50 f/1.8

[c0ntr0lz]

finally got it!!!!!!!!
awesome sharp!!!

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/wylie_18.jpg


ISO 400 at +1/3 f/1.8

[c0ntr0lz]

testing

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/1_8.jpg

[Ballen Photo]

SWEET! I think you'll be VERY happy with this lens.
........Bruce

[c0ntr0lz]

SWEET! I think you'll be VERY happy with this lens.
........Bruce

/z has a BIG GRIN on his face
but not in this pic


http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/z18.jpg

[abel]

i wonder if i could use this 50mm as a macro lens if i were to get a extender for it...

hmmm... might have to research it a bit

[c0ntr0lz]

one day i'll get this cause i love macro shots

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=430142/search=canon%2520macro

i'd just go with this
altho it's not a 1.8

[abel]

nice... ive been toying with the idea of getting this 100mm macro...

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=587963/search=canon%2520100mm

oh well, i may try a extension tube on my 50 1.8 for now

[c0ntr0lz]

yeah thats an awesome lens too
but i cant see myself 50ft back to get a pic

let me know how the ext tube is when ya get it

[walkien]

I think I ordered it the same day as you did, it also arrived today. Yeaaaaah..

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y34f68&outx=700&oq=0&original=1&noresize=1&no stamp=1



http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y34f6c&outx=700&oq=0&original=1&noresize=1&no stamp=1

[cmM]

Congrats on your purchase guys, but....

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36417

:wink:

[c0ntr0lz]

saweeeeeeeet
i just took pix of the box too

and now i'm begining to see an issue
it's blurry
i've tried every setting and the camera is sitting on my desk
not handheld or anything

tell me what yall think
these are cropped down

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/blur_bottle.jpg

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/blur_box.jpg

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/blur_box1.jpg

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/blur_box2.jpg



i'm about a good 2 ft away from the objects
is this good?

[Lamplight]

What was the aperture set to on the last set of shots?

[c0ntr0lz]

they are all 1.8

[Lamplight]

I pretty much get the same results at 1.8. In fact I don't think I've gotten a single shot at 1.8 that appeared to be in focus. ???

[cmM]

I pretty much get the same results at 1.8. In fact I don't think I've gotten a single shot at 1.8 that appeared to be in focus. ???
www.cmuntean.net/images/orange.jpg
Taken at f/1.8

[Stapler123]

just took these right now

http://home.earthlink.net/~miltonisking/Photo/measurebate/all.JPG
the picture

http://home.earthlink.net/~miltonisking/Photo/measurebate/none.JPG
cropped

there is about a quarter of an inch between the made that is in focus, and the ridges on the lense.

[Aylwin]

Maybe it's an autofocus problem?

[Lamplight]

Well I take that back, I have gotten a few clear shots at 1.8, but only when I'm trying to duplicate the out-of-focus look I normally get. :lol: I just tried one a minute ago but of course it turned out perfectly sharp NOW. :lol::roll: Oh well, I usually get decent results at 2.8 and up, so I guess it's not a huge deal.

[Tom W]

just took these right now

http://home.earthlink.net/~miltonisking/Photo/measurebate/all.JPG
the picture

http://home.earthlink.net/~miltonisking/Photo/measurebate/none.JPG
cropped

there is about a quarter of an inch between the made that is in focus, and the ridges on the lense.

Good example stapler. I'm not with my camera at the moment, but I recall a bit of a learning curve before I really started getting sharp with any of the 50's I've had. The depth-of-field is very tight at this wide aperture, as your image illustrates. Any movement of the photographer or subject will change where the plane of focus falls on the subject. 1/4-1/2 inch can be a difference between soft and tack-sharp.

Also, keep in mind that the lens isn't going to be as sharp wide open as it is stopped down a bit. This is almost always true.

[Ballen Photo]

they are all 1.8

At 1.8 the DOF is so shallow that you really have to be careful where your focal point is, as almost everything else will be out of focus. :shock: I played around with an 85mm f/1.2 Canon FD mount (Yeah, this was a few years back) lens by shooting a live band in a very low light setting with the lens wide open. Since I was shooting film, I didn't see that the performers nose was in focus, while the rest of his face was not. :(
Watch out for odd angles when shooting at 1.8 from relatively close. Just a thought.
..........Bruce

[drisley]

I agree.
When you are shooting at f1.8 and only 2 ft away, the DOF is VERY shallow.
That is probably the "problem"

[c0ntr0lz]

understood
but i'm not getting sharp photos
i've taken some more of a piece a paper here at work with all 3 lenses and i'm not sure which is clearer
and if the AF finds it in focus could it be a MLU issue
to where it shakes just enuf to make it not sharp?

