Canon 50mm f1.4 USM

[catchlights]

i see...i'll read more about this. thanks

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5NSzKFHBTPATEZibDRJUUdEQXM/edit?usp=drive_web

from this photo, there are many ways to get this shot right,

first, can make better arrangement of the group, why make a shortest lady, stand next to a tall guy? if this guy is tall, just make him sit.

notice the down light casting highlight on the lady on the right? best is rearrange the group to stay away from the down light, if can't rearrange the group, use flash to overpower the ambient.

and do you notice this shot is taken with the widest focal length setting? include so much messy things on the table, if possible, I will shoot at 35mm focal length setting (on FX).

the ceiling is so low, why don't utilize it with a ceiling bounce? you will get more even and soft lighting and still preserve ambient nicely.

why don't use higher ISO? it will save on the flash power too? if the shot is exposed correctly, with noise reduction, can print a S8R print from ISO 1600 without any issue, anyway how many people print photos nowadays?

if the ceiling is very high, photographer not able to do a ceiling bounce, have to use direct flash, how not to overexpose the table and still give decent exposure on the people?



nowadays we have 36MP digital camera with super fast auto focus, can shooting ISO 26500 with 8 FPS, pair with pro grade lenses, high power flash with super fast recycle rate, some more have the 5th generation lightroom or 14th generation of Photoshop to do our post processing. how come still can get results like this?

so you see, there are noting much about what setting to use, noting much about what mode to use, super high tech gears won't able to help you much.

high tech gears can not replace your knowledge on photography.

 

[shaokenphotos]

I don't know about TS but the Canon 50mm f/1.4 is one of my favourite portrait lens.

Let me show an example.

 

[Shizuma]

I don't know about TS but the Canon 50mm f/1.4 is one of my favourite portrait lens.

Let me show an example.

thread starter is not talking about shooting portraits.

also, 86PROshooter, you need to relook the fundamentals of flash photography to know diffuser doesn't soften flash but merely attenuated the output power. I had naively believed likewise as you did.
quality of light is about subject - source size ratio.

shooting in manual with flash, barring changes
in room size will give you consistent output most of the time but you must be familiar with your equipment sufficiently to know which setting to use to get desired exposure

 

[NormanSelvaraju]

also, 86PROshooter, you need to relook the fundamentals of flash photography to know diffuser doesn't soften flash but merely attenuated the output power. I had naively believed likewise as you did.
quality of light is about subject - source size ratio.

Thank you for sharing Shizuma! I had the same misconception too!

 

[lanxx]

The 50mm 1.4 wil be close to a 85mm 1.4 on your 50D.
I use it alot too, it's light but do take noet that the USM motor is a little CMI.
Get a 3rd party hood and attached to it permanently to prevent damaging the motor.
My motor spoilt within 1 year, luckily under warranty. read it up, it's a common issue as it is on a much older USM motor.

 

[kohbro]

The 50mm 1.4 wil be close to a 85mm 1.4 on your 50D.
I use it alot too, it's light but do take noet that the USM motor is a little CMI.
Get a 3rd party hood and attached to it permanently to prevent damaging the motor.
My motor spoilt within 1 year, luckily under warranty. read it up, it's a common issue as it is on a much older USM motor.

Pardon my ignorance, but how will attaching a hood prevent the motor from going bonkers?

 

[daredevil123]

The 50mm 1.4 wil be close to a 85mm 1.4 on your 50D.
I use it alot too, it's light but do take noet that the USM motor is a little CMI.
Get a 3rd party hood and attached to it permanently to prevent damaging the motor.
My motor spoilt within 1 year, luckily under warranty. read it up, it's a common issue as it is on a much older USM motor.

??????????

 

[Rashkae]

??????????

Must have been something a Sim Lim salesman told him before selling him a special "usm protector Hood" for $290 or something

 

[catchlights]

The 50mm 1.4 wil be close to a 85mm 1.4 on your 50D.
I use it alot too, it's light but do take noet that the USM motor is a little CMI.
Get a 3rd party hood and attached to it permanently to prevent damaging the motor.
My motor spoilt within 1 year, luckily under warranty. read it up, it's a common issue as it is on a much older USM motor.

there is really some thing new, any research done on the relationship between the hood and focusing motor?

 

[eleveninth]

lol this thread is quite funny

 

[alwaysjerricky]

There are theories that one reason the 50/1.4 AF fails is if it gets a hard bump on the front of the barrel (which protrudes slightly when focused close).... or, more likely, when it gets a hard bump on the focus ring while stored in a camera bag. The lens hood protects nicely both when set up for shooting and when reversed on the lens for storage. So I recommend if buying the 50/1.4, be sure to get the matching lens hood, too.

