50mm f/1.8 II Vs 50mm f/1.4 USM

[J-Chan]

The ghosting is due to your filter. Invest in a better filter like the B&W. Else, don't use filter in front of your 50mm f1.8. If suay suay scratch the glass, get a new one.

I'm quite sure if you put your filter on even a 50mm f1.2, you will still see the ghosting.

haha, and that B+W filter would cost like half the price of the 50 1.8.. :sweat:

 

[alvyalvy]

Hi,
on a side note, I just bought a 50mm 1.8 for my wife to try on her 350d, problem is I wasn't paying attention to the test images taken at wide open when I was buying it..when i tested it at home, it is very much front or back focusing, as I can get much sharper focus if I manual focus. I tested on my 5D, same problem! Would I be able to exchange it from the shop i bought it (SLS AP) or bring to CSC? I got it yesterday (Sat). Can i do one to one exch?

 

[charlesleong]

phone AP and ask for their exchange procedures.

or bring it to CSC and calibrate.

 

[wishxtreme]

Just saw a 50mm F/1.0 lens. I is really a legendary lens. Was in my frens photo studio and when we came down, saw this uncle taking some pics around the building..

Wow.. F/1.0, that must have cost him at least $5k

 

[Snoweagle]

Just saw a 50mm F/1.0 lens. I is really a legendary lens. Was in my frens photo studio and when we came down, saw this uncle taking some pics around the building..

Wow.. F/1.0, that must have cost him at least $5k

But i've heard that at f/1.0, it's quite soft.

 

[Lenpalien]

I agree. This is true especially when shooting on the beach or when it is starting to rain. I have a phobia about getting dust or sand particles on my lenses.

Not necessary. If any time got something flying directly at the lens or any small pieces of debris, u'll wished that u had installed a filter.

 

[variablefeedback]

Bought it today, for low light shooting ... testing pics only. Just resized to 20%, unedited.
Made in Malaysioa, MS COLOR, S$110 cash.

F1.8, AWB, AV Mode, One-Shot, Center weighted, no flash, AF. Handheld.

Low light, in the living room lighted by 1 75W Philips Yellow Energy saving bulb.

F1.8, AWB, AV Mode, One-Shot, Center weighted, no flash, AF. Handheld.
With the Hello Kitty light bulb on.

To be frank,

1) Motor noise - not much noisier than USM. No issue with me as I'll be using this to shoot my kids, who are Deaf Vaders!
2) Focus Hunting - depends on how you use it. I set mine to auto-focus on the center of the frame, no issue. If set to default (7 point) AUTO MODE, sure it hunts.
3) Cheap plastic - hell yeah, but it fits tighter to the body than my Kit lens.

 

[Snoweagle]

I agree. This is true especially when shooting on the beach or when it is starting to rain. I have a phobia about getting dust or sand particles on my lenses.

I have UV filters on all my lenses permanently though, so i don't have to worry too much abt dusts and dirt getting onto the front lens element. At most i just clean the filter.

 

[Scandiacus]

OT a bit but any comments about the new and huge Sigma 50mm f/1.4? :dunno:

 

[gman23xx]

self-explanatory
is the money worth spending to get the latter?

How much is the 50mm f1.4? Haha...maybe i might sell my 50mm f1.8 away...it feels kinda werid...haha


gman

 

[calebk]

How much is the 50mm f1.4? Haha...maybe i might sell my 50mm f1.8 away...it feels kinda werid...haha


gman

Check the pricelists...just so you know, one 50mm f/1.4 can get you four 50mm f/1.8 with cash to spare.

In any case, some of my best images are made with the 50mm f/1.8.

 

[variablefeedback]

finally manage to test it out ....

Sport Mode. All pics taken at night in the hall, no flash.

I just got this to say, this is my 1st prime lens. and if i were to buy a camera again, I will never take the kit lens. When I did it right, the sharpness is amazing.
After using it for a while, I think I shall go for the 30mm F1.4 ultimately.

 

[calebk]

... if i were to buy a camera again, I will never take the kit lens. When I did it right, the sharpness is amazing.
After using it for a while, I think I shall go for the 30mm F1.4 ultimately.

Are you sure? The 50mm still can't do wide angle. Think again. :bsmilie:

 

[variablefeedback]

sure, the 50mm can do wide angle, but just not as wide as my GX100 which I am used to.

Bro Calebk, I am just a newbie, so pls bear with my nonsense.
Anyway, I bought the 50mm f/1.8 II lens just to quench my thirst for a fast lens.
I am not a lover of using flash, because I dont know how to use it properly, need to learn from the brothers here.
All the flash pics turn up too harsh ....

However, the 50mm f/1.8 II seems to fit the bill quite well.
Even my P&S-oriented wife loves the DSLR now in sport mode (idiot-proof), only complain for her is that the camera is too heavy.
So this 50mm f/1.8 II is a keeper, for my wife to use.
AT S$110 a piece, its a no-brainer.

 

[charlesleong]

i do understand that you just started, but please do try and understand the terminology.

50mm is by no means "wide angle", especially when you're using a APS-C format sensor which 'applies' a 1.6x multiplier to the effective focal length of the lens, so your 50mm is 'actually' a 80mm equivalent.

For a full-frame 35 mm camera with a 36 mm by 24 mm format, the diagonal measures 43.3 mm and by custom, the normal lens adopted by most manufacturers is 50 mm. Also by custom, a lens of focal length 35 mm or less is considered wide-angle.
Common wide-angle lenses for a full-frame 35 mm camera are 35, 28, 24, 21, 18 and 14 mm. Many of the lenses in this range will produce a more or less rectilinear image at the film plane (though some degree of barrel distortion is not uncommon here).

this from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide-angle

while we're not 'forcing' you to speak the same lingo as us, i hope you'll appreciate that it's much easier for people to communicate if the same words have the same meanings for all

happy shooting!

 

[charlesleong]

p.s. wonderful shots btw.

 

[variablefeedback]

Bro Charlesleong,
Yar agreed on standard terminology, just tell that to Bro Calebk lah ... Hahahaha ...

Anyway, OT a bit, any advise on using this F1.8 lens with external flash?
Like, what flash do you guys recommend for my KISS F aka 1000D and how do you guys achieve those-oh-so-natural night portraits.
The brochure stated 220EX, 430EX and 580EX II.
I dont like the harsh pics from my built-in flash.

BTW, I am selling the kit lens liao .....

Any advise will be appreciated.
KUM SIA !

 

[charlesleong]

try bouncing your flash off a ceiling or using a diffuser.

google for "a better bounce card" if you're cheapo or look at "lightsphere" or "stofen omnibounce". these are all ways to spread out the light so that it doesn't look that harsh.

 

[variablefeedback]

The Lightsphere PUFFER looks promising!
Anyone has any experience of it on a Canon 450D?
I dont have an external flash now.
But to be frank, I rather dont use an external flash but shooting at night out door is PITA without an external flash.
" STOP RUNNING AROUND KIDS! " Hahahaha ... just kidding lah .... Kids will be kids!

 

[tjhan]

Just get an external flash. In fact, don't sell your kit lens, don't buy any more lens, just get a flash and you'll realise it's really enough for most situations. You may not even need to spend pointless money on diffusers for most situations, since you get bounce off many many places. The kit lens really starts to shine in terms of value for money, when you get a decent flash.