50mm 1.4 lens

Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
edited December 2, 2005 in People
On Sunday our youngest son graduates from Northern Illinois University. Since I want some decent shots of him in his cap and gown, I've been playing with my 50mm f/1.4 lens which I have never really used. Here is a shot wide open of our holiday greeters by the front door.

46772446-L.jpg

Any advice that would increase my chances of success would be appreciated.

Comments

  • lynnmalynnma Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 5,208 Major grins
    edited December 2, 2005
    Ric Grupe wrote:
    On Sunday our youngest son graduates from Northern Illinois University. Since I want some decent shots of him in his cap and gown, I've been playing with my 50mm f/1.4 lens which I have never really used. Here is a shot wide open of our holiday greeters by the front door.
    Any advice that would increase my chances of success would be appreciated.
    Advice I can't give you Ric but when I do use my 50mmf/1.4 it can seem to do no wrong.. Good luck!!
    website
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited December 2, 2005
    It's my favorite lens. Be careful wide open, you'll find that one part of the face is in focus and part out. With a 20D, 1.6x, you can use f/2.8 (way sharp) usually for waist up portraits and have no trouble. To really be sure, take some shots *before* the big day!

    Don't be shy about boosting your ISO on that 20D to be able to use a narrower aperture - f/4, f/5.6, f/8 on this lens are amazing! Yes, totally OOF bgs are nice, but you're taking cap and gown stuff, I'd be much more worried about sharp, crisp, in-focus subjects deal.gif

    Good luck!
    Andy

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  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited December 2, 2005
    Andy wrote:
    It's my favorite lens. Be careful wide open, you'll find that one part of the face is in focus and part out. With a 20D, 1.6x, you can use f/2.8 (way sharp) usually for waist up portraits and have no trouble. To really be sure, take some shots *before* the big day!

    Don't be shy about boosting your ISO on that 20D to be able to use a narrower aperture - f/4, f/5.6, f/8 on this lens are amazing! Yes, totally OOF bgs are nice, but you're taking cap and gown stuff, I'd be much more worried about sharp, crisp, in-focus subjects deal.gif

    Good luck!
    Thanks, Andy. :D

    That's the kind of input I was looking for. thumb.gif
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited December 2, 2005
    lynnma wrote:
    Advice I can't give you Ric but when I do use my 50mmf/1.4 it can seem to do no wrong.. Good luck!!
    Thanks, Lynn. :D
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited December 2, 2005
    Practiced...
    Andy wrote:
    It's my favorite lens. Be careful wide open, you'll find that one part of the face is in focus and part out. With a 20D, 1.6x, you can use f/2.8 (way sharp) usually for waist up portraits and have no trouble. To really be sure, take some shots *before* the big day!

    Don't be shy about boosting your ISO on that 20D to be able to use a narrower aperture - f/4, f/5.6, f/8 on this lens are amazing! Yes, totally OOF bgs are nice, but you're taking cap and gown stuff, I'd be much more worried about sharp, crisp, in-focus subjects deal.gif

    Good luck!
    ....and decided I would go with f/2.8 on the head shot and f/4 on the full body shot. Since the background I chose is the brickwork of the fireplace, I want it OOF because the lines would be distracting if they were sharp in focus. Also, I am using incandescent (available) lighting so I'll have to play with the white balance or set it in post. The lighting works out nicely with a ceiling fixture lighting the front at about 45 degrees and a tray light that will light the background and almost eliminate any shadows.

    I'd post the shot, but, my model (Kathy-my wife) would not give me a release!rolleyes1.gif

    Also....I will take several shots at iso-200 and iso-400.

    Thanks again, Andy.
  • windozewindoze Registered Users Posts: 2,830 Major grins
    edited December 2, 2005
    Andy wrote:
    It's my favorite lens. Be careful wide open, you'll find that one part of the face is in focus and part out. With a 20D, 1.6x, you can use f/2.8 (way sharp) usually for waist up portraits and have no trouble. To really be sure, take some shots *before* the big day!

    Don't be shy about boosting your ISO on that 20D to be able to use a narrower aperture - f/4, f/5.6, f/8 on this lens are amazing! Yes, totally OOF bgs are nice, but you're taking cap and gown stuff, I'd be much more worried about sharp, crisp, in-focus subjects deal.gif

    Good luck!
    i like this lens also but rarely use it, as a matter of fact i just used it for the challenge 53.. anyway thanx for sharing the info as i was gonna ask the same things ric did...


    troy
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