Canon EF 50mm f/1.8

[anchiang]

Why not get a second hand 50mm f/1.4 USM? It could be bought for around $460. I bought mine at that price with 6 month warranty left.
Used it a few time only, but really like it. Gives very nice bokeh at 1.4

Example:

With your example, I would like to ask, how should i take the picture so that all the 3 guys there are in focus... I having this problem with 50mm when taking group photo. most of the times only few are in focus, the rest are blur... :cry:

 

[Canew]

Bro anchiang, care to post that photo, so that there rest of us here can help to comment.

 

[anchiang]

I'll upload it once I reach home

 

[fireframe]

With your example, I would like to ask, how should i take the picture so that all the 3 guys there are in focus... I having this problem with 50mm when taking group photo. most of the times only few are in focus, the rest are blur... :cry:

It's a Depth-of-Field (DOF) problem. Wide aperture = shallow DOF. Close down your aperture to f4 and above and you'll see the difference.

 

[ub1978]

Hi All, was sincerely thinking of getting this 50 mm/f 1.4 or 1.8 (i want very shallow DOF when i photograph my would be wife)

Where do i get this lens for $100 or $130 ? Canon site shows as 800 SGD!!!

M very new to the photography arena.. got the EOS 400D with the 18-55 mm kit lens.

Can someone pls advise (I guess m pretty late in posting to this thread)..

Thanks in Adv

 

[ub1978]

the $100 / $130 was mentioned in the same thread.. so bit confused :embrass:

 

[GilbertGoh]

ub1978

it is the 50mm 1.8 MKII that is around $120
the one you were looking at should be the 50mm 1.4
go to the lens price list to find the shops selling them. most of the shops should be around that price.

 

[Snoweagle]

Hi All, was sincerely thinking of getting this 50 mm/f 1.4 or 1.8 (i want very shallow DOF when i photograph my would be wife)

Where do i get this lens for $100 or $130 ? Canon site shows as 800 SGD!!!

M very new to the photography arena.. got the EOS 400D with the 18-55 mm kit lens.

Can someone pls advise (I guess m pretty late in posting to this thread)..

Thanks in Adv

The f/1.8 II is around $130, the f/1.4 USM one is around $600.

 

[anchiang]

Bro anchiang, care to post that photo, so that there rest of us here can help to comment.

here it go.



please teach me how to use this 50mm properly when taking group picture

 

[argonmt]

here it go.



please teach me how to use this 50mm properly when taking group picture

wat is your setting?
look like too narrow DOF :think:

 

[Clockunder]

here it go.



please teach me how to use this 50mm properly when taking group picture

You shot about 3m away using F/2.2, ISO 800 @1/60 ?

Not enough Depth of field leh.

In order to get enough DOF which covers the nearest and furthest person, you probably need to use F/8 or smaller and focus at the point which is about 1/3 of the distance between the nearest person and the furthest person.

But then, F/8 is 3.7 stops slower than F/2.2. So you may have problem with handshake blur because the shutter speed would be about 1/9 even if you pump up your ISO to 1600.

In this kind of shots, it's better to use a wide angle lens with a very short focal length instead. Alternatively, use flash and a small aperture.

 

[denniskee]

The first generation one is more solidly built with full-time manual focusing with a distance info window as found on the f/1.4s. The mount is also metal.

2nd hand first gen ones are even more expensive than a new 2nd gen one.

ha ha ha, want FTM? Use M42 mount SMC Takuma 50 f1.4 lor, solid body with glass.

 

[Snoweagle]

ha ha ha, want FTM? Use M42 mount SMC Takuma 50 f1.4 lor, solid body with glass.

Haha yeah! But too bad Canon's f/1.4 version also no FTM.

 

[alvinchuan]

Haha yeah! But too bad Canon's f/1.4 version also no FTM.

Are you referring to EF50mm f1.8 because EF50mm f1.4 do come with FTM.

Alvin.

 

[elladan]

the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM does have FTM even though its only a Micromotor USM and not Ring USM.

@anchiang

you may want to use the depth of field preview button to get an idea of how much to stop down. with lower-end DSLRs like 350D where the viewfinder is small it may be harder to see the effect of DOF preview though.

 

[Snoweagle]

Somewhere i read from and was also told that the f/1.4 does not have FTM, but oh well....i might be wrong though.

 

[Stratix]

the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM does have FTM even though its only a Micromotor USM and not Ring USM.

@anchiang

you may want to use the depth of field preview button to get an idea of how much to stop down. with lower-end DSLRs like 350D where the viewfinder is small it may be harder to see the effect of DOF preview though.

"The lens is a little unusual in the global Canon lens context - it features a micro-USM AF drive including full-time manual (FTM) override in one-shot AF mode. This is, I think, a quite unique combination. FTM is usually possible with a ring-type USM drives only."

from Photozone: http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/canon_50_14/index.htm =)

 

[anchiang]

the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM does have FTM even though its only a Micromotor USM and not Ring USM.

@anchiang

you may want to use the depth of field preview button to get an idea of how much to stop down. with lower-end DSLRs like 350D where the viewfinder is small it may be harder to see the effect of DOF preview though.

Thanks.. I'll try on next chance

Just thinking if it possible to do documentation using this lens for indoor meeting. I have right to walk around the place. Because i forbid to use too much flash.

My cam is 300D anyway.

 

[Stratix]

Thanks.. I'll try on next chance

Just thinking if it possible to do documentation using this lens for indoor meeting. I have right to walk around the place. Because i forbid to use too much flash.

My cam is 300D anyway.

both the 350D and the 300D has that DOF preview button, which is located nearer to the bottom of your lens mount. =)