My attempt with new nifty fifty

[*Sonic*]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/Beanchimp/rose01.jpg

exif data
Canon EOS D30
50mm
f1.8
1/60sec
ISO 800

Im quite pleased with the noise levels at ISO 800 for an old camera
this is where the flowers were, with no change to any lighting at all, the middle rose was the pic that was taken

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/Beanchimp/full01.jpg

Same settings as above, except f5.6

Steve

[mavericksupersonic]

The first shot doesnt seem very sharp. I think you either have motion blur from not using a quick enough shutter speed or you mis-focused. If you want to shoot that specific rose, I would think about rotating the vase so that the rose gets more natural light from the window. This would let you get a quicker shutter speed and less blur.

Also for the second shot, if you want it to look correct, you will need to use some flash fill. Without fill, you will either underexpose the flowers (as in the 2nd shot) or over expose the window (if setting exposure for the flowers).

[*Sonic*]

Thanks for the comments, I do seem to have a problem with hand held shots, I didn't actually think about rotating the vase towards the light, maybe tomorrow :)

The 2nd shot really was just a comparison, to show where the rose sat, unfortunately both my flash guns don't really work with the D30, as they are TTL only and not E-TTL which is a shame as one of them has a diffuser, swivel & tilt too

Im saving for an EX Flash, but at the moment i'm trying to learn to shoot without flash, as I am a noob as far as SLR's and non compact cameras go

[Beau Hudspeth]

If you have a tripod available, you could do shot 2 as an HDR? That way you get all the tonal range without a flash.

[The Imagician]

The Nifty Fifty isn't to nifty using AF in low, low light. If you want to get the closest shot possible, set it on manual at the closest focus point, put the lens very close to the subject and then back away, with the button pressed halfway down and the center focus point only selected.

Get used to manual focusing. You just have to barely touch the focus ring with the tip of your finger or even your fingernail,

It's a wonderful lens. Be careful and don't drop it. I dropped mine and am anxiously waiting for payday to replace it.

[perfect_pixel]

Soft focus...? :lol:

Ok, I know nobody asked for this but I was playing and quite like the soft focus look of this version...

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3/perfect_pixel/full01edit.jpg

Hugely overPP'ed but hey what else is a Saturday night for...

very, very, very bored :rolleyes: :D

Steve

[lhoney2]

You are going to have to use some EC for that second shot with the bright light coming through the windows. It will actually look cool with the blown-out light behind the flowers if the flowers are properly exposed.