HOW DO I SHOOT WIDE OPEN ON 50MM 1.8 ?!

HOW?!?!!!

okay, now seriously... I noticed that when shooting with my 50mm 1.8 II when I'm trying to capture something from a distance It will not capture it sharply but rather blur everything... Today I was photographing a car show and 90% of my pictures are all blured and wouldn't focus on the car. When it does focus it's sharp but I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I'm considering selling my 17-85 and 50mm and just buying the new sigma 17-70 II

You're trying to avoid focusing problems. And buying a Sigma is your solution?

you need to post up some exapmles with exif intact.

MLphoto wrote in post #10234009
HOW?!?!!!

okay, now seriously... I noticed that when shooting with my 50mm 1.8 II when I'm trying to capture something from a distance It will not capture it sharply but rather blur everything... Today I was photographing a car show and 90% of my pictures are all blured and wouldn't focus on the car. When it does focus it's sharp but I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I'm considering selling my 17-85 and 50mm and just buying the new sigma 17-70 II

Sounds about normal for the 50mm 1.8 !

I'm not sure if the question is about shooting wide open or a focus issue. I'm assuming it's a focus issue. To make it easy, choose one shot, select a focus point, focus on the spot you want in focus, and open up the lens beyond 1.8 (I'm assuming you're shooting in AV mode). When you take the shot, I'm pretty sure you'll get the spot you want in focus. It's a different technique if you're trying to focus on a moving target. You may want to review the instruction manual on focus techniques.

DOF issue?

Yes too much DOF^

I'm shooting in AF mode at F1.8, I except it to focus on the subject and blur the background (that's what I try to mainly acheive when using this lens) but I guess that isn't working out.

A car is a pretty big subject for the thin DOF at f1.8.

sample pics would go a long way towards helping the forum help you.

MLphoto wrote in post #10234082
Yes too much DOF^

Wrong. Too little.

MLphoto wrote in post #10234082
I'm shooting in AF mode at F1.8, I except it to focus on the subject and blur the background (that's what I try to mainly acheive when using this lens) but I guess that isn't working out.

As everyone has said, a car is a pretty big subject for a very small depth of field....

Examples would help tremendously.

Examples, please. But my guess is that you're using a slow focusing lens, at a significant distance, to shoot moving subjects that are hard enough to track with a fast focusing lens; and on top of that you actually have to have good form and technique to properly pan with cars.

Basically, you're trying to do something quite complicated and the 50 1.8 really isn't a great lens for.

here are some random photos from today to show you an example,

full resoltuon straight from the camera:
http://img203.imagesha​ck.us/gal.php?g=img406​0rc.jpg

so basically this isn't exactly the best lens for what I'm shooting mounted on a 1.6 crop body?
maybe something like a 35mm would be better.

50mm wide open on a car is only going to get probably the headlight in focus lol.

I still have trouble using my 50mm 1.4 on cars and such. Focal length doesn't speak to me.

Try shooting at ~F11 if you're out at a car show. Sweet 16 even..

don't use AI focus...

use one shot if it's not moving...and AI servo if it is moving

MLphoto wrote in post #10234213
here are some random photos from today to show you an example,

full resoltuon straight from the camera:
http://img203.imagesha​ck.us/gal.php?g=img406​0rc.jpg

so basically this isn't exactly the best lens for what I'm shooting mounted on a 1.6 crop body?
maybe something like a 35mm would be better.

If you're shooting stills like that it should be fine; but you've GOT to decrease your aperture size to increase yor depth of field. Try around f/8.0 to f/11 if you want to get the cars in focus.