Trying Out a New Lens

Flyinggina

I bought a Canon 50mm f1.2L lens today for my aging 20D and took a couple of shots while deciding if I would buy it.

Here is Jim, the very nice fellow who always takes care of us at Calument.



After the purchase, my husband and I went nearby for lunch at the bar where I took this photgraph of Olivia in a darkened area with bright light coming in from the windows behind her. It is soft (except for the eye lashes on her left eye and her tie) and I hate that there are no catchlights, but I like the result anyway.



I have lots to learn to take advantage of this lens, but I'm going to have fun doing it, I think!!

Virginia

Seneca

White balance seems a little off. The picture also seems a little soft. Congratulations on the new lens.

~Jan~

Ooooh first of all, I am nearly too jealous of that lens to even respond. Can't wait to see more photos. These are really nice!

kombizz

It seems it is a nice lense.
How much they ask for it?

Flyinggina

Seneca wrote:

White balance seems a little off. The picture also seems a little soft. Congratulations on the new lens.

Thanks Seneca!! The photos are definitely on the soft side. The dof is very, very low at small apertures. Learning to make this work for me is going to be a challenge. Especially since I want to use it in low light to photograph my granddaughter without resorting to a flash.

I did color correction (including setting white and black points) but had particular problems with the photograph of Jim, I assume because of the mixture of day light coming from wide windows and florescent (I think). I think the WB is fine in #2 based on Olivia's skin tones. At least it looks right on my monitor. I'll print out a copy and check. What would you suggest for Jim? Or for #2 for that matter?

Virginia

Flyinggina

~Jan~ wrote:

Ooooh first of all, I am nearly too jealous of that lens to even respond. Can't wait to see more photos. These are really nice!

Thanks, Jen. I'll definitely post as I learn to do better with the lens.

Virginia

Flyinggina

kombizz wrote:

It seems it is a nice lense.
How much they ask for it?

The asking price was over $1400. We got it for a bit less than that. Check it out at B&H. I almost always buy locally, even though I have to pay Massachusetts sales tax, because I get good service and help with problems. I have had to return two of the last 4 lenses to Canon for adjustment within a month or two of purchase and its nice to have someone local to help with problems.

Virginia

Seneca

Flyinggina wrote:

Thanks Seneca!! The photos are definitely on the soft side. The dof is very, very low at small apertures. Learning to make this work for me is going to be a challenge. Especially since I want to use it in low light to photograph my granddaughter without resorting to a flash.

I did color correction (including setting white and black points) but had particular problems with the photograph of Jim, I assume because of the mixture of day light coming from wide windows and florescent (I think). I think the WB is fine in #2 based on Olivia's skin tones. At least it looks right on my monitor. I'll print out a copy and check. What would you suggest for Jim? Or for #2 for that matter?

Virginia

Personally I would shoot RAW (only on special occasions - RAW are huge files). Shooting RAW will allow you to control your WB after the fact (during post possessing). You can even create a custom WB. Also in RAW you are able to control the EV either to negative or a positive. In the first picture I would drag the EV down -1/3.

Number 2 just needs some flash fill, the back ground is blown out a bit. But it could be my monitor. Everyone's monitor is very different.

I think you'll do great with your new lens under different circumstances...these were just test shots, and they look good.

Flyinggina

Seneca wrote:

Personally I would shoot RAW (only on special occasions - RAW are huge files). .

Thanks for your response, Seneca! I appreciate your advice.

I always shoot RAW. So I have preserved all my options and can work on Jim's photo. However, given the circumstances of simply snapping it in the store, it's probably not worth a lot more of my time. Still, I'd like it to look good because he believes he is not photogenic and was surprised to find that he likes with the way he looks in the picture.

As for Olivia, there was extremely strong backlight off to my left, even though the bar area itself was rather dark. Your monitor is definitely right about that. Since I was trying out the lens in difficult conditions to see what it would do without any flash, fill flash was not an option. However, you are absolutely right that it might have turned this into a keeper. Or at least it would have given her eyes catchlights and it would have been a sharper image. Thanks for putting the fill flash option into my head for the next time I am working with strong backlight. I'll definitely give it a try.

Virginia