loaded her and the baby into the car. At no time did I feel like I brought too much gear even though I didn't use most of it. It was there if I needed it and that made me VERY happy.

I have no input, I would not know enough about how a C-section differs from natural delivery.  But natural delivery is not 2-3 days of recovery.

Assuming all goes as planned and we don't need a C-Section it'd be about 2 nights with discharge at 11 am the 3rd day. I carry my gear in a backpack and we have a small rolling bag for our clothes and toiletries, etc. All things being equal, we'll have all three sets of parents (wife's parents got divorced) at the hospital so there'll be plenty of hands and I'll have the backpack and the car seat leaving.

Thanks! I actually got 100 pages into Happiest Baby on the Block yesterday after my wife finished it. Expect to finish it tonight (I read for a living) and it seems really helpful.

Jonathan Brady wrote:

KN13 wrote:

While I would like to do the flash, I know with full certainty that my wife would not be happy with it and I need to keep her happy, especially after having gone through labor.

Truer words never spoken (or typed) my friend

My thought on the 24 was so that we could get a group picture, possibly with the grandparents too (though 50 may be wide enough and I could likely throw in my 40 pancake to a little extra width just in case).

Yeah, that makes sense!

Although our room in the hospital was pretty big so I did most of my shooting with my 60mm macro on my crop sensor camera (~100mm equivalent). In fact, I don't remember shooting with anything else. But, it WAS a big room. There were two beds (I got to sleep on one) plus the bassinet, two chairs, and room to walk around.

To me, you take everything. This is one of those "once in a lifetime" events that you just suck it up and bring all your gear. I even brought a tripod and took long exposure images of my baby girl when she was sleeping at night with only ambient light from the hallway illuminating her.

Also, contrary to what Victorian Squid posted (and I normally agree with him wholeheartedly) the lighting in our room was pretty low. Granted, I had a crop sensor camera and you're working with FF but I was often at 1600 ISO to keep shutter speeds up. Our hospital gave us tours including one of the recovery room. If yours offers the same, take advantage!

You'd probably know best here. I spend more time in Hospitals than I'd like, but not the maternity wards. The last one I saw was pretty well lit - but things very well could be different nowadays. I'll defer to you newer Dads on that one.

All the best and HUGE congrats! It's pretty awesome being a dad. The only downside is ALL of the unsolicited advice you get from people. Speaking of which... here's some! lol If you haven't already, grab "the happiest baby on the block" DVD and watch it. It's AMAZING and it made a HUGE difference with our little girl

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“You don't take a photograph, you make it.”
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KN13 wrote:

My wife and are are potentially days away from the birth of our first child (a little girl) and I want to have my kit ready for in hospital shots after my responsibilities during labor are complete (i.e. camera is not coming out until the baby has arrived and we've both had a chance to hold her). I have a 5D3 and am trying to figure out what lenses to bring with me. Given that I won't bring a flash (too bright for newborn eyes) I'm trying to maximize my fast lenses while still having enough flexibility for nice shots.

My initial thought is to bring these lenses:

1. 24 2.8 IS

2. 50 1.4

3. 70-200 2.8 IS

4. 100 2.8 Macro (tokina)

What do you guys think? as an alternate I thought of bringing my 24-105 but at F4 it may be too slow for nice shots and is heavier than the 24 prime. I know the 70-200 is a beast but it just shoots so nice that I think I'd be disappointed without it.

On FF, baby shots at 6' - 75mm is optimal - it's also a great viewing distance for little ones whereas we prefer 10-12' with adults.

Low light - take the f/1.4 50mm.

I don't think you'll need anything else

cb

Have only been in this situation twice so take it with a grain of salt.

i have a 5D,  I brought with me my 24mmL II, my 50mmL, and for both occasions rented the 85mmL II.

even if I had the 5d3, I don't think my lens choices would change.  24 was great for contextual shots, 50mm is one of my faves, most shots were at 50, 85 was used for close ups and bokeh....

i chose not to use flash, just my preference.  Both births I attended were during daylight, with a nice big window in the room..

You're going to experience an emotional waterfall, don't expect to be in any fit state to take photographs. During labour I managed 3 frames. Afterwards the midwife took the photos with my compact, and I managed a couple of pics more. Our daughter was a planned home birth, I had all my kit in the house, but taking photos wasn't of interest to me. I took a few photos on my phone, they are not the sort of images I'm going to print big, or worry about the technical detail, they are capturing the moment. Not worrying about exposures, sensor size or lens range.

But if you are sure ideally you need the 24-70, but also remember there may be times when you need to leave the room due to things happening: c section, retained placenta etc all of which hopefully won't happen, but can and the last thing you'll be worrying about is your camera. All I'm saying is ithat the stuff you take might not be there when you get back the nurses priority is for mother and child, not your camera kit

I have the photos on the day, but to be honest it's not a day I'm ever going to forget.

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let me add that, in both cases the birth was for a close relative, not my own so I had time to use everything...

I always have trouble picking my lenses. Too many choices (though with a little one my lens budget is going to divert to her college fund and normal baby expenses) I suppose.

Congratulations on the upcoming grandson!

I totally expect to be all over the place emotionally. During labor the camera is staying put away. My wife doesn't want to be photographed in that situation and I'm going to be too preoccupied being supportive and in the moment with her. The hospital we'll be at has private delivery rooms so I'm not terribly concerned about my camera bag. Also, given that it usually weights about 30 lbs all in (and that will also be my bag for chargers, external battery packs and soothing tools (like my pico projector to show my wife her favorite scenes and shots of our pets) I'll have a general sense of where it is.

After delivery the hospital's policy is to leave you alone with your new baby for about 2 hours. That's when I anticipate getting some nice photos (after I get to hold her and marvel at what my wife and I created together).

first, Congrats  Live will drastically change.  kids are amazing.

I have two of them and work in a hospital.  Dont forget to take a lot of video also.  With children you will be truly thankfull that you did.

I would leave the 70-200 at home.  I think the ideal set up would be a 24-70 2.8, and I suppose a 100 macro {though you can do the macro shots once you are at home, he wont change much after first 2 days).  I would be far more interested in documentation photography.  so a 24-70 would work perfectly fine. I have also used a 35 1.4 and a 50 1.4 on separate occasions, and they have both worked very well.  The zoom has the advantage in video