Topic: What's that lens that works great in lowlight for the Canon Rebel XT?

[Teen Wolf Blitzer]

It has like a fixed zoom?  Something like that.  Also I thought I heard there is a cheaper lens that has more plastic and less metal.  Thanks for the guidance.

[adubphoto]

hey mark, just got your PM and replied.

Canon 50mm 1.8 for anyone else who is wondering.

[Teen Wolf Blitzer]

Many thanks!  Do I have to buy that or is there a cheaper copy that will work?  Just thought I'd ask...

Well I see a bunch on Ebay.  Is it not a good idea to get lenses on Ebay?  A lot of them look new anyway...

http://search.ebay.com/Canon-50mm-1-8_W0QQfromZR8QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsatitleZCanonQ2050mmQ201Q2e8QQsbrsrtZdQQsubmitsearchZSearch


20 bucks shipped?  huh?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-Film-Camera-Lens-FL-50mm-1-1-8-great-condition_W0QQitemZ330090615364QQihZ014QQcategoryZ48552QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item330090615364

[adubphoto]

that 20 dollar one looks old school. I cant vouch for this ebay seller but this is what the lens should look like and a new one will be in this price range..

http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-50-1-8-EF-Lens-50MM-f-Digital-Rebel-XT-30D-20D-5D_W0QQitemZ120090126158QQihZ002QQcategoryZ30066QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Teen Wolf Blitzer]

Thanks for the help man.  Ya I'll go for new.  Got photo passes for Yonder for 6 shows for Spring tour.  Psyched!

[adubphoto]

cool man. have fun at that set of shows. I just photographed them in Atlanta. good times. 

Hey I would also go with a UV filter and Lens hood.

the filter will keep your glass fresh. the last thing you need is a scratch or dirt in there.


this little lens hood is great. it collapses on the lens and cost like $2. It will keep lens flare down.

[Teen Wolf Blitzer]

heh heh.  Just sell me that right there.  lol 

Link for that hood thing?  Thats cool.

[adubphoto]

heh heh.  Just sell me that right there.  lol 

Link for that hood thing?  Thats cool.

the hood and filter can be picked up at your local wolf camera. I dont have an online link but I think mine is made by quantaray.

[spreetaper]

i have both the 50mm f1.8 and the 85mm f1.8 (considering moving up to the 70-200mm f2.

yes its true for the money the 50mm f1.8 is an excellent value.. nearly impossible to beat for the price
but the 85mm f1.8 ($330) will get you that much closer from the "tapers section" and lense is faster and its actually an excellent general use lense..  i also use it for marathons and even the occasional car chase here in nyc 

here are some examples with my 85mm lense (ranging from 5-40 feet from stage)
http://flickr.com/photos/spreetaper/sets/72157594391752703/

and more with the 50mm lense (from the balcony approx 40 feet away)
http://flickr.com/photos/spreetaper/sets/72057594137101159/


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=getItemDetail&Q=&sku=12182&is=GREY&si=rev#anchorToReadReviews

[Ed.]

be careful with filters, some are good and some are bad.  A lot of photographers that I've talked to say they only use them in conditions where they know junk might be flying at the lens.

some good reading concerning filters:

The filter flare factor
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-feb-05.shtml

Don't put extra glass or plastic in front of your expensive, well designed glass unless you need to.
http://www.bythom.com/filters.htm
read 19 and 20

personally I don't think there's a reason why you'd need to spend $80 on a nice filter to protect a lens that cost $80.

and lastly, what cheap filters do to your pictures:
http://www.kenandchristine.com/gallery/1054387

[spreetaper]

"harder to hand hold an 85mm"
how do you figure ?

