My lens dilemma

subscuck · Mar 2, 2011

Your 49mm will work just as well in bright light or low light. The advantage of a fast lens, again as Bitter has already pointed out, is you can get nice blurred backgrounds by opening it up. For non blurred backgrounds, you simply stop it down in full sunshine. The speed of a lens has nothing to do with it's suitability in bright light. Bear in mind also that all pictures need at least some sharpening in post processing. Cheaper glass will need more, better glass will need less.

Bitter Jeweler · Mar 2, 2011

BJPhotography said:
I think the 49mm that I have is fast but would be better in low light settings; not outside in the sunshine.

You need a better understanding of lenses and how the work, and what things mean. A fast lens can be used in any light bright or low. But a slow lens just won't work effectively in low light. That's what the aperture is all about.

Also look up the exposure triangle. It will explain the relationship of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, and how they all work together to get an image in whatever light situation.

Aperture effect depth of field...how much is in focus, and how much is blurred. F/1.8 will give you a focussed area with a depth in inches, while f/22 can be foucused from 20 feet from you to infinity.

If your images aren't sharp, and you are hand holding the camera, you want you shutter speed to be at least if not more than your focal length, to prevent bluring from camera shake.
For instance, you will get a sharp picture at 250mm, if your shutter speed is at LEAST 1/250. If your shutter speed is slower, like 1/150 you are likely to have blurring from the movement of your camera. A 50mm lens requires your shutter speed to be at LEAST 1/50.

kassad · Mar 2, 2011

BJPhotography said:
Thanks for the input. I want good sharp beach photos. I found my stock lens isnt so great or Im doing something wrong to keep the pictures from being slightly out of focus. I think its the lens. Ive used a tripod and it still does it. I want to take photos of people on the beach. I think the 49mm that I have is fast but would be better in low light settings; not outside in the sunshine. The telephoto one I have is good but its heavy. I am going to read up on the 28-75mm. Might see if I can find one cheap to try out. I want to try out what I want so when I buy my new camera I'll know what Im getting and doing.

Are you turning off the stabiliation when using a tripod? It very well can be the 18-70 lens causing the softness, I find my is 18-70 produces soft images.
Take a look at his database.

A-mount lens database (lenses for Minolta and Sony DSLR cameras)