??? about 50mm 1.4 lens

[MichelleK]

Hello, new here...I bought this lens last weekend and I am wondering if there is any photography websites where I can do a search for pictures taken with this lens.

Also I have UV filters on my other lenses for protection and I am wondering if I should put a UV one on this lens since most of the pictures are taken indoors.

Also I have read some reviews where poeple just leave this lens on their camera for a majority of the time, should I put on one of my other lenses with I go outside and it is sunny?? Does changing the lens constantly mess anything up with the rebel or the lenses???

Thanks for any responses,
Michelle K

[Carzee]

Welcome Michelle - there is a current thread in progress showing off photos taken using that lens.

I'll find it...

[Carzee]

Here tis---

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=139085


enjoy! Oh and using UV "lens caps" is fine in or outdoors. Mounting and unmounting a lens will probably wear you down quicker than the camera - just keep the gold electric circuit contacts clean.

[MichelleK]

just clean it with wet wash cloth???

I am going to go check out that thread...thanx

[MichelleK]

Oh and I have been reading this photography book and I am not understanding depth of field very well...it is one of the reasons I bought this lens...is it just something the lens does or do I have to set the camera to a certain setting to get the subject clear and the rest of the pic. really blury, I really like that look

Michelle K

[NickC]

Hello, new here...I bought this lens last weekend and I am wondering if there is any photography websites where I can do a search for pictures taken with this lens.

Lots here:

http://www.pbase.com/cameras/canon/ef_50_14u

[kram]

Michelle, I would recommend some reading time with a book like Understanding Exposures. To answer your question, that's achieved by keeping the aperture at its widest (eg 1.4) and that will make the background blurry - its called bokeh.

On sample pics, pbase is the place where you can search by brand and product. Eg. canon and then 50mm 1.4....

[MichelleK]

after looking at all the pictures that have been linked I noticed that almost all of the ones with small depth was at F1.4...so on my camera I just put it to the setting that you decide the fstop and the camera chooses the rest of the settings...right??

Should this lens not be used when it is sunny outside?? Will it be too bright if I try to use f1.4 outside?? I live in San Diego so it is always sunny.

Michelle K

[bolantej]

http://www.camerasinteractive.com/index.php#
Check out this link.
The lens can be used any time of day, but since it has a 1.4 maximum aperture (Bigger), it allows you to shoot in lower light like indoors. if you use 1.4 you will have a very shallow area in focus in your image, especially when close to your subject. In daylight settign it to 1.4 will allow you to use a really fast shutter speed at a lower ISO. I hope that was not too confusing ;) just keep playing with it and you'll get the hang of it.

[Carzee]

Read the book that came with the camera 3 times at least.

I don't know if you have a sense of humour, but if the book is just too hard a chore... imagine spanish circles. Imagine three intersecting circles: 3 factors, 3 circles: ISO speed, shutter speed, aperature, and available light. Ah, four. Draw 4 circles. A good exposure is made where the circles intersect. And another one for filters. Five. Five is the number of the circles, five. No more than 5 shall thee count...

Verily, hardly anyone reads texts about the exposure acquisition!

[MichelleK]

http://www.camerasinteractive.com/index.php#
Check out this link.
The lens can be used any time of day, but since it has a 1.4 maximum aperture (Bigger), it allows you to shoot in lower light like indoors. if you use 1.4 you will have a very shallow area in focus in your image, especially when close to your subject. In daylight settign it to 1.4 will allow you to use a really fast shutter speed at a lower ISO. I hope that was not too confusing ;) just keep playing with it and you'll get the hang of it.

I actually understood except for the word "shallow" what does that refer too??

I am reading the book photography for dummies. I dont mind putting in the work to make my pictures better :-) I know I am going to have to read and learn to get out of auto mode. I understand how aperature, shutterspeed, and ISo work on their own. I am just trying to put it all together in my head now...using all three of them together.

You want the lowest ISO speed possible right because it give you a better quality, less grainy...is that true for fim and digital??

Michelle K

[MichelleK]

P.S. thank you for that link to the interactive camera...I am going to work through it.

I wish I would of posted earlier...I have been "stalking" you message board for awhile now.

Michelle K

[Juan Zas]

I don't know if you have a sense of humour,... imagine spanish circles. Imagine three intersecting circles: 3 factors, 3 circles: ISO speed, shutter speed, aperature, and available light. Ah, four. Draw 4 circles. A good exposure is made where the circles intersect. And another one for filters. Five. Five is the number of the circles, five. No more than 5 shall thee count...


Spanish circle of confusion, perhaps ??? :lol: :lol:

I am spanish and this is the first time I see this reference. I would like to know what "outsiders" understand o know by spanish circles. :D :D :D

[Juan Zas]

Oh and I have been reading this photography book and I am not understanding depth of field very well...it is one of the reasons I bought this lens...is it just something the lens does or do I have to set the camera to a certain setting to get the subject clear and the rest of the pic. really blury, I really like that look

Michelle K

Michelle,

The 50 f/1.4 is a wonderful lens, but a little dificult to get with.

BAsically by DOF (Depth of Field) we understand the area of the image that appears focused (sharp) front & behind your target; and by OOF (Out Of Focus) the part blured. The DOF is directly afected by the f/stop or diaphragm selected (more open=wide -->> less DOF, more close=narrow -->> more DOF).

To keep simple, just two general rules:

1 - As simple and initial state, it is general accepted that the DOF is divided as follows: From the target where you focus on (the subject) , from 1/3 th of the DOF behind to 2/3 th of the DOF back, would be sharp. Eg. Asume your subject it´s a 10 mts distance and you select a F/stop that gives you 3 mts of DOF; this assesment tells you that all the objects situated from 9 mts to 12 mts should be sharp !! (10 mts - (1/3)x 3 and 10 mts + (2/3)x 3)

2 - Assuming the same F/stop, The amount of DOF is proportional to the distance to the subject. If your subject is at 50 mts from you, you have big DOF, if your subject is at only 2 mts from you (portrait, eg) your DOF is a lot narrow.

The best way to understand that is with the practice:

Go outside, take a tripod, look for a flower at 2-3 mts (just frame it nicely in your viewfinder), fixed your camera, set to Av and start to take photos from the same position just only changing the f/stop, Start at f/16 for example and start going down until f/1.4. Look at the results & compare for each photo how the sharp and the blured areas are changing.

And now, with a F/stop wide like f/2.2 or less, go near to the flower and try to get a sharp photo from the detail of the flower you want. (No so easy, eh?)

Enjoy

[pietzcker]

I actually understood except for the word "shallow" what does that refer too??


Let's say you focus at exactly 1 meter. When using the 50mm at f1.4 on a 20D or 350D, you will find that only the area from 0.99 to 1.01 meter will be in focus, everything else will blur. If you use f16 instead, the area of sharp focus will extend from 0.90 m to 1.13 m. Just try it, you'll see what happens. Also watch what happens to the background...


You want the lowest ISO speed possible right because it give you a better quality, less grainy...is that true for fim and digital??


It is.

One caveat: In really bright sunlight, f1.4 can be too much - depending on the fastest shutter speed your camera can handle, you may be forced to stop down because even 1/4000th of a second might let in too much light - again, just go outside and try it.

HTH,
Tim

[blacksmurf]

Thanks... nice and clear explanation, Juan. Can I also say... "focused"?

;)

[incendy]

for the money it is the best lens available as far as I know! You will love it

[Juan Zas]

BTW:

I forgot it before, the link to the DOF calculator is:

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html