[Aylwin]

Yeah, I figured it wasn't related to DOF because even the text on the box isn't very sharp. Have you tried manual focus anyway? What's the shutter speed used? Maybe try shoot something brighter with higher shutter speed to rule out camera shake.

[Stapler123]

To me it looks like the sharness changes in relation to like.. how much its bent be the lense, LIke on your first blown up box picture, the 0 in 50 looks pretty sharp, but everthing below it kinda gets blury.


http://home.earthlink.net/~miltonisking/Photo/measurebate/box.jpg


mine does the same, Its focused a bit above and to the right of the 50. Mabee its just in the lense at that distance.

[EdViesturs]

Just an observation...

The thin cardboard box that the EF lenses come in is probably not flat. I'm just looking at my 75-300 f/4-5.6 III USM box, and the sides are somewhat bowed. A slight curve and the extremely shallow DOF might cause the loss of focus at near the bottom of those shots.

Try shooting something flat, and see what happens.

[c0ntr0lz]

took a look at the shots that i took at work and i see know what yall mean about small DOF you don't get too much room to mess around with
but i do have some clear pix
just great than 2.5 fstop

thanks everyone

[Lamplight]

Good example stapler. I'm not with my camera at the moment, but I recall a bit of a learning curve before I really started getting sharp with any of the 50's I've had. The depth-of-field is very tight at this wide aperture, as your image illustrates. Any movement of the photographer or subject will change where the plane of focus falls on the subject. 1/4-1/2 inch can be a difference between soft and tack-sharp.

Also, keep in mind that the lens isn't going to be as sharp wide open as it is stopped down a bit. This is almost always true.

I think that has been my problem. I'm used to the kit lens which only goes to 3.5, so I had never experienced a lens focusing on the edge of a flower petal before. :lol: I'm still learning where to focus and which subjects will work the best, but it's starting to get easier. When I set it to a smaller aperture, most of my shots are pleasantly sharp. :)

[Olegis]

Well, I think that in order to test sharpness you have to shoot from greater distance than you did. Shoot an object 3-5 meters away so the DOF will not be dominant.
My 50mm is quite sharp wide open :

http://www.pbase.com/image/30873404.jpg

[msvadi]

Well, I think that in order to test sharpness you have to shoot from greater distance than you did. Shoot an object 3-5 meters away so the DOF will not be dominant.
My 50mm is quite sharp wide open :

http://www.pbase.com/image/30873404.jpg

wow, this cat looks exactly like the cat of my parents ;) may be I should test my 50 1.8 on it too ;)

[mttmrphy]

As someone has already stated, the DOF is extremely shallow at 1.8. I have been taking pictures of my cat and I was unable to get the entire face in focus, wide open. Usually just his eye or nose.

I can't remeber where I saw it but there is a focus test chart you can download and print.

[s00pcan]

Why are you using it wide open on macros? Macros already have a shallow dof.

[SeanDempsey]

d3wd c0ntr0lz m3be ur l3nz just d0esnt r0x0r as hard as my lenz does?!?! Maybe it g0t s3nt 2 u via the PWNY Express LOLOLOL!!!!!!111111

[c0ntr0lz]

d3wd c0ntr0lz m3be ur l3nz just d0esnt r0x0r as hard as my lenz does?!?! Maybe it g0t s3nt 2 u via the PWNY Express LOLOLOL!!!!!!111111

ok???

[SENster7]

Trust me, I get the same way with 50 and the sharpness, I drive myself crazy for hours determining if the shot was sharp enough or not!

I took this shot of myself in a mirror yesterday in some pizza shop on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant yesterday, it's with my 50 at 1.8...

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v242/aferr/sen_with_the_50_f1.jpg

[SeanDempsey]

d3wd c0ntr0lz m3be ur l3nz just d0esnt r0x0r as hard as my lenz does?!?! Maybe it g0t s3nt 2 u via the PWNY Express LOLOLOL!!!!!!111111

ok???

I was trying to speak your language...

Now watch this drive.

[Conk]

SENster, I can see from your photo that your face and hat are more in focus than the camera. This 50mm has an extemely difficult dof to control. The majority of my shots are also out of focus. I'm afraid to use it in important situations where I don't have a 2nd chance to shoot the photo.

[Aylwin]

Conk, that raises an interesting question. If most of us get the 50mm wanting a faster lens but then we can't use it effectively wide open, then what's the point?

