Nikon 50mm f/1.8

[Nicci]

As the end of the month approaches, I am getting anxious to buy a new lens. I am looking at the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 because of the price and the reviews I have read that says it is very good in low light. I want to use it to start taking pictures of local bands.

Anyone had any experience with this lens on the D90? love, hate, good, bad, ugly, indifferent, hostile...?

[Ray Dockrey]

I use it on my D200 and D300. Very nice lens for the money. Tack sharp and excellent low light capabilities. I would think you would get the same results on a D90.

[dhyravy]

I've had one for a number of years and use it for sports and portraits. One of the biggest advantages for me is that I can stop down to say f2.2 or so in low light and it's really sharp this way.

[Frog]

The 50 was considered the 'normal view' lens on 35mm. With digital it becomes a small tele.
Cheapest prime you can own and wonderful lens.
Check this thread out Another 50mm f1.8 Thread

[n8]

I enjoy mine, I agree on the quality of the images and the ability to use it in low light, although going all the way down to 1.8 can lead to some "just off" focal points if you rely on the af. Speaking of the auto focus, it never ceases to catch me off guard if I'm holding it by the focus ring then BAM! it starts moving, so I have to remember to hold it by the body. I do wish it had a manual priority/auto mode, but that's why I went and got the 35mm 1.8, manual priority and no moving parts (quiet too). Great lens though, should do you good for your band shoots.

[armando_m]

You'll find out it really helps to have a fast lens

[BlueRob]

UPS! sorry wrong section MY bad....

[GB1]

Wow, a 50mm .. Brings back memories, as this focal length lens was mainstream for awhile, and many new cameras came with one back in the day. I still have a manual focus one and haven't used it in eons. These lenses tended to me good performers and had excellent low light capability.

btw, someone here at work has a D90 and loves it, says the dynamic range is excellent meaning you can see a lot of detail in the shadow areas.

G

[Nicci]

Thanks everyone. This really helped. I think I am going to splurge and get it when I get my study money. I mean, who needs school supplies anyway ;)

[Nicci]

UPS! sorry wrong section MY bad....

aaw...:cryin: me sad now.

[Nicci]

going tomorrow to buy the new lens. Hopeully the store still has it in stock

*excited*

[Franglais]

I used my 50mm f1.8 a lot on Sunday at the International Agriculture Show in Paris. It came out really well. Might be publishing some pictures in the next couple of days

[srblough]

Just purchased a D90 last Saturday, here is an unprocessed shot using the 50mm (f/1.8, 1/40, ISO 200). She was on the bed, early afternoon, indirect light from the windows only.

[Nicci]

moved post.

[Axle]

Beautiful lens, I'm never without it.

[Nicci]

frustrated with it. Everything I take in low light with movement is constantly blurry. *grumble* even most things in decent light with no movement are blurry.

[Franglais]

frustrated with it. Everything I take in low light with movement is constantly blurry. *grumble* even most things in decent light with no movement are blurry.

Post an example in poor light and an example in decent light. Your description could match several things.

[Nicci]

okay light (overhead bedroom)
f1.8 iso 640

low light (club)
f2
ISO 1600 ('twas really dark)

EVERYTHING is blurry unless I am standing right on it and they don't even twitch.

I have 2 days of pictures that are just blur city. I know it is me and not the lens I just can't figure out what I am doing wrong.
and darn it I loooove the second shot if it was in focus!

[Franglais]

OK here goes.

The picture of the man is done at 1/10s f1.8. There are two problems with this:

1. Camera shake. 1/10s is too slow to be able to hold the camera steady unless it's on a tripod . You should aim at using a shutter speed not slower than 1/the focal length of the lens i.e. 1/50s in this case. The camera is moving when you press the shutter release and giving an all-over blur
2. Limited depth of field at f1.8. When using such a wide aperture you need to be very VERY careful what point you focus on because pretty much everything that is closer and further away will be out-of-focus. You've focussed on the ear-ring/cheek (it's sharper than the rest even though blurred).

The picture of the group is done at 1/8s f2. Same problems as above plus an extra one

3. The subjects appear to be in movement. 1/8s is much too slow to freeze dancing. You need to use at least 1/125s

General conclusion: you should increase the ISO setting. In available light I start at 3200ISO on the D300. If I need to freeze action I go up to 6400ISO. It's better to have pictures that are sharp but that have lost a little detail due to the noise-reduction software than pictures that are blurred

Extra note: Your 18-105 kit lens has VR which does a lot to reduce camera shake (you should be able to use the 50mm focal length at 1/8s). Your 50mm f1.8 doesn't have VR which is why you are discovering this problem now.

