? instead of 50mm f/1.4?

wud

wud

Senior Member
Brian said:
"Fast" lens is also a term to describe large aperture lenses, used since the 1930s- they were called "fast" as they let you shoot a at a higher shutter speed and stop "fast" action. F1.5 lenses were called "Super-Speed" lenses. Most large aperture lenses suffer from focus shift, some more than others. There are optical techniques to reduce it, such as aspheric surfaces and using a long-drawn out optical path. I've read users complain that the Nikkor 50/1.4 "G" series lens suffers from focus shift. The 55/1.2 certainly does: at 3ft, the focus shift is greater than 1" when stopping down from f1.2 to F4.

The "Fabulous Fifties"... Most of my cameras have 50s on them, used for informal portraits, night photography, museum shots, most of my general photography. I need to upload more shots to the gallery here. Most taken with Digital will be Nikon RF lenses, now that I have the Df- will be shooting more with the SLR.

And 1 example shot- Informal existing Light Portrait at Night....of my daughter. This is with a 1934 Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5 Sonnar, I converted this lens to Leica mount. It's one of the oldest "Super-Speed" lenses ever made.
Click to expand...

This thread really turned out interesting :) I love that image of your daughter - she would make a great model.


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DraganDL

Senior Member
Not much to be improved there - these are very decent photos. Those interesting contra light effects (nice multicolored glare), the white dog, the wooden texture... It's just that you kind of got used to some other focal lengths, so now to you feel little bit insecure with the "narrowing" of your angle of view.
 
Scott Murray

Scott Murray

Senior Member
I have a 50mm and yet I do not use it much I sure know when I do, here are a few candid pics from an orphanage in Africa.

And remember I do not do portraits...

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DraganDL

Senior Member
But why - they are not bad at all! Especially that boy in front of the house (first pic) - interesting boken+good composition)... The one with the girl in a red jacket is also quite good.
 
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DraganDL

Senior Member
OK, that girl with the house in the blurred background then. Very nice photo, not just technically, but in terms of "atmosphere" too...
 
wud

wud

Senior Member
DraganDL said:
Not much to be improved there - these are very decent photos. Those interesting contra light effects (nice multicolored glare), the white dog, the wooden texture... It's just that you kind of got used to some other focal lengths, so now to you feel little bit insecure with the "narrowing" of your angle of view.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm not really going for decent ;) I wanna do images I get happy about. You are probably right about the focal length.. more practice.

I think I'll try to seek some inspiration on Flickr, seeing how others use this lens.


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JDFlood

Senior Member
I use a 35mm f1.4 for general photography. Architecture, nature, landscape, and street. It gives me greater depth of field in street photography. Frequently makes me get closer and therefore you end up with a better sense of intimacy and or action. I shoot a lot in the forest, and just plain need the light. Fantastic "normal" lens. JD
 
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