Praise for the 50mm

nice1franko

http://vothphoto.com/spotlight/articles/forgotten_lens/forgotten-lens.htm

tsk... our boardsies have been saying that for years

rymus

g'wan the prime appreciation society!

*hugs his primes*

thebaz

excellent article -- going to start using my 50 again, its being gathering dust , need to start experimenting with it and pushing it a bit

nice1franko

aye. thanks to the advice here (rymus and paulw esp - muschos gracias!) I got a 400d with the nifty fifty instead of kit lens and it's the business. Peeps are shocked by how nice the pics are... and I'm only a bloody crap beginner!! The possibilities of what may be!!!

Also got the Understanding Exposure book but can't start it yet...have to cram for a ****ing exam

shepthedog

How much would a nifty fifty set me back? Buying from Ebay or online?

thebaz

nice1franko wrote:

Also got the Understanding Exposure book but can't start it yet...have to cram for a ****ing exam

i got that book too, i must be the slowest reader in dublin -- i can't blame it on exams , oh well i'll blame it on taking loads of photos -- i'm half way through it - and it is a great book

Beano

shepthedog wrote:

How much would a nifty fifty set me back? Buying from Ebay or online?

€100 tops. best investment you will ever make

rahtkennades

Beano wrote:

€100 tops. best investment you will ever make

I just received on from Kea (ebay) for €96.25 (including a uv filter). Haven't had time to play with it yet, but it's great to have a fast normal lens again (like on my film slr).

BTW the canon f1.8 is reeeeeeaalllly plastic!!!! I couldn't believe how cheap it feels! I just hope the performance is as good as i'm led to believe!

Rojo

"The 50mm lens, once the mainstay of 35mm photography, has been all but forgotten by today's photographers."


I honestly don't think it's forgotten. I'd say at least 50% of the regulars on here have one!

rymus

rahtkennades wrote:

but it's great to have a fast normal lens again (like on my film slr).

Well, bearing in mind that it's not really 50mm on the majority of dslrs out there... If anything the 30mm is closer to 'normal' on a 1.6x crop camera... To be pedantic about it...

magicbastarder

Rojo wrote:

I honestly don't think it's forgotten. I'd say at least 50% of the regulars on here have one!

it's a pity though that you don't get them offered as kit lenses though. with my DSLR, i'd have very possibly gone for a standard lens over the zoom which came bundled with it.

rahtkennades

rymus wrote:

Well, bearing in mind that it's not really 50mm on the majority of dslrs out there... If anything the 30mm is closer to 'normal' on a 1.6x crop camera... To be pedantic about it...

Ah sure I know, but I can't afford the extra cost for anything else. Besides, when I go full-frame :rolleyes: it'll be normal then, right?!!:p

Rojo

magicbastarder wrote:

it's a pity though that you don't get them offered as kit lenses though. with my DSLR, i'd have very possibly gone for a standard lens over the zoom which came bundled with it.

My kit lens does get a bit of use, I must say! It's the widest thing I have and it's not that bad..

ThOnda

Crop factor doesn't matter. Fixed focal lenght lense with hole 1/1.8 MUST bend light in a little different way.
Don't worry about kit lenses, my DSLR will come with one :-) But I have two 50/2 on my desk already :-)

311

I don't really see what the big deal is with the 50 1.8 ,I can see straight through it

PoleStar

Just a newbie question on the subject of the nifty fifty!

Just got my eos 400d (with kit lens) and was poised to fork out for the much praised canon 50mm f 1.8 as my main use is gonna be for portraits and family shots, such as the type of photos on that link about the 50mm lens!

Just reading on it tho, as my camera has a 1.6 crop, perhaps what I need is a 35mm prime for my dSLR and that a 50mm will perhaps have too much zoom and not be suitable.

Any advice? And if what I really need IS a 30-35mm prime or so, anyone got any recommendations?

Thanks guys!

challengemaster

this is lol. went into a camera shop in Athlone yesterday.. tiny little place, anyway, asked about getting a 50mm F/1.8II, was told that they're extremely specialist and you wouldnt get one for under €350 anywhere, and you'd be lucky to even get one nowadays. couldnt keep the smile off my face

magicbastarder

is there a 50mm or similar prime available for the D40, which retains AF functionality?

Borderfox

I have the 30mm f1.4 and its a really good focal length on a crop camera..

rymus

tis.. kinda thinking of upgrading to the canon 35mm f1.4L though...

mikeanywhere

rymus wrote:

tis.. kinda thinking of upgrading to the canon 35mm f1.4L though...

Just ordered mine!!

rymus

you jammy so & so.. Post up some shots when you get it. Have to be able to justify it to my wallet

mikeanywhere

rymus wrote:

you jammy so & so.. Post up some shots when you get it. Have to be able to justify it to my wallet

Perks of photography paid work now HAHAHAHA

And yep, no worries will do when it finally gets here. It will be very very handy for a wedding on the 22Dec

rymus

ahh regular paid work.. some day.. some day!

challengemaster

*drags up old-ish thread*

Just got mine today \o/ got a nice lens hood for it and all, only 2€ :D

rymus

w00t!

Valentia

PoleStar wrote:

Just a newbie question on the subject of the nifty fifty!

Just got my eos 400d (with kit lens) and was poised to fork out for the much praised canon 50mm f 1.8 as my main use is gonna be for portraits and family shots, such as the type of photos on that link about the 50mm lens!

Just reading on it tho, as my camera has a 1.6 crop, perhaps what I need is a 35mm prime for my dSLR and that a 50mm will perhaps have too much zoom and not be suitable.

Any advice? And if what I really need IS a 30-35mm prime or so, anyone got any recommendations?

Thanks guys!

The 50 is a very good portrait lens on the 1.6 crop. 30 is too wide even on a 1.6 for "standard" portraits. You will be delighted with your people shots with the 50.

ThOnda

Portrait lenses are quoted with 135mm focal lenght, so 50mm x 1.6 is getting better. You can be a little further from the model and there is less distorsion using longer lenses.