[Nicci]

While most of that was Greek I pretty much understood it. Thanks for explaining it to me. I swear when school is out I will read my manual. I just don't have time for fun reading right now. ;-/

[srblough]

I would add that, for me, the main reason to have the f/1.8 is not for low light, but to have the shallow depth of field when you want it (portraits, particularly). The ability to use a high ISO pretty largely eliminates the low light consideration.

If you look at my dog picture (there's a better version in my gallery) you'll see her face is sharp but background is "blurry." That's shallow depth of field and useful for portraits and other situations where you want to de-emphasize the background. You need a low f/stop number to get that.

So you might want to think of your f/1.8 as your "portrait lens," and then be careful with your focus (as well as shutter speed an other considerations Charles mentions) when you use it.

Happy shooting!

[Franglais]

If you want something really really simple until you have time to read your book then try to activate ISO sensitivity auto control. I've got it set up for my Walkabout program on the D300:

Auto ISO is activated with:
- Minimum shutter speed 1/80s
- Maximum ISO 3200 ISO

Lets's say I've set the camera ISO to 400 ISO which is a setting that I'm used to outdoors. If I go indoors there is less light and the camera opens the lens wide and drops the shutter speed. As soon as the camera detects that the shutter speed will be less than 1/80s then it automatically increases the ISO value (there's a warning in the viewfinder). When the camera hits 3200 ISO it can't go any further and starts dropping the shutter speed but 1/80s f1.8 at 3200 ISO is pretty dark anyway.

Did you understand that or was it Greek again?

[Frog]

Yeah, Nicci, the 50 f/1.8 is good for low light but it isn't a miracle lens.
You still have to watch those shutter speeds.

[mudd]

Hey Franglais

Could you possibly explain a bit more on your earlier post? I have the 35mm prime and am working through similar issues as Nicci. I knew it was camera shake (really miss my VR!), but I'd love to understand the process.

This is my first prime and non VR so I've got a bit of a learning curve

Thanks!

[Franglais]

Hey Franglais

Could you possibly explain a bit more on your earlier post? I have the 35mm prime and am working through similar issues as Nicci. I knew it was camera shake (really miss my VR!), but I'd love to understand the process.

This is my first prime and non VR so I've got a bit of a learning curve

Thanks!

In a VR lens in addition to the regular lens elements that form the image there is an extra set of elements in the center of the lens connected to a gyroscope and a motor. When you press the shutter release you inevitably move the camera., which makes the image blurred if the shutter speed is slow.

The VR mechanism moves the lens elements in the opposite direction to the camera movement. The image drawn on the camera sensor by the lens doesn't move and is therefore sharp.

Nikon claims that with the latest generation VR technology you get a gain of 4 stops. With a 35mm lens the 1/focal length rule says that the shutter speed necessary to avoid camera shake is 1/35s - lets say 1/60s to be safe with a DSLR with a light body:

1/60s = Minimum shutter speed with a 35mm non VR lens
1/30s = 1 stop gain
1/15s = 2 stops gain
1/8s = 3 stops gain
1/4 s = 4 stops gain (Nikon claim)

It works pretty well as long as you hold the camera steady and press the shutter release gently. It's suited to subjects that don't move (example building interiors). With a mobile subject (people, animals) 1/4s is much too slow to freeze subject movement and you would be better off with an available-light lens like the 35mm f1.8 which allows you to use a wider aperture therefore faster shutter speed

Exactly the same amount of light hits the sensor in the following cases:

- 1/8s f5 on the 18-55 f3.5-5.6 lens with VR
- 1/60s f1.8 on the 35mm f1.8

The image is NOT exactly the same. The shot done at f1.8 has much less depth-of-focus than the one at f5. When using a lens at wide apertures you have to be careful about where you focus. But as srblough said, this is also a reason for using wide apertures.

Note that if you use a tripod, you MUST deactivate the VR mechanism. The tripod eliminates camera shake (theoretically) and the VR mechanism will try to compenste movement that isn't there (it doesn't rely just on gyroscopes to detect movement). There are often specific settings for extreme cases and when panning (read the instructions).

The Canon IS mechanism is pretty much the same as the Nikon system. Sony's system moves the camera sensor rather than moving lens elements so it works with all lenses.