My new Minolta 50mm f1.7

[Pink Dragonfly]

Just wanted to let you know that I picked up the lens today, and here's the first photo, actually taken in the shop ISO 1600, f2, 1/60s. Thanks for all your input along the way!

Mette

[Anbesol]

Very cool, great use of that lens! Lets see the color version too ;).

Wow, is that a crop?

[Pink Dragonfly]

Hi Anbesol,

Thanks Just cropped it a little bit. I can definitely see a great future for this lens in portraits!

here's the colour version as requested!

Mette

[ddkb00]

Nice job Mette.

I think you are right - that will be a great lens for portraits.

Dawn

[Anbesol]

I presume that girl gets those good looks from you? ;)

[Pink Dragonfly]

:blush2: :blush2: Anbesol, I do believe you are flirting :smilewinkgrin:

Thanks, Dawn! The IS0 at 1600 was a bit of an accident, I'd forgotten I'd been fooling around when we had some heavy sea mist come in after sunset the other day...

Mette

[Anbesol]

at f2 and 1/60 , looks like 1600 was a good pick.

:smilewinkgrin:

[Pink Dragonfly]

Anbesol, I can see you have one of these Does it have a socalled sweet spot? What would be good settings for portraits - any good advice?

Mette

[A.M.D.A.]

That's a real nice portrait, I think I prefer the color version most. And congrats on the new lens!

[blizzard]

stunning
expert composition well done
as to the lens WOW

[Anbesol]

Anbesol, I can see you have one of these Does it have a socalled sweet spot? What would be good settings for portraits - any good advice?

Mette

Well the sweet spot is already sort of in use at all times, since its a 35mm lens put on an APS-sensor. It looks great even wide open for me, I do often times shoot at 1.7-2.8, particularly for portraits (individuals/doubles). I would say technically speaking the sweet spot hangs between 3.2-8, but you'll like its performance across the entire aperture range.

[NoKnees]

I agree with Anbesol on the sweet spot. If you are looking for ultimate sharpness, sure, f5.6 to f8... But portrait work in natural light, I really prefer the softer edges and better bokeh below f2.8. f1.7 if needed...

And yes, great first shot to share... Great composition, angle to the camera, good use of DOF... Well done! And yah, I like the old Minolta colors in the second one, but the b/w isn't bad by any means...

- G

[Pink Dragonfly]

Thanks, guys I really appreciate all your help and advice

I didn't know there was such a thing as "Minolta colours"???

Mette

[NoKnees]

It could be completely psychological at this point after hearing others talk about it for so long, but I do think I see it in your shot, and my photos using my old glass. It appears to be a difference in the coatings used on old Minolta glass compared to the newer, higher contrast coatings on my newer Tamron and Sony lenses. It's hard to quantify...

Now, when I use my old (30+ year) Pentax Asahi 50mm f1.4 mf lens, I see the old Super Takumar colors, but that is due to the radioactive yellow cast the old coatings now seem to have on those lenses... That's not quite as nice... ;) But love the bokeh of that lens....

[Canuck935]

Hi Mette,

Good to see you're enjoying the new lens. Have you discovered the built in lens shade yet? It's not much, but there's a sleeve in there you can pull on and it'll extend out about a half inch or so. I had my 50mm for like 3 years before I discovered it!

[Pink Dragonfly]

Thanks, NoKnees I'd be interested to hear what you think of the colours when I get around to posting some shots from the beercan. I actually had 3 shots in the local paper last week - the beercan had a bit of a trial by fire on its first day out, the attack on a young grey heron by a dog that should have been on a lead. It was seriously injured but I couldn't find it, at least not until the next day when it was dead. You can see the series in this link (sorry, it's in Danish), just click on the shots once or twice to see them larger, the first 3 were taken within 34 seconds! Pretty much my first shots with the beercan! (The last 2 are from the next day, not with the beercan).

http://www.phosee.dk/picture/51474-foer-angrebet

Canuck Thank you so much for telling me! I would never have found it if you hadn't told me

Mette