Use a lens hood as a front bumper, all the time. Helps protect the AF drive mechanism.

- photography-on-the.net

AF motors are the most common failure on this lens, especially if you don't have or use a lens hood (I store mine with the hood in the 'on' position). Almost everyone who's had an AF failure with that lens wasn't using a hood....

Well I can't speak for BP on this, but I would tend to say not to use a filter with this lens, but I believe what he's referring to and agree on is the use of a lens hood to protect not the lens element itself, but the housing ring that the element sits in. It's a known issue with this lens and to avoid it, a lens hood should always be mounted on. Any pressure or additional weight on this front thread only exasperates the weakness of the AF motor.

- flickr

http://www.flickr.com/groups/canon_50mm/discuss/72157623596423611/

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1130916

 

[catchlights]

so actually suggested to have a crush bar for protecting this lens,
well, that is not something new, this has already done before.

 

[CasualBear]

so actually suggested to have a crush bar for protecting this lens,
well, that is not something new, this has already done before.

Haha.. amazing.. can't help but feel photographer wanted to take NFL portraits of the player in the middle of the game..

 

[Blur Shadow]

so actually suggested to have a crush bar for protecting this lens,
well, that is not something new, this has already done before.

Kinda like a roll cage of a car eh? I don't see the use leh. It is probably heavy and makes it difficult to handle the lens. Besides, it is an inexpensive 50mm f/1.4 lens we are talking about?

The more expensive lenses are typically more massive, which makes the protective cage even larger and heavier. Hmm...

 

[Shizuma]

Kinda like a roll cage of a car eh? I don't see the use leh. It is probably heavy and makes it difficult to handle the lens. Besides, it is an inexpensive 50mm f/1.4 lens we are talking about?

The more expensive lenses are typically more massive, which makes the protective cage even larger and heavier. Hmm...

expensive is a relative term. eg a $400 lens can buy 12 cans of milk powder. I'd rather buy milk powder.

 

[Blur Shadow]

expensive is a relative term. eg a $400 lens can buy 12 cans of milk powder. I'd rather buy milk powder.

Haha! No kids. Sorry! ;-)

I wonder how much that "roll cage" costs and if it must be customized to each dSLR and/or lens.

 

[fatigue]

Using hood to protect the lens cam barrel is a good idea.
But I'm not so sure if the deformed cam barrel is the root cause of USM problem
I have seen quite a number of 50/1.4 with faulty USM but with focus mechanism is still in perfect shape.

Some brands are also affected by this motor problem. In fact, these motors works in the same principle, lens makers just call them differently.
I used to fix such problem by replacing the faulty motor, but lately I have discovered that a fauly motor can actually be refurbished
by simply cleaning the parts from metal oxides. So I guess it's the metal oxide deposit is real root cause. It is causing too much friction between the 2 rubbing motor parts. This could explain why some lenses produce squeaky sound (or totally fail) after storing for quite some time.
Even the service manuals indicate that these motors shouldn't be handled with bare hands during lens servicing to prevent oxidation (due to sweat).

I think some manufacturers did some countermeasures to prevent this problem. They might have improved the metal used for the motor.
One expensive brand used motors parts with special metal plating. Another brand started using specially painted motor parts.

 

[daredevil123]

The idea of using hood to protect the lens cam barrel is a good idea.
But I'm not so sure if the deformed cam barrel is the root cause of USM problem
I have seen quite a number of 50/1.4 with faulty USM but with focus mechanism is still in perfect shape.

Some brands are also affected by this motor problem. In fact, these motors works in the same principle, lens makers just call them differently.
I used to fix such problem by replacing the faulty motor, but lately I have discovered that a fauly motor can actually be refurbished
by simply cleaning the parts from metal oxides. So I guess it's the metal oxide that is causing too much friction between the 2 rubbing motor parts is real root cause
This could explain why some lenses produce squeaky sound (or totally fail) after storing for quite sometime.
Even the service manuals indicate that these motors shouldn't be handled with bare hands during lens servicing to prevent oxidation (due to sweat).

I think some manufacturers did some countermeasures to prevent this problem. They might have improved the metal used for the motor.
One expensive brand used motors parts with special metal plating. Another brand started using specially painted motor parts.

Thanks for the enlightenment bro fatigue. Can always count on you for technical analysis and also getting my eqyipment fixed.

 

[fatigue]

Even the service manuals indicate that these motors shouldn't be handled with bare hands during lens servicing to prevent oxidation (due to sweat).

 

[fatigue]

Thanks for the enlightenment bro fatigue. Can always count on you for technical analysis and also getting my eqyipment fixed.

Just a guess based on my limited experience bro.