Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens a.k.a Nifty Fifty

[o hey tyler]

You can also see it's pentagonal bokeh from poor diaphragm design. But if ~$100USD is your budget, the lens is a sure winner... And when stopped down it's actually quite sharp.

At 1.8 the bokeh is round. All lens openings are round until they're stopped down.

Yes, but not all lenses have jarring pentagonal bokeh when stopped down.

 

[Carny]

I guess we need to see some bokeh pics

 

[bentcountershaft]

The first three pics are from a few days ago when I first read this thread but got interrupted and couldn't continue so the rest were shot just now.

50mm f/1.8 II

@ f/1.8

@ f/2.0

@ f/2.2

They just keep getting uglier and uglier as you go.

@ f/2.5

@ f/2.8

@ f/3.2

@ f/3.5

@ f/4.0

 

[belial]

The first three pics are from a few days ago when I first read this thread but got interrupted and couldn't continue so the rest were shot just now.

50mm f/1.8 II

@ f/1.8

@ f/2.0

@ f/2.2

They just keep getting uglier and uglier as you go.

@ f/2.5

@ f/2.8

@ f/3.2

@ f/3.5

@ f/4.0

My findings as well. By f/8 I had a defined pentagon with border even.

It's a decent lens provided you study the limitations and work with them.

 

[Eersel]

Any major advantages in buying the 50 mm USM over the II?

 

[o hey tyler]

Any major advantages in buying the 50 mm USM over the II?

Manual focus override, eight aperture blades, MUCH better build quality, and an additional 2/3 stops of light.

That's why I went with it.

 

[Eersel]

The sales person I just talked on the phone with said, "nothing other than the price tag"... really enjoying the value I've found in this website! Thank you!

 

[LuckySe7en]

I've had mine for a whole 4 days now. I used it at a wedding, auto focus in low light is crap. It takes way too long to find a focus point and people are like "hello, are you gonna take this picture?" I had to manually focus because it kept focusing on the background. Of course I missed tons of photos due to focus.

In daylight, it's the best $100 I've spent, easily. I was really impressed with the clarity of my images. Auto focus is the bomb in day light lol, it's quick to the point, to the point no faking (sorry I had to)

Basically...buy it. You won't be disappointed.

 

[o hey tyler]

The sales person I just talked on the phone with said, "nothing other than the price tag"... really enjoying the value I've found in this website! Thank you!

I hope you didn't talk to a camera salesperson. Who did you call, if you don't mind me asking? Please, don't say Ghost Busters.

 

[Eersel]

I've had mine for a whole 4 days now. I used it at a wedding, auto focus in low light is crap. It takes way too long to find a focus point and people are like "hello, are you gonna take this picture?" I had to manually focus because it kept focusing on the background. Of course I missed tons of photos due to focus.

In daylight, it's the best $100 I've spent, easily. I was really impressed with the clarity of my images. Auto focus is the bomb in day light lol, it's quick to the point, to the point no faking (sorry I had to)

Basically...buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Are you using a flash at all? I might pick one up to see how it works in the dark with my 580 EX II in a nightlife environment. Will post results.

 

[jcskeeter]

I've had mine for a whole 4 days now. I used it at a wedding, auto focus in low light is crap. It takes way too long to find a focus point and people are like "hello, are you gonna take this picture?" I had to manually focus because it kept focusing on the background. Of course I missed tons of photos due to focus.

I think I would check your focus point...

 

[belial]

I think I would check your focus point...

Sounds like he had it on auto focus point selection. Personally for 99% of circumstances I go center for rebels because it's the only cross type focus point.

 

[LuckySe7en]

I selected my focus points based on my subject. I don't use auto focus selection. I would select the focus point closest to the eyes and when I went to shoot, it couldn't decide to focus on the background or the subject. Idk, maybe I was doing something wrong.

 

[Eersel]

I picked up the $100 dollar make last night. I'm really quite impressed at its sharpness. In tandem with my 580 EX II in the dark things seemed to be pretty bang on. I'll post some pictures up here when I get back to the home office.

I mainly bought it as i've never owned a prime lens, and its nice to learn at only $100.

 

[lucylucy]

really great lens!! love it, so much possibilities, i love the blurred backgrounds it can give to your photo's. definitely a must-have