New 50mm 1.8 - Portrait

[Critter]

Was trying out my new 50mm purchase on the weekend. I am having a lot of fun chasing Lily around with it! I would appreciate your comments and criticism as this dslr thing is very new to me...

Thanks


50mm, F/1.8, 1/500sec, ISO 250, Aperture priority

[Steffen]

Lily looks a bit tired from being chased around, but the lens certainly shows that it didn't win its reputation in a raffle... Great wide-open performance.

Cheers
Steffen.

[robw25]

wow
her eyes are just beautiful ... keep taking pics of her ! made me think about looking at a pic that was taken of my daughter when she was 2 yrs old .... now she's 30 !!!! .... omg that makes me ....... mmm memories !

i have a 50 mm 1.4, should give it a dust down and use it

cheers rob

[Aussie Dave]

Chris,
really nice image. Well done. I'd really like to get the 50 1.4, but at the moment the 1.8 is much closer to the budget I'm allocated ($0)

I think I'll have to seriously try talking my way into getting one of these really soon....

Can I ask 2 questions ?:

1) So far, what is the best thing you've found about this lens ?

2) and...what is the biggest downfall you've come across (if any) ?

[Pa]

comments wow, criticism none,very nice image critter.
cheers pa

[Critter]

Thanks for the comments - she is actually sick at the moment with a gastro bug so these shots were the first time in a few days that she had been outside to play!

Dave, the thing that I am enjoying most about the lens is how much easier it is to seperate the subject from the background and the way you can control the depth of field. Coming from a coolpix 5700, that is really rocking my boat. Its low light capability is very useful too.

The biggest problem that I have had with it is the focal length. I am used to being very close to my subjects. If it was a little wider, I would get more keepers, and I think that my next lens will be a 35 f/2 or 28 f/2.8 to this end, but in the mean time, I want to get used to moving away more. The lens is often described as being sharper from 2.8 upwards, but at the moment, I am still experimenting.

The D80 is obviously a bulkier camera than the 5700, so the 50mm lens is helping me get used to a larger piece of equipment to shoot with. The 18-70 seems enormous to me still!

With this lens being almost the cheapest lens that Nikon makes, and given the good write ups that it gets, it was an easy choice to get it

[Aussie Dave]

Thanks for the comments - she is actually sick at the moment with a gastro bug so these shots were the first time in a few days that she had been outside to play!

Dave, the thing that I am enjoying most about the lens is how much easier it is to seperate the subject from the background and the way you can control the depth of field. Coming from a coolpix 5700, that is really rocking my boat. Its low light capability is very useful too.

The biggest problem that I have had with it is the focal length. I am used to being very close to my subjects. If it was a little wider, I would get more keepers, and I think that my next lens will be a 35 f/2 or 28 f/2.8 to this end, but in the mean time, I want to get used to moving away more. The lens is often described as being sharper from 2.8 upwards, but at the moment, I am still experimenting.

The D80 is obviously a bulkier camera than the 5700, so the 50mm lens is helping me get used to a larger piece of equipment to shoot with. The 18-70 seems enormous to me still!

With this lens being almost the cheapest lens that Nikon makes, and given the good write ups that it gets, it was an easy choice to get it

Thanks Chris. It's interesting to read that you've found it hard to get used to being so far away, by being limited at 50mm. Those of us with no primes in our arsenal take for granted the zoom lenses (such as the popular 18-70 kit lens), which, with one turn of the wrist gets you closer of further away.

I must admit, I have played around with keeping my 18-70 on 50mm and experimented using it as if it were a prime lens. It did feel kind of strange but with a lens so sharp and great in low light, as the 50 1.8, I'm sure it'd be easy to persist and become at ease with the lens

Look forward to seeing more of your images in the future...

[shutterbug]

Very nice Chris, the 50mm is my fav lens

[ozimax]

i have a 50 mm 1.4, should give it a dust down and use it cheers rob

Dust it off and send it over to Coffs, in fact just send it ROb, I'll clean it for you!

Those eyes are just amazing Chris, well done.

Max.

[Yi-P]

Great image!!

The 50/1.8 is one of my mostly used and favourite lens, and yet the cheapest piece of equipment in my bag (except the smaller cleaning accessories)!! And this lens has produced most of my 'awarded' shots as well.

Chris, I have the 35/2 as well, I find it bit close working distance to the subject, but it is really well suited for indoor or group shots!! For individual portraits, its a bit close you have to be in order to get a half-shoulder frame, but half to full body shots are just perfect in distance, and it too render a good, soft out of focus background as well.

[vikin70]

nice one critter... the 50 f1.8 prime rocks!! i love mine and will keep it for life... it may not be as wide but it is has the sharpest lens to cost ratio ever
am kinda lazy to post some samples but if anyone wants to they can check out some of my pics... http://www.flickr.com/photos/waikin, i use the 50 prime for potraits A LOT...