Faster lenses—those with very wide maximum apertures such as F2.8 or F1.8—are preferable for low light photography because they allow the use of a faster shutter speed with a smaller aperture. If you’ll be photographing anything that moves, this faster shutter speed will prevent blur. In addition, with digital cameras, the shorter the exposure time, the less electronic image noise the camera will create and the sharper the image will be.
Fast lenses aren’t cheap, though, so if your budget won’t allow you to buy or rent one, image-stabilizers are another option. These systems compensate for camera shake and allow hand-held shots at several shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible. Unless you’re working with a digital camera that has a built-in image stabilization system, you’ll need an image stabilizer lens. Canon stabilization lenses are marked with "IS" (image stabilizer), Nikon stabilization lenses are marked with "VR" (vibration reduction), and other manufactures also produce lenses with stabilization systems. If neither of these solutions is an option for you, just remember that if you’re holding the camera in your hand, you can avoid getting a blurred image by using a shutter speed that’s at least the inverse of the focal length of the lens. For example, with a 50mm lens, you’ll need a shutter speed of at least 1/50 to get a clear hand-held shot. With any shutter speed slower than this, you’ll need a tripod or other camera support.