The 50mm 1.8 appreciation thread

eas

With some recent threads revolving around lenses that to most would be out of our price range, I thought people new into the somewhat expensive world of SLR lenses would appreciate some samples from the true champion of affordable optics, the humble 50mm 1.8.

What can be said about these lenses that hasn't already been said? I love mine. Sometimes it falls into the back of my bag and doesn't get to see action for months at a time, but as soon as it gets back on, it just feels so nice. I only have experience with the nikon 50 1.8d, but I know Canon users covet their 50's as well.

post your favourite 50mm 1.8 pics!!

I took the below yesterday. A local dog that hangs around the harbour waiting for someone to throw sticks into the water for him. *note : the vignetting was added in adobe ACR during raw conversion and is not a quality of the lens.

melekalikimaka

great lens...pity mine all break, the new ones have plastic mounts...i'm on the search for a older metal mount one at the mo

Fajitas!

30 1.4 ftw!

Valentia

Beautiful shots eas. Here! here! to the lens, it is a fantastic piece of kit. The close up's in the gig shots I posted recently were all done with it so I wont repost them.

peter1892

Brilliant lens - and a really good price too. I'm still on a 35mm SLR but I wouldn't be without that lens. Here's one I made earlier (Fuji Acros 100).

eas

Fajitas! wrote:

30 1.4 ftw!

we know you love you sigma Fajitas - but does cost less than E100? edit :

Flipflip

I have the Nikkor one too on my D50.

Its one of those lenses that when you get it, you think, "How did I ever manage without it??"
Its an amazing piece of kit, especially for potraits and gigs.


I cant stress enough that this should be in everyones kit!

440Hz

I bought mine after playing with the evil version on a D70. I love it sooo much. Went on a shoot yesterday and gave mine (canon version) to another photographer who normally buys fancy-smancy lenses. He fell in love with it too but is thinking of the 1.4 Canon version.

Incidentally... we had a show down yesterday between my 70-300 IS and his 80-400 Sigma (with OS)... and.... the Canon came out on top. Spent less time hunting, the IS was better, images were sharper and obviously its half the weight and half the price of the Bigma. Anyway, just thought you lot might like to know all that!

elven

I LOVE my 50!!!!

I use it in low light - Friday's night shoot... and the Guinness Storehouse, too:


Or, anywhere that I want shallow DoF:


Or, with my tubes for some macro action:


Yay, for cheap, good lenses! I'd rather spend my money on clothes...

5uspect

I use a nikkor 50mm f1.8D in work for optical measurements (nothing pretty just particles suspended in fluid). Great lens tho, works nicely with extension tubes too.

GristlyEnd

eas wrote:

we know you love you sigma Fajitas - but does cost less than E100? edit :

Is that for new or used? I'm looking for one myself.

Dundhoone

I know its not exactly expensive, but €140 here (europe) vs $120 dollars (€90) USA.......
(whingey I know!):)

As I mentioned on another thread, its on my list for santa.

Morlar

Dundhoone wrote:

I know its not exactly expensive, but €140 here (europe) vs $120 dollars (€90) USA.......
(whingey I know!):)

I saw it for €89 new in germany last week - its overpriced here but not the rest of europe.

(50mm 1.4 ftw ! !)

eas

I'm not sure how much it costs locally, but you can get the canon 50 1.8 for €93.50 + shipping @ http://www.technikdirekt.de/main/en/foto/fotodigital/objektive/obj-canon/284141/-/Article.html?fillspace=1

and the nikon a bit pricier 129.00 + shipping @ http://www.technikdirekt.de/main/en/foto/fotodigital/objektive/obj-canon/Search.html

or ebay prices below €100

Dundhoone

Not too bad so, I saw that €140 on cam-Ireland.

cam-ireland.com price: 149,00 EUR
101,92 GBP
incl. 16% VAT

Obviously I need to shop around more!

rymus

two things...

1. The 30mm 1.4 is the business. I love my 50mm 1.8 and all, but the 30mm is great.

2. The 80-400 Sigma OS isnt the Bigma. Having tried both, I'd prefer the 50-500, The bigma. It's in a different league than any of the crop of 70-300's. It may not have OS but it does have a tripod/monopod attachment. problem solved.

440Hz

€68 from Kea... thats where I bought mine a few weeks back anyway