I know this question is searchable in Our Lord Google, but I find most answers over there assumes a FX sensor, and still I don't have things very clear.
Well, I'm just a beginner photographer that I entered into photography "by chance", and I'd like to deepen my knowledge and get better pictures. I started by shooting landscapes, but I found recently that I'd like to do more of cosplay photography.
But since this is just a hobby and not an income job, I doubt I'll be shooting at studios, so I want to focus on events. My main event to get pictures would be the Comiket at Japan, that has the particularity that cosplayers are on the outside area (so lots of lights most of the time), on a space quite crowded, and people have to line up to take pictures to cosplayers in order.
My current gear is a Nikon D3200, with the 18-55mm kit lens and a 35mm 1.8G prime lens. But since the space is limited, I've opted to take them with the kit lens (not sure if the prime would give me problems to move around, I have to check). But, although I've taken quite nice photos, its poor aperture makes the background very distracting, because as said before, it's many people moving on that space.
So, I'd like to upgrade my kit to make better cosplay pictures with shallower depth of field. The recommendations on some pages are the 85mm f/1.8, the 24-70mm f/2.8 and the 70-200mm, but again they recommend based on a FX sensor and probably not thinking on shooting events, but on a set up environment or studio. Also it seems that the 85mm one would make me take just the face, and since there is a queue for shooting the cosplayers, I think moving back would be a bit difficult. And I don't even want to think about the 70-200mm one.
Probably for that recommendation I would take the 24-70mm. But based on a DX sensor, is there anything better that I can take? With "better", I mean a big step in IQ. Budget is not that an issue, my wallet will cry but is resigned. Also I'll buy second-hand. So used around $1000 would be fine.
(By the way, any bro tip would be very appreciated)
EDIT: I'd like to share two examples for the same cosplayers at different focal lengths, one at 18mm and the other at 55mm. I have around the same distance for all cosplayers, in average.
Based on this, Maybe I can move back a bit to fit a 24mm in the picture, but probably with my 35mm I'll be privated of full-body shoots.
On the first one, there are many "sharp" people on the background, distracting the look from the cosplayers.