[adubphoto]

be careful with filters, some are good and some are bad.  A lot of photographers that I've talked to say they only use them in conditions where they know junk might be flying at the lens.

some good reading concerning filters:

The filter flare factor
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-feb-05.shtml

Don't put extra glass or plastic in front of your expensive, well designed glass unless you need to.
http://www.bythom.com/filters.htm
read 19 and 20

personally I don't think there's a reason why you'd need to spend $80 on a nice filter to protect a lens that cost $80.

and lastly, what cheap filters do to your pictures:
http://www.kenandchristine.com/gallery/1054387

Good info man. i'm gonna give it a try and pull the filters off my shit for the next show.

[Ed.]

For real low light pics with a film camera, get yourself an f1.2 or f1.4 50mm lens.. I don't think those will fit your rebel.

they will fit the rebel, but a 50/1.4 is going to set you back a lot of pennies. 

A rebel can take both full frame lenses and AF-S (1.6x crop) lenses.  The 10D was the only canon that had problems with full frame lenses.  Just remember, with the crop, a 50mm will already get you 80mm.  Almost all my lenses are full frame lenses and they work just fine on my 20D - you just get a longer zoom range.

From what I've noticed, you can do pretty good in most lowlight situations up to f/4, sometimes more.  I've used my 70-200/2.8 from the back of the room and have gotten decent shots.  Just set your camera to burst mode, where it takes a bunch of pictures from just one shutter push.  One shot might be 5 pictures, 4 of which might be blurry crap, but theres a good chance at least one will be decent.

And as far as I'm concerned, a little noise from high ISO's in concert photography doesn't really distract from the image at all.  It goes with the territory.

Good info man. i'm gonna give it a try and pull the filters off my shit for the next show.

Yeah, I asked a bunch of people about filters when I got my 70-200mm, I wanted to protect it since it was so expensive, but the response I got was pretty much not to use it unless I needed it.  I still use the filter on it in most concert shooting, but if I use it for anything else, I take the filter off.  I never got filters for any of my other lenses, I'm just extra cautious when I have the lens cap off.  And the second I'm done shooting, the cap goes back on.  I always use a lens hood as well for extra protection.

[mmmatt]

hey adub,
how do you like your sigma 24-70 2.8?  I recently bought one and I like it, but I haven't been satisfied in low light really.  In daylight or with flash it is very nice.  Here is a shot with flash for anyone interested in that lens http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/mmmatt/jillstudio1.jpg  I was planning on getting the sigma 70-200/ 2.8 but I think I am going to just go with the canon 135/f2L , and then pick up the canon 70-200/4l so I have a little length for outdoors.  As freelunch said 1 stop is a HUGE difference, and with 2.8 you have to burst or wait for the gels to pop.  I need a good portait lens anyways and I'm pretty sure I'm going to jump to the 5d soon so I will be shooting full frame and the 135 should be just about right.  I will probably keep my xti though and use that for concerts and as a backup body.  I also have the 50/1.8 and that is a spectacular lens for the money... the fantastic plastic rules.

Matt

[Ed.]

they will fit the rebel, but a 50/1.4 is going to set you back a lot of pennies. 

FWIW, my nikon f1.4 was $60.. Mint, near-mint f1.2's are about $350. The f1.4 is great for no-flash party pics.. Getting another whole stop with a 1.2 would be sweet...

Is that a lens for digital though?  The Canon 50/1.4 is $300 and the 50/1.2 is $1600 - Compared to $80, thats a big jump.



Matt, thats awesome on the 5D thats a nice camera.  Remember that its a full frame camera though, so if you're going to be buying lenses I'd op for the full frame lenses that will fit the 5D as opposed to the crop lenses.

I ended up selling my sigma and getting a tamron in the same focal range.  I think its a much sharper lens.  There's still the 2.8 factor, but I have never really had that many issues, however, I'm a burst shooter.  I agree with what you're saying tho, and the 135L is a great lens.  If you're looking at portrait lenses the 24-105/f4 is supposed to be a great all around lens, but its f4, so its pretty crappy in low light, however it has IS and L glass, so as long as your subject isn't moving too much, the IS should help the steadiness of your shot.