Advice needed please!!

hoppinghippo · 9th July 2002

Hi I am interested in getting my first prime lens, need advice on what would be a good buy for a beginner with budget of say $300?

i am thinking of getting a 50mm lens. I am using a dynax 5 presently. does anyone have any reccomendations for a good affordable 50mm lens? And i would like to know if macro lens can be used for non-macro situations with no loss in image quality? thanx!

kueko · 9th July 2002

Hi,

I've been using the 50mm f1.7 for quite a while. It's a good and cheap lens, around $175 brand new! You can get a used one for ~$90. I think i have a friend trying to sell his away. If you have more money, you can get the 50mm f1.4 for about $340. Don't own one, so can't tell you much! The 50mm can focus very near, can't remember the distance, probably 45cm. Hope this info help!

rubric · 9th July 2002

I was thinking about getting either the 50mm f1.4 or F1.8. Kueko, is the 50mm f1.4 suitable for portrait photography if I use a 2X teleconvertor with it?

sulhan · 10th July 2002

Hieee....HHippo....

Well....i'm using the 50mm f1.7 and i think its cheap @175-180 new and also nice for portraiture too. bothe the 50mm f1.4 and f1.7 would be able to be used with the 2x teleconverter - NO PROBLEM (rubric).

By the way, just a word of caution, .............

I had 2 consecutive experience with the purchase of these prime 50mm. Once in States .....and there is a dust particle sticking on the inside part of the front lens element. BUT luckily, i'm given a full refund for it as they do not have it in stock for exchange(last piece - its a really HOT lens in States).

Came back here and bought the same lens from one of the shops in Pen_plaza.......its kinda of my fault actually for not really looking into the lens(as its a brand new out of the bag and box).......when i got it. TO my surprise...now there is a dust particle (same color and characteristic as the one found in the earlier lens-must be from the same factory..hehheheeh) and went back to the shop - got the shop stamp and send the lens for cleaning in Minolta showroom.....still waiting for it though. Looks like they will have to chage the whole compound lens asssembly .

The pictures taken with the lens was really great and the details are great too. I think EVERY photographer should own one of these prime lens.

Used with the x4 magnification filter as my macro and works really well.

Well....thats some feedback from me.

regards,
me

munfai · 10th July 2002

yah, the 50mm f/1.7 is definitely an excellent piece of lens.

I got a used one from John 3:16 at SGD$100.

Excellent picture quality... what awed me most was the contrast, and quick focusing (on a Dynax 7). f/1.7 really is very useful!!! Howerver, the focusing ring could have been a little bit wider though...

There were dust particles on the inner surfaces as Sulhan noted, but minute articles rarely show up in your exposures unless under special circumstances. All my other lenses have dust particles on the inner surfaces (Sigma, Tokina... ), but I haven't noticed any impact of it on the final exposures. But it does give you a quicker heartbeat when you're cleaning your lenses though...

Anyway I sold the 50mm as I wasn't using it much.

rubric · 10th July 2002

Thanks Sulhan and Munfai. Btw, has anyone seen the 50mm f1.4 on sale lately? There was one at Prime but it's been sold i think.

hoppinghippo · 10th July 2002

hhmmm 50mm 1.7 sounds really tempting! but how about 3rd party lens? like sigma? would they be cheaper? better?

sulhan: Get more portrait lens to shoot babay next time lah, minister of finance sure approve I bet!

munfai · 10th July 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by hoppinghippo

sulhan: Get more portrait lens to shoot babay next time lah, minister of finance sure approve I bet!

make sure you do have a very fast lens for baby shots!!! if you don't intend to use flash, that is...

iceberg · 27th October 2003

Originally Posted by sulhan

Hieee....HHippo....

Well....i'm using the 50mm f1.7 and i think its cheap @175-180 new and also nice for portraiture too. bothe the 50mm f1.4 and f1.7 would be able to be used with the 2x teleconverter - NO PROBLEM (rubric).

By the way, just a word of caution, .............

I had 2 consecutive experience with the purchase of these prime 50mm. Once in States .....and there is a dust particle sticking on the inside part of the front lens element. BUT luckily, i'm given a full refund for it as they do not have it in stock for exchange(last piece - its a really HOT lens in States).

Came back here and bought the same lens from one of the shops in Pen_plaza.......its kinda of my fault actually for not really looking into the lens(as its a brand new out of the bag and box).......when i got it. TO my surprise...now there is a dust particle (same color and characteristic as the one found in the earlier lens-must be from the same factory..hehheheeh) and went back to the shop - got the shop stamp and send the lens for cleaning in Minolta showroom.....still waiting for it though. Looks like they will have to chage the whole compound lens asssembly .

