Shooting at f1.8

Devinhullphoto

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Yesterday my new 50mm f1.8g came in the mail and I know shooting wide open doesn't allow for much to be in focus, so my question is: what do you use this aperture for most the time. I've been using it at f2.8.

I was just curios what the best uses for that would be. Thanks!

Sorry if this thread is in the wrong area. I'm still new to the forum.
 
Yesterday my new 50mm f1.8g came in the mail and I know shooting wide open doesn't allow for much to be in focus, so my question is: what do you use this aperture for most the time. I've been using it at f2.8.

I was just curios what the best uses for that would be. Thanks!

Sorry if this thread is in the wrong area. I'm still new to the forum.

On my d700, shooting wide open required AF fine tune. Tack sharp images are possible. Just keep in mind DOF and achieving focus.
 
I shoot a lot at f1.4 and f1.6 if I want the "all natural light" looks indoor. You just have to be mindful especially during a live event.
 
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You'd shoot wide open when you want razor thin DoF, or when there's very little light available to shoot with and you can live with razor thin DoF. Other than that, I can't think of a reason, but they're probably out there.
 
I've been so used to mostly always being wide open, but before my new lens I had kit lenses so the biggest aperture was 3.5. It's just a new feeling all around since this is also my first prime lens since my film days.
 
Most of the time with my primes, I try to hang around 2.2-2.8 area just to get a little sharper images, I would guess this would make it a tad easier to focus.
 
I shoot mostly concerts, performances & exhibitions at f/1.8-f/2.2 because of low light and often moving people (usually ISO 1600-12800).
 
The two main reasons:

(1) you're after a very specific DoF (depth of field) look for your photo (in this case, you want tons of bokeh [i.e.: you want the subject to be clear but also want tons of blur around it])

OR

(2) you need to use f/1.8 because of poor lighting conditions and you don't want to jack up the ISO to noisy levels (i.e.: if lighting conditions are poor [as in it's dim/dark], you can open up the aperture, say from your normal f/2.8 to f/1.8 - this will allow for the lens to let in more light, thus allowing you to shoot at a faster shutter speed [compared to a correctly-exposed same shot at f/2.8], thus giving you sharper hand-held images). A general, loose rule of thumb is that at your 50mm, the shutter speed should be no slower than the inverse (1/50th of a second) if you're shooting without a tripod.

Hope that helps, mate!
 
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I shoot a lot of gigs, and I need the light. Also like the shallow DoF for adding interest to stage shots - say singer in focus, guitarists guitar neck out of focus, but drawing the eye to the singer etc...

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if you don't need to shoot at 1.8 (because of low light or a depth of field you want to achieve), don't. Your image will be much sharper at f/2.8 or beyond. At 1.8 I especially don't like what it does to the high contrast edges, but stopped down a little those problems go away.
 
The Leica boys luv to shoot wide open with their .95,so 1.8 wide open is fine for the bokeh devotees.
 
Holy Cow folks. Once upon a time, shutter speed only went to 1000. For a couple of years, there was a speed war and we finally landed around 8000. So, by that virtue, we should absolutely NEVER EVER move the shutter speed off from 1/8000. EVER!!!! DONT DO IT. !!!!! Leave it THERE.

Folks, the f1.8 aperture is a tool in our tool bag. You use it when you need to use it to accomplish the goal for the photo. If you absolute need the speed, use it. If you want the razor thin depth of field, use it. It makes NO sense what so ever to shoot totally wide open all the time for every shot.
 
if you don't need to shoot at 1.8 (because of low light or a depth of field you want to achieve), don't. Your image will be much sharper at f/2.8 or beyond. At 1.8 I especially don't like what it does to the high contrast edges, but stopped down a little those problems go away.

I've been at 2.8 - 3.5 recently. I also like it at f9.

One of my kit lenses gets very "soft" when shot at f22. Not a fan.
 

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