Nifty Fifty & IS

[Familiaphoto]

Ok, this isn't what you think...I'm not proposing the Nifty Fifty have IS on it. However, using it at my son's graduation last night I became connvinced of two things.

1. This is an OUTSTANDING lens for the money. I have a hole in my lens selection in those which are best for indoor use. The Nifty Fifty has always filled the hole nicely for me.

2. I need to fill that hole in my lineup. I am more convinced after last night the 17-55 f2.8 IS would be perfect for my shooting style. If I had IS so many more of my shots would have been keepers. I'll just have to buy it by this winter when I'm stuck almost exculsively indoors.

Below is a shot from the ceremony. Comments are welcome, I'm just getting brave enough to post images to the talented group.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

2. I need to fill that hole in my lineup. I am more convinced after last night the 17-55 f2.8 IS would be perfect for my shooting style. If I had IS so many more of my shots would have been keepers. I'll just have to buy it by this winter when I'm stuck almost exculsively indoors.


However, that's assuming you're always shooting at 2.8 or smaller. The 50 1.4 (for example) will give you 4 times the shutter speed that the 17-55 would, assuming you used both lenses wide open. Even at f/2, the shutter speed is twice that of 2.8.

If you use the 50 at 2.8 and below most of the time, though, the 17-55 may very well be the lens for you. I'm enjoying mine.

[Familiaphoto]

Thats what I was thinking. I spent last night at f1.8 at ISO 800 and averaged a SS of 1/60. Right around where I am border line needing IS or a monopod, etc. Given my shaky hands. :)

[ed rader]

Ok, this isn't what you think...I'm not proposing the Nifty Fifty have IS on it. However, using it at my son's graduation last night I became connvinced of two things.

1. This is an OUTSTANDING lens for the money. I have a hole in my lens selection in those which are best for indoor use. The Nifty Fifty has always filled the hole nicely for me.

2. I need to fill that hole in my lineup. I am more convinced after last night the 17-55 f2.8 IS would be perfect for my shooting style. If I had IS so many more of my shots would have been keepers. I'll just have to buy it by this winter when I'm stuck almost exculsively indoors.

Below is a shot from the ceremony. Comments are welcome, I'm just getting brave enough to post images to the talented group.


i'm not a fan of the 50 1.8 but i really like that picture. is that your son?

a little contrast and saturation, slight shadow removal and a bit more USM :D !

ed rader

[Familiaphoto]

Thanks Ed, yes that is my son. He said he has never so proud of himself as he was to finally graduate Kindergarten. Oh how he does make me laugh.

Thanks for suggestions saturation, contrast and shadow. Now off to play in PSE5. :)

[Tee Why]

I'm not sure IS would help much since the subjects are all moving, if you are using a slow shutter speed with the IS on, the subject's movement will cause things to be blurry.

[Hermeto]

Haha, to *finally* graduate Kindergarten! :D
Nice shot, they are so cute..

[madpup]

That is so cute, wish we had this in England.

[_aravena]

I was thinking the same and judging by what you said, shooting at mostly F1.8 ISO 800 and a shutter of 1/60, at F2.8 and ISO 800, your shutter would be even slower which, wow, and the IS wouldn't help. Might get a blur handshake or something

By the way, when did graduation and "prom" even become something more than to seniors?? I feel old...every kid acts like it's a duh thing.

[ekie]

I was shooting my niece's Pre-K graduation last night and was using the 70-200 f2.8 IS the whole time. Was shooting at 1/160, f2.8, iso1600 (no flash) .. was getting good exposure and some pretty good pics. just got the lens on thursday. man holding it up with the left hand for awhile gets tiring!!! lol ... the IS didnt help stop motion but it sure helped me keep the camera steady holding up the lens :lol:

[Tee Why]

That's funny, the IS makes the lens heavier and induces more handshake for itself to stabilize. :)

[Ronald S. Jr.]

Nah...to a point, weight can help stabilize your rig. For example, the 24-70L feels much more comfortable to me than the Tammy 28-75. Not because it's a better lens (well ok, that too), but because the much added weight keeps me from wavering about. I tend to wave and rock when I stand still. Weight helps.

[ekie]

That's funny, the IS makes the lens heavier and induces more handshake for itself to stabilize. :)

lol forgot about that .. then again IS makes the lens about .4-.5lbs heavier :lol:

[PetKal]

That is a beautifully composed shot.....and well executed too.

[Familiaphoto]

Thanks for the input everyone. I thought I had everything figured out going to the 17-55 f2.8 IS, perhaps a series of fast primes would be the way to go. Man, I'll never make up my mind. :)

[snake0ape]

Keep the nifty fifty. But if you can afford it, you will not regret getting the 17-55 IS. And once your family see to pics, they too will understand the expense. I have a 4 yr old, so I too shoot alot in these kind of situation. The17-55 opens up 10x more photo opportunities than a 50mm prime alone. If there is motion to deal with, I turn on my 580ex flash, but mostly I do not have to turn it on. I consider the 17-55 as the best non-evasive lens for a formal audience setting. No moving in front of people, rarely needs flash (unless kids are really moving). At times, I increase the ISO to 1600, and the use of Noiseware photoshop plugin takes care of the added noise.

[cjm]

i'm not a fan of the 50 1.8 but i really like that picture. is that your son? I am with Ed. Not a fan of the 50 f1.8. You may benifit from upgrading to the Sigma 30mm f1.4 lens. It blows away the Nifty Fifty.