50mm f/1.8 Lens War Thread

[schrackman]

Some great shots, everyone! Keep 'em coming!

[schrackman]

Didn't get a chance to do any shooting today, so here's another one from yesterday when we visited the Living Desert sanctuary in Palm Desert, Ca. This is a hedgehog. What a cutie!

Settings: f/2.8, 1/1000th, ISO 200, overcast day

[WsW-WYATT-EARP]

I just got my rebel xti and 50 mm 1.8 in November... Here are a few of my faves so far...
I'm loving my $100 lens!

I really like that 2nd pic of the glasses lined up behind each other !!! :thumbsup:

I don't think he is saying that a metal mount should cost that much more ... the nikon version is a metal mount and the usa version is only 114 at B&H

all these pics are great none the less ... I have to find time to play with mine and get some from the nikon side up here ....

[Erik Stiegler]

Perhaps for some folks, dishing out another couple or few hundred bucks more is no big deal. But many of us on this forum are on a tight budget and this lens serves our purpose rather well for now.

I don't recall the original EF 50/1.8 being that much more expensive than the Mk.II version of the lens. Was it?

Either way, I've never had a problem with a lens mount, metal or plastic.

A real improvement would be a version with a USM motor instead of that dreadful micro motor. It's a wonderful lens, but focusing it sounds like someone hunting for second gear in a '74 Chevy Nova.

[livin4lax09]

I honestly don't mind a plastic mount. It's a small, light enough lens that I have not once worried about breaking it off. it's not exactly like it hits many door frames. I spend a bunch of money on equipment, but I'll pay for a plastic mount over a metal mount any day. on this lens I don't think it's really worth it. there's really no excuse to not have one of these lens, they can be had for less than 60 used, and it's good glass. Here's one of mine, but not at 1.8, f/5.6 I think. It's a great normal lens.

[WsW-WYATT-EARP]

to me it isn't that big of a deal plastic vs metal mount until you get into the bigger lens .. then it becomes an issue .. for this little thing i don't think it is really going to matter ...

I did notice the tighter fit to the body with a nikon lens over my sigma and tamron lenses ... I am here at work now, with my camera and my 50mm lens .. see if I can get anything to come out worthy enough to post ... limited time to play with it ...

[schrackman]

I don't recall the original EF 50/1.8 being that much more expensive than the Mk.II version of the lens. Was it?

I'm not sure. Can't seem to find one brand new. I found a couple 50mm metal lenses on ebay, but those were used and ran around $160. But again, for those of us on a tight budget that $90 difference makes quite a difference.

[Erik Stiegler]

The original EF 50/1.8 has been out of production for well over a decade. I doubt there are any new ones to be found. You would need to look up an old B&H ad to see what they both sold for new when the Mk.II was introduced for comparison.

[SmartWombat]

My only worry would be friction and creation of dust.
Canon changed the body cap design to reduce dust, so I presume it's the same plastic as used on the lens mount now.

[schrackman]

Here's a couple from today while at the Long Beach Airport. My wife took the second pic of me and my daughter. Naturally I photoshopped that one to take a few of my wrinkles out.

[ddkphotos]

Thanks Ben for your comment. I'm really impressed with everyone's pics - keep them coming!

[specradio]

Perhaps for some folks, dishing out another couple or few hundred bucks more is no big deal. But many of us on this forum are on a tight budget and this lens serves our purpose rather well for now. Would I rather have a metal lenses? That's like asking if I'd rather have a 5D in my hands than having to still shoot with my original Digital Rebel these past three years.

I don't think you realize the nikon and the canon are around the same price. The nikon has a metal mount, the canon doesn't.

[schrackman]

the canon used to have a metal mount, but from what someone posted above it seems it has not been in production for about 10 years.

[specradio]

I'm not saying it's a bad lens, but I'd want a metal mount just to know i'm safe.

[schrackman]

I'm not saying it's a bad lens, but I'd want a metal mount just to know i'm safe.

Well yes, that would be preferrable. But as you can see, many do like their plastic lens despite it's...well, plasticness.

Here are a couple more photos from me. The first is my wife's Christmas present (and so that Photo John will know what a Dooney & Burke handbag looks like, hehe). The second one is, again, my daughter.

Hey Allison and the rest...you gonna help me keep this thread alive? I was also hoping to see more Nikon images posted.

