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Yessssssss

oakfieldphotography.comoakfieldphotography.com Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
edited March 29, 2011 in Cameras
Hi all
Just got my canon 50mm F1.8 in the post today and for the first time i have fired up the 5dmk2. Wow what colours and sharpness. Great definition. :barb
Just a quick question for you all. I have to attend a vintage car quiz later on tonight and was wondering could i use this combination to just shoot the winners of the quiz or will i have to revert to my old 40D with 117-85 kit lens with 580exii flash?

Regards
Patrick.:D

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    ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,849 moderator
    edited March 28, 2011
    My copy of the Canon EF 50mm, f1.8 does not have reliable AF on any camera body. I think that this is a fairly common experience for that lens. By f4 it's oretty good and by f5.6 I can rely on it.

    If you intend on shooting at f5.6 I think you will have a pretty good experience with the lens. If you plan to use the lens from f1.8 through f4 I really recommend manual focus. If you use manual focus at least you should have focus confirmation from the camera body.

    If you can rely on your 40D and the 17-85mm and if this is an important event then that's what I recommend you use. The last thing you want to do is "test" new equipment at an important event.

    Perhaps take both and double up when you can?
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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    chrisjohnsonchrisjohnson Registered Users Posts: 771 Major grins
    edited March 28, 2011
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    My copy of the Canon EF 50mm, f1.8 does not have reliable AF on any camera body. I think that this is a fairly common experience for that lens. By f4 it's oretty good and by f5.6 I can rely on it.

    If you intend on shooting at f5.6 I think you will have a pretty good experience with the lens. If you plan to use the lens from f1.8 through f4 I really recommend manual focus. If you use manual focus at least you should have focus confirmation from the camera body.

    If you can rely on your 40D and the 17-85mm and if this is an important event then that's what I recommend you use. The last thing you want to do is "test" new equipment at an important event.

    Perhaps take both and double up when you can?

    Ziggy is exactly right as usual. When you have to shoot you want to be thinking first about the shot and secondly about your gear. No doubt the 5D is better than the 40D but not so much better that you want to ever be thinking about reading the manual.
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    oakfieldphotography.comoakfieldphotography.com Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited March 28, 2011
    Thanks again ziggy55. I think i will bring both cameras and try out both before the quiz is over.:D
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    oakfieldphotography.comoakfieldphotography.com Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited March 28, 2011
    Is this lens worth doing a micro adjust for sharpness with the software that came with the camera?headscratch.gif
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    ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,849 moderator
    edited March 28, 2011
    oakfieldphotography.com wrote: »
    Is this lens worth doing a micro adjust for sharpness with the software that came with the camera?headscratch.gif

    Test for reliable focus first. If you cannot gain reliable AF then a micro-adjust AF session is just about impossible.

    In my testing, the Canon EF 50mm, f1.4 USM does provide reasonably accurate AF so if reliable autofocus is important at that focal length, that's what I recommend you purchase.

    Edit: I suppose that I should elaborate about the 50mm, f1.4 USM. This lens does suffer from "halation" at f1.4. Halation is a type of softness specific to light/dark transitions at object boundaries. This means that some subjects will appear soft focus if the subject is in sharp contrast with the background. While this is not a totally bad thing, some subjects will not be conducive to the treatment. If people are the subject matter I think it much more acceptable than other subject matter.

    By f2.2 the halation is mostly subdued and I think that the lens is very nice for any subject. You still gain from the large aperture for focus regardless and I recommend it as a reasonably cost effective 50mm in the Canon line.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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    oakfieldphotography.comoakfieldphotography.com Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited March 28, 2011
    Just heading off now to this quiz night and i will be back in a few hours from now. So that means that the 1.8 will suffer from the same problems as the 1.4 in regards microadjusting the sharpness of the lens?

    Regards
    Patrick:D
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    ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,849 moderator
    edited March 28, 2011
    oakfieldphotography.com wrote: »
    Just heading off now to this quiz night and i will be back in a few hours from now. So that means that the 1.8 will suffer from the same problems as the 1.4 in regards microadjusting the sharpness of the lens?

    Regards
    Patrick:D

    Any lens that has reliable AF has the potential to benefit from AF microadjustment. Any lens that has unreliable AF probably cannot be run through the process.

    The Canon EF 50mm, f1.4 USM "is" reliable to AF but I have not seen a need to microadjust the AF using it with my cameras.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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    SimplyShaneSimplyShane Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    I wouldn't trust that lens for anything other than stills.

    Seriously.
    ---My Photography Homepage---

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/bengford
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    oakfieldphotography.comoakfieldphotography.com Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited March 29, 2011
    Thanks lads. I have to say i am impressed with this lens. For a newbie to full frame i can see better clarity in my colours and brighter range through the viewfinder.

    Regards
    Patrick:D
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