50mm @ f/1.8 how to focus?

[chisiang]

Got this lense recently and found that it is extremely difficult to use when wide open!

The depth of field is so short that when I focus on my nikon lense cap, the last 'n' is sharp but everthing else, including the 'o' next to the n is blur liao!!

Maybe not so when standing further away from the subject gives you slight more depth of field?

Got any samply photo taken with 50mm @ f1.8 heh heh heh... need some inspiration too.

:dunno:

 

[Dann]

F1.8 is for portrait shots where u wan to focus on subject only n blur out background. Use smaller F stop(bigger no.) if u wan more Depth of field.

 

[yowch]

f1.8 is great for focusing in low light. I like this lens most when used at f2.8 at a target about 1m away.

 

[drummercow]

chisiang, not sure if this is a good eg, but this gives u an idea of what the 1.8 is capable of... The singer is in focus (albeit slightly soft) and the ceiling and all are blur. And all this was taken in v low light.

from what i know, the 50mm f1.8 is very useful for stage portraits, or at least thats what ppl tell me and what i have witnessed.=)

Hope this helps

Cheers

 

[chisiang]

hmmm... That's precisely what I intend to use the lense for - Portrait.

Some people also, suggest usking a higher zoom for portrait something like 130mm or so... hmmm.... nikon 70-200mm VR... :heart:

 

[foxtwo]

50 is not so good for portraits. 85 is much better. Tried it out first hand yesterday.

 

[mr_jason]

50 is not so good for portraits. 85 is much better. Tried it out first hand yesterday.

Define 'better'? Why isn't the 50mm good for portraiture?

Shooting film or dslr with 1.5x crop factor? There's a difference.

 

[sehsuan]

not all lenses are meant to be used wide open anyway...

 

[foxtwo]

Define 'better'? Why isn't the 50mm good for portraiture?

Shooting film or dslr with 1.5x crop factor? There's a difference.

I shoot with film solely, so I only think in film, ;p . 50 on dslr is ~75? hmm... i suppose it works out too. :dunno: A 50 is rather limiting. A longer focal would allow better maneuverability around the subject.

But as long as you get your intended picture, any lense you used is besides the point.