The pictures taken with the lens was really great and the details are great too. I think EVERY photographer should own one of these prime lens.

Used with the x4 magnification filter as my macro and works really well.

Well....thats some feedback from me.

regards,
me

hi
sorry to digress a bit

how much is the x4 magnification filter?
I bought a 50mm/f1.7 for 100 bucks.. second hand... really happy with it... fun to play with too

TME · 28th October 2003

I get quite lazy using the 50 f/1.7 so I hardly use it now..... but I do carry it along as an emergency lens in case I can't use flash...

forbytes · 29th October 2003

question

1) what 2x teleconvertor to use with the 50mm lens? what will be the magnitication ratio, 1:1? zoom?

2) Sulhan, which x4 filter you using?

Thanks.

9th July 2002	#1
hoppinghippo Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 559	Advice needed please!! Hi I am interested in getting my first prime lens, need advice on what would be a good buy for a beginner with budget of say $300? i am thinking of getting a 50mm lens. I am using a dynax 5 presently. does anyone have any reccomendations for a good affordable 50mm lens? And i would like to know if macro lens can be used for non-macro situations with no loss in image quality? thanx!

10th July 2002	#4
sulhan Advertiser Join Date: May 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 4,051	......I'm using the 50mm f1.7......BUT!!!! Hieee....HHippo.... Well....i'm using the 50mm f1.7 and i think its cheap @175-180 new and also nice for portraiture too. bothe the 50mm f1.4 and f1.7 would be able to be used with the 2x teleconverter - NO PROBLEM (rubric). By the way, just a word of caution, ............. I had 2 consecutive experience with the purchase of these prime 50mm. Once in States .....and there is a dust particle sticking on the inside part of the front lens element. BUT luckily, i'm given a full refund for it as they do not have it in stock for exchange(last piece - its a really HOT lens in States). Came back here and bought the same lens from one of the shops in Pen_plaza.......its kinda of my fault actually for not really looking into the lens(as its a brand new out of the bag and box).......when i got it. TO my surprise...now there is a dust particle (same color and characteristic as the one found in the earlier lens-must be from the same factory..hehheheeh) and went back to the shop - got the shop stamp and send the lens for cleaning in Minolta showroom.....still waiting for it though. Looks like they will have to chage the whole compound lens asssembly . The pictures taken with the lens was really great and the details are great too. I think EVERY photographer should own one of these prime lens. Used with the x4 magnification filter as my macro and works really well. Well....thats some feedback from me. regards, me

9th July 2002	#2
kueko Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 218	Hi, I've been using the 50mm f1.7 for quite a while. It's a good and cheap lens, around $175 brand new! You can get a used one for ~$90. I think i have a friend trying to sell his away. If you have more money, you can get the 50mm f1.4 for about $340. Don't own one, so can't tell you much! The 50mm can focus very near, can't remember the distance, probably 45cm. Hope this info help!

9th July 2002	#3
rubric Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Somewhere East Posts: 727	I was thinking about getting either the 50mm f1.4 or F1.8. Kueko, is the 50mm f1.4 suitable for portrait photography if I use a 2X teleconvertor with it?

10th July 2002	#5
munfai Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,313	yah, the 50mm f/1.7 is definitely an excellent piece of lens. I got a used one from John 3:16 at SGD$100. Excellent picture quality... what awed me most was the contrast, and quick focusing (on a Dynax 7). f/1.7 really is very useful!!! Howerver, the focusing ring could have been a little bit wider though... There were dust particles on the inner surfaces as Sulhan noted, but minute articles rarely show up in your exposures unless under special circumstances. All my other lenses have dust particles on the inner surfaces (Sigma, Tokina... ), but I haven't noticed any impact of it on the final exposures. But it does give you a quicker heartbeat when you're cleaning your lenses though... Anyway I sold the 50mm as I wasn't using it much.

28th October 2003	#10
TME Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Clementi Posts: 6,188	I get quite lazy using the 50 f/1.7 so I hardly use it now..... but I do carry it along as an emergency lens in case I can't use flash...

29th October 2003	#11
forbytes Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: West, Singapore Posts: 887	question 1) what 2x teleconvertor to use with the 50mm lens? what will be the magnitication ratio, 1:1? zoom? 2) Sulhan, which x4 filter you using? Thanks.