Need advice: 50mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.8

[zhangyb]

Thinking to get one of these for my year end prom shoot. Environment likely to be quite dark since it will be likely in ballroom. Its at swissotel hotel.

Does the half stop improvement of 1.4 really help?

I also need some recommendations for a flash unit for my 20D, is 550ex good enough? 580ex is out of my budget sadly

Would very greatly appreciate advice (anything frm alternative lenses to consider etc.) as im a newbie

 

[sooming]

I read this with great interest....hope it helps.

http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/ef50/

 

[zhangyb]

I read this with great interest....hope it helps.

http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/ef50/

juz read the article thx for the link! very informative... it appears tt the 1.4 fares slightly better than the 1.8... Might need to blow up to sizes of 8R or even slightly bigger so i guess the slight differences might matter.

Anyone knows the street price for the 1.4?

 

[Stoned]

If it's low light without flash, would recommend the 50/1.4. IMO it hunts less then the 1.8 in low lighting conditions

 

[kiwi2]

Thinking to get one of these for my year end prom shoot. Environment likely to be quite dark since it will be likely in ballroom. Its at swissotel hotel.

Does the half stop improvement of 1.4 really help?

I also need some recommendations for a flash unit for my 20D, is 550ex good enough? 580ex is out of my budget sadly

Would very greatly appreciate advice (anything frm alternative lenses to consider etc.) as im a newbie

Hallo...

Based on the occasion, what you simply need is a flash, not a wider aperture f/1.4 lens.

Is 550EX good enough? If it weren't, I don't know what else is! 580EX? *tongue-in-cheek* 550EX is a higher end Canon flash you're looking at. I should say the 420EX is good enough generally. Much cheaper and it may be the flash you'll ever need for some time.

 

[zhangyb]

I c, thx for the input, so its either 1.4 without flash

or

any other lens with flash?

wat are the major differences btw 420 n 550ex?

Oh yar just to add, do i nid to get a omnibounce like the one offered my stofen at CP as well for the flash if i get the flash? What benefits does the omnibounce offer?

haha and really last question:

Will the 1.4 without flash option work well under low lit conditions? If anyone has tried b4, how low light can i still shoot handheld with the 1.4 at lets sae iso800... i dun wan to lug the tripod along haha

 

[+evenstar]

I c, thx for the input, so its either 1.4 without flash

or

any other lens with flash?

wat are the major differences btw 420 n 550ex?

Oh yar just to add, do i nid to get a omnibounce like the one offered my stofen at CP as well for the flash if i get the flash? What benefits does the omnibounce offer?

haha and really last question:

Will the 1.4 without flash option work well under low lit conditions? If anyone has tried b4, how low light can i still shoot handheld with the 1.4 at lets sae iso800... i dun wan to lug the tripod along haha

1) For 550EX, you can have full manual control over the whole flash, and can use stroboscopic flash as well, whereas the 420EX is like a normal auto flash, value for money and powerful for its price. If you have the $$, go for the 550EX..
2) I would recommend the omnibounce. It makes the flash look less harsh on the subject.
3) Even with the 50mm f1.4, i don't think you would be bringing a tripod for such events. Too troublesome for such events where people move all over the place..

 

[Virgo]

If you have acquired the 20D, I would advice to save up a bit more for the 580EX. Your body has already ETTL II built in, why still waste money for an ETTL flash? You're not making the most out of your camera.

Anyway, it's just 100+ more to get the 580EX. If you can spend so much for the 20D and/or 550EX, why not $100+ more and get a flash that supports ETTL II, lighter, higher guide number and faster rechargning time?

 

[zhangyb]

Virgo: I totally agree wif u haha, have been affected by the bbb syndrome, but right now spent too much on accessories so trying to cut down as much spending as possible. Anyway wats the diff btw ETTL and ETTLII?

evenstar: Thanks for the recommendations! Im actually contemplating getting flash instead of the 1.4 now

 

[mpenza]

220EX, 380EX, 420EX and 550EX support ETTL2. It's an algorithm of the camera body, not the flash.

 

[invert_studio]

Would suggest that you buy something like the tamron 28-75 and sigma 500 DG super. 50mm is not wide enough for group photo (even the 28mm is sometimes not wide enough for group photos).

 

[xl1]

If you have acquired the 20D, I would advice to save up a bit more for the 580EX. Your body has already ETTL II built in, why still waste money for an ETTL flash? You're not making the most out of your camera.

Anyway, it's just 100+ more to get the 580EX. If you can spend so much for the 20D and/or 550EX, why not $100+ more and get a flash that supports ETTL II, lighter, higher guide number and faster rechargning time?

hahaha.......

 

[kiwi2]

If you have acquired the 20D, I would advice to save up a bit more for the 580EX. Your body has already ETTL II built in, why still waste money for an ETTL flash? You're not making the most out of your camera.

Anyway, it's just 100+ more to get the 580EX. If you can spend so much for the 20D and/or 550EX, why not $100+ more and get a flash that supports ETTL II, lighter, higher guide number and faster rechargning time?

ETTL-II is dependent on the body, not the flash. So even with the 550EX on the 20D, E-TTL II is in effect.

The price diff between the 550EX and 580EX is about $200 I believe? That's a lot, especially if that few grams of weight diff and extra guide number won't make diff to your shots. It doesn't at all for me at least.

Unless you're aiming for a limited few shots with a special effects or theme in mind, I think 50mm f/1.4 (or even f/1.0!) without flash and high ISO800 is getting yourself overly enthusiastic over low-light shooting. A ballroom affair (like wedding) is a grand one. Get a flash!!! 420EX if you can't afford the 550EX. GO GO GO!

 

[zhangyb]

Hmm... so its either 550EX or Sigma 500 DG Super...

Actually which option best?

1) 550EX + 50 1.8
2) 420EX + 28-75 F? Price?
3) Sigma DG super + 50 1.4
4) Sigma DG super + 28-75 F? Price?

 

[zekai]

actually is the 420ex + 50 f1.8 that make most money sense.

i been there and use all of it before.

 

[zhangyb]

i juz checked stuff out today, and it seems tt 550EX is the best option for me as in pricing wise and meeting requirements too. Lighting is not very gd and is quite dim on location.

I juz want to ask if i buy the 550EX, can i use my kit lens (18 -55) to shoot? cos i think i nid the wide end of 18mm... I am thinking of instead getting a 70-200 or 75-300 to shoot close ups (etc. faces, stage performance).

Lastly, does anyone noe where i can get custom frames made?

 

[mpenza]

of course you could use the 550X with the kit lens. you could use the 550EX with any lens.

 

[AReality]

I read this with great interest....hope it helps.

http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/ef50/

Haha...
Read that, then saw the coke & Qoo... Then scrolled up see who wrote the article...

 

[zhangyb]

of course you could use the 550X with the kit lens. you could use the 550EX with any lens.

haha actually wat i meant is whether a kit lens is suitable in such occasions... as its F3.5-5.6, not exactly fast and resolution wise a bit lose out, cos i might be doing 12R prints. I am hoping to buy a tele instead.

 

[mpenza]

you're using flash, so you could step down the kit lens to f8.

the 75-300 probably has less resolution than the kit lens.