Help! Lens test and new camera - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED

01/06/2005 08:48:54 PM · #1

Got my Rebel today, and using a Canon 50mm 1.8 I have done some shots.
There are actual pixels just cropped to fir the DPC site (no editing, no resizing). Both are ISO 400, 1/50th sec, F1.8.

The first one is out of focus - the second demonstrates the narrow field of focus of this lens, so while it is disturbing to have a bad focused pic, i think i know why. (not sure how to fix it though - it was low light, i was across the street) The purple fringing is my issue...

The second pic shows that a)the camera/lens can focus and the flash works. This was taken at about 3' distance.

Any advice to help me??

joebok

Fujifilm X100F

01/06/2005 08:57:17 PM · #2

I have had problems with purple fringing in high-contrast areas - just like you've got with a bright sky in the background. I think it is a product of jpeg artifacting - you might try the same experiment in RAW and see if you can get around it.

The camera I had issues with this was a Sony f707, which was known to have the purple fringe problem.

rscorp

Nikon D70

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/06/2005 08:58:46 PM · #3

The bad focus might have happened because it was just trying to narrow in on one of those branches. Same thing can happen if you try to focus on netting or fences or anything like that.

Great little lens, I have the Nikon version. No real advice except to just get out and shoot with it. It's very fast and versatile for a prime lens. I shot a lot of indoor pics in KY recently and used that lens almost exclusively indoors with no flash. Really came in handy.

scottwilson

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 28mm f/2.8

01/06/2005 09:00:57 PM · #4

The 50mm 1.8 is a great lens, but like all lenses it has its best setting. Try taking a few shots at f/5.6 to f/8, I find this is where it works the best.

01/06/2005 09:08:44 PM · #5

Originally posted by scottwilson:

The 50mm 1.8 is a great lens, but like all lenses it has its best setting. Try taking a few shots at f/5.6 to f/8, I find this is where it works the best.

It was 4:45 when i took the outside shot. Kind of surprised i got anything...a very dark and overcast/rainy day.

I am ready for bokeh, technically.
Here is one of the first few shots i took with the Rebel - again, at f1.8, but look at dat bokeh! This kind of DOF i could never get with my Fuji. The bookcase is maybe 3 or 4 feet behind the kids.

Message edited by author 2005-01-06 21:09:30.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/06/2005 09:14:53 PM · #6

50mm 1.8 is good at any setting i have used it at so far...

one of the first shots with it.
bokeh?,,,

deapee

Kodak V803

01/06/2005 09:19:53 PM · #7

haha congratulations...fun isn't it?

I can't wait to get my 70-300...maybe before bokeh challenge starts. I think I added correctly here...on those shots, your shutter is opening 27.77 millemeters...where the DOF is quite low...mine currently, the best I can get (with the 18-55 kit lens) is 9.8 millimeters. With the 300mm at 5.6 it'll open 53.57 millimeters -- that should really be nice for the challenge. :-D

So what all lenses do you have?

Message edited by author 2005-01-06 21:22:53.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/06/2005 11:15:36 PM · #8

i got the 50 1.8 and a Tamron 28-70 F3.5-5.6
You can see them Saturday...i can try your kit lens to see what i'm missing?

Gonna get a spare body cap and try the pinhole idea...have to see if i have a .011" drillbit, and then how to locate the center of a circle.

A second 256mb CF card is kinda next. Not sure about a second batt - some people tell me they never run out of batt as long as they charge up before going out.

deapee

Kodak V803

01/06/2005 11:20:17 PM · #9

Yeah -- I read 450'ish photos on one charge -- I'll run out of memory before battery as long as I remember to recharge it I suppose....and the manual says you can recharge the battery whenever and it won't damage it like some of the older cell phone batteries.

Wow I can't believe you only got the 256 MB card. Just FYI, Best Buy has a 1 GIG card for $80'ish with a $20 mail in rebate...I still chose the 512 ultra II for $80 with no rebate though.

KiwiChris

01/07/2005 04:13:18 AM · #10

'Urro,

I'm not sure about your fringing, I've not seen anything that bad with my copy, although in OOF areas I have noticed some narrow fringing at the corners.

I try to avoid backlit subjects at wide apetures, so maybe I've just not caught the right conditions.

Was the crop with the fringing center frame or a corner/side?

And, seeing as we're talking about this lens...

F/2.5 ISO200 1/100th..

I _love_ shallow DOF, the closest eye is tack sharp, the futher is just going out, and by the time you get to her temple the image is totally OOF.

I find that it's great from around F/2.5 up. I use it in Av mode, and start at F/4.0 and see what the meter tells me. At F/4.0 it's tack sharp, and I rarely shoot above F/8.0 anyway, as the crud on my sensor starts to show up. :-). (Must clean it)

Even at F/1.8 it's colour and contrast is still great, although a little soft.

For your problem, I'd do some more test shots of backlit trees, which are one of the worst areas for CA/Fringing to show up... Take the same scene at F/1.8 through F/8 in one stop steps and see how it looks.

If it dosn't improve by about F/2.8-F/4 I'd ring the shop and say it's not a good copy, and ask if you can swap it. Bear in mind that you will always see a tiny amount of fringing under harsh lighting contrasts, but the shot you've got there is pretty bad for the lens/camera combo.

If you want I can shoot some samples and post 100% crop to compare, although you probably really want samples from a 300D/10D so you're comparing apples with apples.

Cheers, Chris H.

Azrifel

Fujifilm X100VI

01/07/2005 04:15:56 AM · #11

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Any advice to help me??