[drisley]

My 50mm has been great.
Although not wide open, here is the diff in sharpness between the 50mm and the 300D kit lens

300D Kit Lens
http://www.mts.net/~lftbrain/rebel/18-55mm.jpg


50mm F1.8
http://www.mts.net/~lftbrain/rebel/50mm.jpg

[c0ntr0lz]

yeah i'm begining to see that you only use the 1.8 if you need to get in
as much light as you can
but for sharpness it's not great
set to about 2.5+ and you'll get a great shot



translation for Sean
yeahimbeginingtoseethatyouonlyusethe18ifyouneedtog etinasmuchlightasyoucanbutforsharpnessitsnotgreats ettoabout25+andyoullgetagreatshot

[Tom W]

d3wd c0ntr0lz m3be ur l3nz just d0esnt r0x0r as hard as my lenz does?!?! Maybe it g0t s3nt 2 u via the PWNY Express LOLOLOL!!!!!!111111

ok???

I was trying to speak your language...

Now watch this drive.

I understood it. Allow me:

"My friend, cOntrOlz, I don't believe that your lens is quite as sharp as my copy. Perhaps it got damaged in shipment. Some of these shipping companies are a joke - ha ha!"

There - how did I do?

[blinking8s]

all with the 50mm...

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36979

[c0ntr0lz]

d3wd c0ntr0lz m3be ur l3nz just d0esnt r0x0r as hard as my lenz does?!?! Maybe it g0t s3nt 2 u via the PWNY Express LOLOLOL!!!!!!111111

ok???

I was trying to speak your language...

Now watch this drive.

I understood it. Allow me:

"My friend, cOntrOlz, I don't believe that your lens is quite as sharp as my copy. Perhaps it got damaged in shipment. Some of these shipping companies are a joke - ha ha!"

There - how did I do?


i know what he was saying in his post
but i don't understand why he is being such an ass about correct english
does he think we're in jr high english class or something?

[SENster7]

d3wd c0ntr0lz m3be ur l3nz just d0esnt r0x0r as hard as my lenz does?!?! Maybe it g0t s3nt 2 u via the PWNY Express LOLOLOL!!!!!!111111

ok???

I was trying to speak your language...

Now watch this drive.

I understood it. Allow me:

"My friend, cOntrOlz, I don't believe that your lens is quite as sharp as my copy. Perhaps it got damaged in shipment. Some of these shipping companies are a joke - ha ha!"

There - how did I do?


i know what he was saying in his post
but i don't understand why he is being such an ass about correct english
does he think we're in jr high english class or something?

Don't let him get to ya...Remember that all of us are here to discuss our love for our Canon Cameras :)

I'll plow through my shots with my 50 and see if I shot any at f/2.8 to compare the focus, I do know that most shot at f/1.8 seem to be a little out of focus...but overall for $70 I can't complain about this lens...

[SENster7]

Found a shot from yesterday that I took with my 50 at 2.8...

This one is without using Intellisharpen...

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v242/aferr/CRW_9388_resize.jpg

This one is with using Intellisharpen...

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v242/aferr/CRW_9388-after_resize.jpg

[c0ntr0lz]

I'll plow through my shots with my 50 and see if I shot any at f/2.8 to compare the focus, I do know that most shot at f/1.8 seem to be a little out of focus...but overall for $70 I can't complain about this lens...

yeah it is a nice buy
just didn't know what to look for with this type of lens
since everyone was saying it's a sharp lens, i thought they were saying it was shrap at all fstops

btw nice pix
kinda making me hungry

[Conk]

It seems that some considerations need to be taken into account when shotting certain subjects at f1.8.
The dof is so very sharp, that shooting my dog is only good at a side shot where the distance of her whole body is consistent.
Shooting her face straight on from the nose poses dof problems. In this photo you can see that her nose is out of focus and becomes more into focus toward her eye and then out of focus as you look beyond her eye.
http://www.pbase.com/image/31124453
Whatever the subject that is being shot, has to be consistently within the same dof. At least thats how it seems for close subjects.
Now here is a subject that is farther away. My main subject is bang on in focus. The two guys in white are a touch out of focus as to be expected.
http://www.pbase.com/image/31124982
There were shots during this shoot that still gave me dof problems. I found that if I focused farther away to bring the subject way out of focus, then refocus on the subject and fire right away gave me the right dof, but when the camera has to focus short distances, it may be off a little.