[WsW-WYATT-EARP]

Sorry for the delay in posting some pics from the Nikon 50mm 1.8 .... I got a few yesterday

#1 is a suncatcher at a friends house Aperature Priority - F/1.8 - 1/2500 - ISO 200 - no flash - hand held

#2 is cars in motion Manual mode - F/16 - 13sec - ISO 200 - no flash - tripod

#3 is the Milwaukee Art Museum - Manual mode - F/16 - 15 sec - ISO 200 - no flash - tripod

#4 is another angle of the Art Museum - Manual mode - F/16 - 25 sec - ISO 200 - no flash - tripod

[WsW-WYATT-EARP]

I was playing around with it the other night at work ... took these shots ..

shots 1 - 4 were all taken the same way just changed aperature - camera was setting on a machine - remote to take shots - aperature priority - no flash (the 4 of the chain were just resized and posted no other pp done to them)

#1 - chain @ F5.6 - 1/6 sec - ISO 200

#2 - chain @ F4 - 1/13 sec - ISO 200

#3 - chain @ F2.8 - 1/25 sec - ISO 200

#4 - chain @ F1.8 - 1/50 sec - ISO 200

I took these pics to see the DOF of the lens ... and had alot of time to spare at work that night ...

#5 - is a quarter - Aperature Priority - F/1.8 - 1/100 sec - No flash - ISO 200 - hand held (1 handed - other hand was holding a piece of paper to provide some fill lighting)

[Dock Master]

I guess I will have some catching up to do. I ordered the 50mm 1.8 yesterday with my Christmas $$. It will be here later this week. if the thread is still alive, I'll post some pics.

Love the hedgehog!

[adina]

Hey! Love those ones of the art museum! I've been meaning to make a trip over there.

Regarding the plastic vs metal....the thing is $60. If you break it, buy a new one. I spend more on a pair of shoes that I wear 1 or 2 times a year.

[Alison]

Here's one I took back in April.

Window light only, F/3.2, SS 1/80, ISO 400

[mdmc]

Great photos everyone, love the portraits and night shots.

Ok, I have a few now. All at f1.8. Not a great idea.

1. Some family members- very bad focus
2. The official mirowave fudge maker trying to recall if he has purchased all the ingredients he needs.
3.Him again making certain that the mix is ready to microwave.
4. The finishing touch.

[mdmc]

I left one out.
From the floor.

[schrackman]

Ben, great shots of the museum! Don't care much for the border, but the shots are great. Nice work on showing the differences in aperature also.

I really like the dof of this lens, and I also like how under natural light colors are rendered much more accurately than my other lenses.

Alison, another cute shot of your daughter! You are the portrait queen.

mdmc, I'm trying hard to get a good shot of my dogs too. Haven't quite got the one I want yet but I'm still working on it.

Hope to see more images!

[WsW-WYATT-EARP]

Adina thanks for the comments ... I been wanting to get up there and take some shots of it just finally got up there ... need a night without fog now and do it again ...


Ya I am not keen on the frames i used either .. just was pressed for time and put them on ... the vertical one isn't as bad as the horizontal one ...

[Alison]

Alison, another cute shot of your daughter! You are the portrait queen.

Thank you shrackman you are far too kind.
I have alot of willing subjects to help me get plenty of practise.
Now if I could only get some customers...it might help me buy that Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8 L USM IS that I'm after :thumbsup:

Here are a few more.

Taken around the golden hour. F/1.8, ISO 100, SS 1/400


I just want to show the verstaility of this lens. I know a wide angle would probably have been better for firework shots, but my 50mm 1.8, as far as I was concerned, was the best lens I had at the time.
And, thanks to the firework tips here, Fireworks Tips I thought I got some pretty good shots. So, thank you to Sebastian and all the other members who contributed to that thread.

F/14.0, SS bulb, ISO 100, handheld


Taken on an overcast day, F/2.2, SS 1/1000, ISO 100, added some colour pop


Indoors, window light only, F/5.6, SS 1/80, ISO 400


I'm suprised I got anything at all here. Backlighting and action?...not the easiest of shooting conditions. I'm so pleased it turned out.

SS 1/1250, F/2.8, ISO 100, Flash with diffuser fired


This Lemur came out of it's enclosure and sat on a fence near us. I was so excited to get this shot.
Taken on an overcast day, F/9.0, SS 1/80, ISO 400


I should stop. I'm taking over this thread lol. It's just that I have sooooo many GREAT shots taken with this lens!