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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> the 50mm 1.8 is NOT a walk around lens
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10/03/2006 07:35:11 AM · #1
ok, i was counting on my 50 mm prime to do for a walk around lens. its a great lens ... however it is not a walk around lens.. just in case someone is wondering about that... i would definately need a wider lense also a zoom lens would definately be usefull...
10/03/2006 07:39:28 AM · #2
Well really, if you had a zoom you would be doing a lot less walking around...
10/03/2006 07:40:18 AM · #3
depends on the person ... some people like shooting with a bit longer lens
10/03/2006 07:48:36 AM · #4
its my humble opinion
10/03/2006 07:52:50 AM · #5
well you know what you can do with your humble opinion?
you can stick on the message board for everyone to see.
that's what you can do with it!!!!!

:-)
10/03/2006 07:56:15 AM · #6
I know photography teachers who make their students use a 50mm lens in order to make them to "walk around" to get the shot. Because they have to move around a bit, it forces them to see things differently than if they had a zoom lens. It's great practice for composition.


10/03/2006 07:57:11 AM · #7
yap. one of the main photog rules : get as much closer as you can get
10/03/2006 07:59:03 AM · #8
50mm *is* a good walk around lens... if you've got a full-frame camera. If you're using a crop cam like the 350D, you'd ideally have a 30 or 35mm in order to get the same kinda view. The Sigma 30/1.4 looks pretty tasty, BTW :o)
10/03/2006 08:01:29 AM · #9
This summer I had a class (b&w) film in which I could only use a 50mm lens. Instead of zooming, you either move up or back.

Message edited by author 2006-10-03 09:03:04.
10/03/2006 08:12:17 AM · #10
Originally posted by Manic:

50mm *is* a good walk around lens... if you've got a full-frame camera. If you're using a crop cam like the 350D, you'd ideally have a 30 or 35mm in order to get the same kinda view. The Sigma 30/1.4 looks pretty tasty, BTW :o)


the sigma 30mm _is_ quite tasty. i've had it now for a couple weeks. used it to shoot an indoor birthday party and some shots of my son at the fair.

it could definately be a good walk-around lens
10/03/2006 08:37:07 AM · #11
It may not be a walk around lens but it's a must to keep with you all the time.
I always take my kit lens, Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, Canon 50mm, and Canon 70-300mm with me everywhere I go.

Message edited by author 2006-10-03 08:37:26.
10/03/2006 09:29:21 AM · #12
Hmmm, operating within the constraints of a prime lens is a good exercise for any photographer.

Rather than complain, why not accept the challenge?
10/03/2006 09:30:08 AM · #13
Originally posted by maryba:

This summer I had a class (b&w) film in which I could only use a 50mm lens. Instead of zooming, you either move up or back.


That is zooming. It's called sneaker zoom.
10/03/2006 09:34:32 AM · #14
I only use old mf primes, it really forces you to think, although I can recommend it for sports its great for everything else.
10/03/2006 09:44:01 AM · #15


I learned this the hard way - I went to Positano Italy for a one-day trip from Rome. I thought I'd travel light with the 50mm ... Well there's a literal mountain of homes there that's just unbelievable ... however I needed to shoot a mosaic of shots with the 50mm.

Message edited by author 2006-10-03 10:13:47.
10/03/2006 09:46:08 AM · #16
metatate ... thats exactly what i did during my trip to london...
too many great shots that the 50mm couldnt cut...
with mosaic you don get the barrel distortion that gives you the greatness of the view...
i would like to see this picture
10/03/2006 09:48:18 AM · #17
Originally posted by metatate:

I learned this the hard way - I went to Positano Italy for a one-day trip from Rome. I thought I'd travel light with the 50mm ... Well there's a literal mountain of homes there that's just unbelievable ... however I needed to shoot a mosaic of about 30 shots with the 50 ... it turned out cool but probably not the ideal :-]
I'll post it later.

Ahh, beautiful Positano...


10/03/2006 09:48:21 AM · #18
Originally posted by rami:

metatate ... thats exactly what i did during my trip to london...
too many great shots that the 50mm couldnt cut...
with mosaic you don get the barrel distortion that gives you the greatness of the view...
i would like to see this picture


then get a 20mm, 30mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm :D

Message edited by author 2006-10-03 09:49:19.
10/03/2006 10:00:12 AM · #19
Originally posted by Manic:

50mm *is* a good walk around lens... if you've got a full-frame camera. If you're using a crop cam like the 350D, you'd ideally have a 30 or 35mm in order to get the same kinda view. The Sigma 30/1.4 looks pretty tasty, BTW :o)


Rather than making the same point again, let me reinforce what has been said here. Students are usually asked to use a 'standard' lens. You can also find many famous photographers, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and even Helmut Newton, that had a particular affinity to using a standard lens.

On a 1.6 cropped camera, something in the range of 28-35mm will give you the equivalent of a standard lens. I like the Canon 35mm f/2.0. It's a little noisy but VERY sharp. Here is an example where I used it wide open for an existing light portrait.



A standard lens if a great walk around lens, but it is also challenging. The perspective offered the viewer is close to how they see the world, so there is no interest created by unusual wide or tele perspectives. The success of an image is 100% determined my the composition and the strength of the subject. Unlike the initial wow created by using a unique perspective, the wow in a successful image with a 'standard' perspective will usually be based on characteristics that don't fade away or go out of style. It may be a bit to traditional for photographers in the digital age, but I still believe the 'standard' lens is great for learning and can be a VERY affective tool in the hands of a skilled photographer.

Message edited by author 2006-10-03 10:05:01.
10/03/2006 10:15:54 AM · #20
HERE YA GO



PS; I realize this is sorta crude - but there was NO WAY I'd line these up :]

i had more sloppily put together 50mm shots from this trip ... kinda serendipitous looking I guess:



Having shown that ... the 50mm 1.4 is the one lens that i would not give up - Heck, I even mount it on backwords for super-close macros..

Message edited by author 2006-10-03 10:32:09.
10/03/2006 10:32:56 AM · #21
Originally posted by metatate:

HERE YA GO



PS; I realize this is sorta crude - but there was NO WAY I'd line these up :]


how fun. reminds me of the time i took a trip to lisbon, portugal and only had a 35mm p&s w/ no zoom. wish i could go back now w/ my current collection of glass. bet i could get the shots i wanted now...

;)
10/03/2006 10:47:32 AM · #22
By definition, a "normal" lens for a given format has a focal length the same as the diagonal of the sensor/film.

For a 24x36mm format (standard 35mm) this means ~ 43mm

For a typical APS-C sensor it works out to ~ 28mm
10/03/2006 08:54:15 PM · #23
Originally posted by metatate:

Heck, I even mount it on backwords for super-close macros..


What you talkin about?
10/03/2006 09:08:55 PM · #24
Originally posted by Manic:

50mm *is* a good walk around lens... if you've got a full-frame camera. If you're using a crop cam like the 350D, you'd ideally have a 30 or 35mm in order to get the same kinda view. The Sigma 30/1.4 looks pretty tasty, BTW :o)


You beat me to it. :-)

50 mm on a cropped sensor camera is a mild telephoto lens (~85mm 35mm equivalnet). To get normal perespective you need a lens at approximate 30mm.
10/04/2006 08:49:10 PM · #25
Originally posted by Manic:

50mm *is* a good walk around lens... if you've got a full-frame camera. If you're using a crop cam like the 350D, you'd ideally have a 30 or 35mm in order to get the same kinda view. The Sigma 30/1.4 looks pretty tasty, BTW :o)


What he said.

And, yes, the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is a great lens. Here's one of my favorite shots taken with that lens...



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