[blinking8s]

http://www.fredmiranda.com/IS/ its pretty cool, well worth the price, but i dont own it...yet

[SENster7]

c0ntr0lz:
thanks for the compliments on the pics...

conk:
intellisharpen is a plugin for Photoshop, you can buy it from fredmiranda.com for $19.90, you can set it from Level 1-Level 14 depending how sharp you wanna get

[Conk]

Ok, thanks on the intellisharpen heads up. I was editing my post when you guys replied.
Please read my last post again.

[drisley]

I would say the 50mm f.18 is very sharp at all apertures.... better than most lenses.
However, like others have said, the dof is so shallow at f1.8 that areas that aren't sharp are probably out of the dof range.

[Ballen Photo]

Here's a link to a shot I took just today with My MK1 at 5.6 and 1/180th.
.........Bruce
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37059

[c0ntr0lz]

yeah i have no issues with it being a sharp lens
but like in conks pic of his dog you see how much of the dogs face is in focus and that's at an angle
this pic
http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/blur_box.jpg

that's flat on
so i should see a crisp image even at 1.8
cause there's not too much to be out of range
and the camera said that it was in focus
but what i do see when i look at this pic now
is that the further to the right you go you get less out of focus
could this be a barrell issue
i dont' know if that happens on a fixed lens or not

now here is a ques
is there a break-in time frame?
do you have to have soo many focuses on the lens before it works like it should?
cause the photos i'm taking now at about the same range are sharper

Ballen went to the link but the image didn't load will check later

[SENster7]

conk:

great explanation with the photos...

This is a great thread!

I plan to shoot more pics with my 50 tomorrow...I'll post them over the weekend

[Ballen Photo]

Ballen went to the link but the image didn't load will check later

Yeah, I had just barely posted the link. That may explain why it was non functional at the moment.
I suppose I could have just as easily posted the photo except I had read in the EOS forum that links are much easier on the bandwidth useage. From what I understand, this forum is costing Pekka quite a chunk of change per month. :shock: The mods requested that people limit their actual photo posting to the share photos and photo critique forums, while trying to use links to photos for the sake of demonstration or examples.
Here's a link to that conversation.
.......Bruce
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36417

[c0ntr0lz]

Ballen went to the link but the image didn't load will check later

Yeah, I had just barely posted the link. That may explain why it was non functional at the moment.
I suppose I could have just as easily posted the photo except I had read in the EOS forum that links are much easier on the bandwidth useage. From what I understand, this forum is costing Pekka quite a chunk of change per month. :shock: The mods requested that people limit their actual photo posting to the share photos and photo critique forums, while trying to use links to photos for the sake of demonstration or examples.
Here's a link to that conversation.
.......Bruce
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36417


so it cost him money/bandwidth for us to link to our pix, on a different server and display them?


well here is a test i just did
and i'll just post the links just in case

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/viper1_8.jpg

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/viper2_8.jpg

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/viper5_6.jpg

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/lens_test/all.jpg

see now they are crisp
and that's even in low low light
the 5.6 was a 10sec photo

[Ballen Photo]

well here is a test i just did
and i'll just post the links just in case.

see now they are crisp
and that's even in low low light
the 5.6 was a 10sec photo

I wonder if 5.6 is the 50's sweet spot? Your examples look good to me. :D

As far as the bandwidth question, I dont know? I host my own photos too, but I may have missunderstood what they were saying.
.........Bruce

[c0ntr0lz]

yeah the 5.6 is a nice shot
the crops are only about 15% of the orginals
you can even see the inside texture of the treads on the tires
and what's nice to is that the focus is on the headlamp and the foglight is a bit out of focus and it's in front of the headlamp

[Persian-Rice]

I wonder how this lens performs with an extender tube..............

[c0ntr0lz]

someone was talkiing about doing that but i haven't seen them post anything yet

[roanjohn]

LOVE MY 50 f1.8!!!!

Okay...................

Thats it................

Ro1

[c0ntr0lz]

goofing off at work and took a few shots
here is one i got that is pretty clear

http://ctrlzproduction.com/images/zpix/z1_8.jpg

and yes it is a very shallow DOF
the end of my nose is out of focus and my eyes aren't
not much room to play with

[Persian-Rice]

Wow, that is a sharp shot.
The DOF is REALLY shallow, because your eyes are sharp and parts of your brow are not. There is not more then 1-2 cm difference in distance betwen the two points. Im guessing that 1.8, unless being used for some artisitc blurring, especially really close up, is almost useless.

But from the texture it reveals from your skin, Im pretty sure it does not have a foccusing problem.