Stop the lens down and up the iso to keep the shutterspeed up.

jimmythefish

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/07/2005 04:22:53 AM · #12

I'm kinda wishing I could use this shot, with my 50/1.4 at f/1.4.

The lens has a very cool feel about it at 1.4 that is unlike any of my other lenses. Nothing around these parts that looks like this right now. I'm torn between using my 50/1.4 anf the 70-200/4L bokeh-wise. They both have their pluses. The 70-200 at 200 makes super smooth backgrounds that the 50 can't really do.

brianlh

Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi

01/07/2005 04:54:47 AM · #13

maybe you already know it, but i found it used to often slip my mind.. the 1/focal length rule. now that i've committed it to memory, i much less frequently end up with shots that have unacceptable camera shake. essentially, you should try not to shoot handheld at speeds less than 1/50. if you HAVE to, be as still as possible because you'll start experiencing camera shake in your photos.. you might be able to squeeze out 1/40 and maybe even 1/30 (but i cannot) at a good level of sharpness if you're steady.

jimmythefish

Canon EOS-10D

01/07/2005 06:07:47 AM · #14

The handholding rule is really actually 1/effective focal length, or 1/80th on a 1.6x body, as the increased magnification has an effect on perceived sharpness.

jaredldr

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

01/07/2005 09:55:02 AM · #15

This was done with the 50mm 1.8 mkII

Can't beat this thing for the price. I have really enjoyed using it so far and have only had my kit lens on once since obtaining the mkII. Until I can afford some nice L zooms I will probably be using this and just work around the fixed focal length.

01/07/2005 10:58:23 AM · #16

What's handy for me is i have a set of 52mm close up lenses i got for my fuji - it has a wonderful macro so i never used them. I took a shot or two to see what was what and WOW, talk about shallow DOF..millimeters. (the closeup lenses on the 1.8 50mm)

here is a crappy shot as an example. Just something on my desk.

The 11,12,1 are in focus, the rest is not. the little clock is about 2 inches tall. (ISO100, 1/25, f1.8 handheld)

I'll have to got and take some backlit branch shots - i had rad about purple fringing, but my Fuji never showed any i noticed. I plan to compare them back to back, as a learning expereince for me if nothing else as i am used to the Fuji.

Biggest thing i have noticed about the Rebel - QUIET. Prolly due to 2 factors - no lens extending at powerup and the Fuji beeped lots more.

Message edited by author 2005-01-07 10:59:11.

GoldBerry

01/07/2005 11:55:46 AM · #17

My question with the 50mm 1.8 is this, well I got it for low light situations but when you crack the aperture wide open (as with any lens) your depth of field is pretty narrow. Which means of course that you're getting a lot less detail. How do you guys work around that? I've only tried a couple of times and didn't like what I shot. I know it's me, not the lens.

Nusbaum

Fujifilm X-T1

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED

01/07/2005 12:03:18 PM · #18

Even wide open the 50 1.8 should give great detail within the range of focus. But, if the concern is detail lost from the out of focus area, that is the downside of large sensor cameras and fast lenses. On the positive side, you have more depth of field with the 10D than you would with film or full sized sensor cameras like the 1Ds.

joebok

Fujifilm X100F

01/07/2005 12:03:47 PM · #19

I don't think you can "work around" it - ISO, shutter speed, and aperture control how much light hits and is recorded by your sensor. Having a lens that will open up to 1.8 means you have more options than if you didn't have the lens.

GoldBerry

01/07/2005 12:06:30 PM · #20

I was just impressed by the clarity of the shots posted in this thread. I haven't produced anything near that with the 50mm at the Fstops people are using.

01/07/2005 12:06:44 PM · #21

Good question Goldberry. I don't have the answer to it though.
I am enjoying the shallow DOF thought.
I have to try again at 1/80sec or faster...the reciprocal of the lens on my camera, not the 1/50 my brain was trying to make work.

I need to do some high ISO shots and see the noise, and what i think of it. My fuji was noisy (relative to a dSLR) at all ISO setting.

Damn, I'm, becoming a nit-picker!

I got the 50 because of the recomendations here - the clarity and quality. I want to compare it to my cheapie Tamron. As soon as i get the water out of my basement studio...

Message edited by author 2005-01-07 12:08:04.

GoldBerry

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

01/07/2005 12:21:14 PM · #22

I bought it becuase of the recommendations here, too. I just shot a wedding (which was the reason I bought it so soon) but never even used it. The whole event was really low light and I didn't trust my lack of skills with the 50mm to use it successfully and not just have out of focus, but bright, shots. lol Not to mention that the ceremony from start to end was less than 10 minutes..didn't have a chance to even change the lens if I wanted to. Another reason to have a second body laying around.

Annnnyway.

thatcloudthere

Canon EOS-1D

01/07/2005 12:41:04 PM · #23

Originally posted by soup:

50mm 1.8 is good at any setting i have used it at so far...

one of the first shots with it.
bokeh?,,,

I know it's not, but it looks like a potato hanging from a tree!!

KiwiChris

01/07/2005 05:51:15 PM · #24

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

I was just impressed by the clarity of the shots posted in this thread. I haven't produced anything near that with the 50mm at the Fstops people are using.

I have read some stuff on another site (Fred Miranda I think) about QC issues with this lens, but stopped down to F/4 or so it should be sharp for the bits in focus.

You havn't got one of the back focusing 10D's have you? Just a thought... I seem to remember that a few early 10D's had that problem, and it would really show up at F/1.8-2.8 at 'portrait' distances from the camera.. (2-4 meters)

Cheers, Chris H.

soup

Canon EOS-30D