Choosing the Perfect Lens for Firework Photography: A Comprehensive Guide

Having only one lens makes your decision-making simple; it's always the best lens for you. But when you're endowed with a choice, how do you decide which lens to employ?

Among my personal favorites is the versatile 24-70mm lens. It affords me a moderate zoom capability along with the potential to go wide. When choosing, here are a few factors to contemplate. A wider lens typically enables you to incorporate more into your frame than a longer one. In terms of prime lenses, I would advise against going beyond 100mm.

If you're keen on using a longer lens, I suggest starting with a wide-angle one at the onset of the firework display. This gives you an approximate estimate of where the fireworks will be ignited. Capturing fireworks with a longer lens necessitates a higher level of precision.

For those who opt for a long lens, another viable strategy is to make an initial educated guess on the fireworks' location in the sky and then adjust accordingly to frame the scene you desire. Given that most firework shows span 15 to 20 minutes, you'll have ample time to fine-tune your settings. Once you've zeroed in on a location, resist the temptation to shift your tripod to capture low-flying fireworks. The risk is high that you might miss these fleeting moments, and simultaneously lose your carefully calibrated position for the higher fireworks.