[ejwebb]

Sharper on the right eye and brow than the left - would help to know what your focus point was. I am wondering about the autpofocus on my 300D as well and intend to test it as recommended in a previous post.

[c0ntr0lz]

yeah that's a pretty crisp shot

Persian-Rice like you're sayig it's only about 1-2cm

ejwebb i'm trying to remeber if i had all 7 points on or if i had it to one side
i think it maybe to one side cause i don't think the side closer would have been out of focus
the AF would have focused more to the left side then the right

[roanjohn]

You need to exfoliate!!!

..........joking...............

Nice and sharp!!! Looks like you got a good copy there.

Ro1

[c0ntr0lz]

need to go find me a good day spa john :D

[lacy daemon]

Hi, I'm new here. I have been lurking awhile and enjoying the posts on the 50mm 1.8 and I have been enjoying the actual lens as well.
Here's a pic of my sister I took the other day. Very shallow DOF, teeth are a bit soft but the eyes seem crisp. Any thoughts?
http://sigs.xs.to/sigs/04076/Sister.jpg

[Ballen Photo]

Hi, I'm new here. I have been lurking awhile and enjoying the posts on the 50mm 1.8 and I have been enjoying the actual lens as well.
Here's a pic of my sister I took the other day. Very shallow DOF, teeth are a bit soft but the eyes seem crisp. Any thoughts?


Hi Lacy, and welcome to the board. I like the idea of having the option to shoot F/1.8 if I want/need to, BUT, IMHO the lens sharpness starts really coming into it's best form when it is stopped down to F/4 or 5.6.
Have fun, shoot lots of photos, and post some here. :D :D :D
...........Bruce

[drisley]

Yes, welcome Lacy. That is a great picture! Your sister has a very nice, symmetrical face which I think is key for being very photogenic (attitude is also very important).

Your picture is also a great demonstration that with a setting of f1.8 at such a close proximity, the DOF is VERY shallow. Any softness is due to dof blur, not a soft lens (as you noted about the eyes being sharp, but not the rest).

Keep on postin'!

[c0ntr0lz]

howdy lacy and welcome
great photo!!
you did an awesome job

[robertwgross]

Lacy, if you had the sister to pose again and you shoot it differently, what would you change?

Would you try to deepen the depth of field just a little to get everything in from her hair to her chin, then blur out the shoulders?

There is no right or wrong.

---Bob Gross---

[Alexandre Gabriel]

LOVE MY 50 f1.8!!!!

Okay...................

Thats it................

Ro1


Ditto!

I think the f/1.8 should be used in extreme low-light situations, close-ups, or SOME portraits. There's no need to use f/1.8 on every shot because of the shallow DOF... Well, I think this aperture produces wonderful pics when I focus on grater distances (say, some meters)... But I don't know if this is due to the body (full 35 mm EOS 30 film body :wink: ).

[SENster7]

Like father like son :D

http://www.pbase.com/image/31155548.jpg

[c0ntr0lz]

it exploded on him
man that's one messey ice cream cone :D

great shot

[lacy daemon]

Thanks for the feedback and the generous welcome. Yes, I would have liked her entire face, to the chin, to have been in focus with the shoulders blurred. I will experiment more of course. I used the same lens last evening at a very dimly lit rock show, better results than I hoped for, but still working on it all.
http://sigs.xs.to/sigs/04076/rep2.jpg

http://sigs.xs.to/sigs/04076/amb9.jpg

[Aylwin]

Very nice! And a big welcome from me too! :D

[SENster7]

Hehe yeah, the wife wasn't too happy about the exploding ice cream cone, so I had the honor of cleaning him up!

Great shots lacy, welcome!

[Conk]

Welcome Lacy, and as said, great shots. :D

[lacy daemon]

Thanks you guys, you all are so very nice here, but don't hold back on the critiquing, I need the feedback.

[Ballen Photo]

Thanks for the feedback and the generous welcome. Yes, I would have liked her entire face, to the chin, to have been in focus with the shoulders blurred. I will experiment more of course. I used the same lens last evening at a very dimly lit rock show, better results than I hoped for, but still working on it all.


Lacy, These are Excellent! Nice job. :D :D :D
.........Bruce

[c0ntr0lz]

htanks for showing those pix
now i know what lens to use when going to see my fav band

how did you have you camera setup for those shots?

[lacy daemon]

how did you have you camera setup for those shots?

Settings for the top image: ISO 800, TV- 1/50, AV 1.8
Settings for the bottom image: ISO 800, TV- 1/30, AV 1.8