Wow, a 99-er... Prices went up I guess (inflation?). I purchased mine (MkII, also) in 2005 (sold it a couple years ago), it was around $70 at a local Cooper's Photo Video Center.
Do a quick test. Tape a section of newsprint to the wall and make sure it is very flat and evenly lit. Make sure you camera is on a tripod with a shutter or timer release and it must be perpendicular to the wall. Take a shot and then process it and see what the type looks like. There is a definite reason why they sell a $500 camera and a $6,000 dollar camera.
Wow, a 99-er... Prices went up I guess (inflation?). I purchased mine (MkII, also) in 2005 (sold it a couple years ago), it was around $70 at a local Cooper's Photo Video Center.
Note the BHPhoto prices includes free shipping.
Tony P. Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1) Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play Autocross and Track junkie tonyp.smugmug.com
the focus test should be done on a horizontal surface, not vertical.
I typically use a ruler and a knife or a ballpen (located exactly on a certain ruler mark) to focus on. This way I know exactly where my focus should be and how far off I am (if at all).
Take the advice of everybody here and rule out equipment problem and user error.
If you really can't live with it, sell it and move up to the 50mm 1.4. You wouldn't be the first to do so...
That said, in many ways I preferred the 1.8. Yes, the 1.4 is faster and more reliable to focus, but I actually like the look the 1.8 gives and that thing is SHARP once it's stopped down a tad (on mine the sweet spot was f8 - holy cannoli but it was so sharp it was scary!).
But it can be a finicky beast as it goes click-grind-whirr and hunts... and hunts... and hunts...
Take you rig to a camera shop and do some swaping and see what you can see
Bottom line of my point is the photogs eye is their most important tool.. not a $5K Rig
While I agree with Mr. Adams' thought that the key ingredient to a great picture is a few inches behind the camera, there are only so many things you can do with a basic gear. Sometimes you can work around it, but more often than not it stops you dead in your tracks. We don't buy expensive gear for a chance to show it off; we actually use its capabilities to our advantage.
Comments
Wow, a 99-er... Prices went up I guess (inflation?). I purchased mine (MkII, also) in 2005 (sold it a couple years ago), it was around $70 at a local Cooper's Photo Video Center.
www.cameraone.biz
http://focustestchart.com/chart.html
the focus test should be done on a horizontal surface, not vertical.
Note the BHPhoto prices includes free shipping.
Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
Autocross and Track junkie
tonyp.smugmug.com
I typically use a ruler and a knife or a ballpen (located exactly on a certain ruler mark) to focus on. This way I know exactly where my focus should be and how far off I am (if at all).
E.g.: 50/1.8 at f/2.8 on Canon 40D:
HTH
Take you rig to a camera shop and do some swaping and see what you can see
Bottom line of my point is the photogs eye is their most important tool.. not a $5K Rig
https://www.facebook.com/ChristianHamiltonPhotography
If you really can't live with it, sell it and move up to the 50mm 1.4. You wouldn't be the first to do so...
That said, in many ways I preferred the 1.8. Yes, the 1.4 is faster and more reliable to focus, but I actually like the look the 1.8 gives and that thing is SHARP once it's stopped down a tad (on mine the sweet spot was f8 - holy cannoli but it was so sharp it was scary!).
But it can be a finicky beast as it goes click-grind-whirr and hunts... and hunts... and hunts...
Good luck with it!
While I agree with Mr. Adams' thought that the key ingredient to a great picture is a few inches behind the camera, there are only so many things you can do with a basic gear. Sometimes you can work around it, but more often than not it stops you dead in your tracks. We don't buy expensive gear for a chance to show it off; we actually use its capabilities to our advantage.
www.cameraone.biz
Yes, yes, I get it.....just a little late night humor.
Sam
http://lrichters.smugmug.com
www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
I hope he is OK.
Sam