Gear discussion thread v. "I got some new gear and I got to post it here" - General

Hey guys, which lense would you suggest that has a shallow depth of field? I would like a lense for video, so maybe a prime lense, or a wide angle would be nice. I already have a zoom lense that is 18 - 135mm. The lense is to go on my 60d. Also, would there be a visible difference in the quality of the picture when comparing cheaper vs more expensive lenses?

Hi guys, Apologies if I'm making stupid requests or asking stupid questions - I'm very, very new to photography and don't know much more than the basics. A bit of background, on what gear I currently own: -Canon EOS 650D -18-55 kit lens -55-250 kit lens -I'm almost definitely going to buy the 50mm f/1.8 prime lens (called the "thrifty fifty" from what I've heard, correct me if I'm wrong) I'm hoping to get into some close-up photography (is the term "macro photography" interchangeable here?), at a price that isn't too steep. I'm certainly not a professional-level photographer, nor do I have a particularly large budget. What I'm currently thinking of based on my poorly guided research is to get the thrifty fifty (as I'd like it for portrait photography and such, as it's a cheap and decent lens) and use it with extension tubes for some ghetto macro photography. Is this an acceptable option? Will it work, and are there any major drawbacks? What brand of extension tube would I use? I know Canon make them, but I've been told that Kenko is better value. If this isn't a great option, are there any decent macro lenses that won't break the bank? Is Canon's 50mm f/2.5 macro lens any good? Are there cheaper options? I'm comfortable with any compatible brand, it's just I'm not sure which ones to look for. If the extension tube and prime lens are a reasonable option, I'd probably prefer that - as I was hoping to buy the thrifty fifty anyway. Is there any other kit I'd want to add into this setup, or anything for a beginner photographer in general that's unrelated to this?

[QUOTE=chill_dude;40275750]Hey guys, which lense would you suggest that has a shallow depth of field? I would like a lense for video, so maybe a prime lense, or a wide angle would be nice. I already have a zoom lense that is 18 - 135mm. The lense is to go on my 60d. Also, would there be a visible difference in the quality of the picture when comparing cheaper vs more expensive lenses?[/QUOTE] try a canon 50mm f/1.8 [editline]14th April 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=ProWaffle;40276131]Hi guys, Apologies if I'm making stupid requests or asking stupid questions - I'm very, very new to photography and don't know much more than the basics. A bit of background, on what gear I currently own: -Canon EOS 650D -18-55 kit lens -55-250 kit lens -I'm almost definitely going to buy the 50mm f/1.8 prime lens (called the "thrifty fifty" from what I've heard, correct me if I'm wrong)[/QUOTE] yo it's okay, we were all newbies once (except bopie, i think he was born with a dslr) it's usually called the nifty fifty, but thrifty fifty has a nice ring to it and i might start calling it that. [QUOTE=ProWaffle;40276131]I'm hoping to get into some close-up photography (is the term "macro photography" interchangeable here?), at a price that isn't too steep. I'm certainly not a professional-level photographer, nor do I have a particularly large budget. What I'm currently thinking of based on my poorly guided research is to get the thrifty fifty (as I'd like it for portrait photography and such, as it's a cheap and decent lens) and use it with extension tubes for some ghetto macro photography. Is this an acceptable option? Will it work, and are there any major drawbacks? What brand of extension tube would I use? I know Canon make them, but I've been told that Kenko is better value. If this isn't a great option, are there any decent macro lenses that won't break the bank? Is Canon's 50mm f/2.5 macro lens any good? Are there cheaper options? I'm comfortable with any compatible brand, it's just I'm not sure which ones to look for. If the extension tube and prime lens are a reasonable option, I'd probably prefer that - as I was hoping to buy the thrifty fifty anyway. Is there any other kit I'd want to add into this setup, or anything for a beginner photographer in general that's unrelated to this?[/QUOTE] if you're only looking to experiment, you can definitely try the extension tubes or the reverser method (go ahead, put your 18-55mm to 55mm and stick it on the end of the camera reversed. look through the viewfinder). the quality might not be excellent, but it helps you get a feel for macro. if you're going to be doing macro a lot more and want a bit more flexibility then i'd seriously recommend skipping the 50mm macro and taking a look at the EF-S 60mm Macro, the 100mm Macro or the 100mm f/2.8L Macro. All are decent lenses and will take decent photos for you, but the investment is a bit steep for someone just starting out. Don't forget, it's not limited to macro and you can always switch it over to miss the close focus range so you get faster AF and a 100mm f/2.8 prime lens!

[QUOTE=cueballv2themax;40276264]try a canon 50mm f/1.8 [editline]14th April 2013[/editline] yo it's okay, we were all newbies once (except bopie, i think he was born with a dslr) it's usually called the nifty fifty, but thrifty fifty has a nice ring to it and i might start calling it that. if you're only looking to experiment, you can definitely try the extension tubes or the reverser method (go ahead, put your 18-55mm to 55mm and stick it on the end of the camera reversed. look through the viewfinder). the quality might not be excellent, but it helps you get a feel for macro. if you're going to be doing macro a lot more and want a bit more flexibility then i'd seriously recommend skipping the 50mm macro and taking a look at the EF-S 60mm Macro, the 100mm Macro or the 100mm f/2.8L Macro. All are decent lenses and will take decent photos for you, but the investment is a bit steep for someone just starting out. Don't forget, it's not limited to macro and you can always switch it over to miss the close focus range so you get faster AF and a 100mm f/2.8 prime lens![/QUOTE] I'll probably go with the 50mm f/1.8 and extension tubes. Just a few things: -Would a kit of 12 + 20 + 36 (or 13 + 20 + 36 depending on brand) be reasonable to pair with this? -Am I correct in saying that brand isn't too important here? From what I've read, it seems that there's not actually any optics in the tubes and the only difference is whether it has the electronics for AF/aperture control/etc -Are there any major issues you can forsee with this combination or that lens? I'm aware that the bokeh on it isn't fantastic, but it seems fine for me. If all this is fine then I'll probably go ahead and buy the thrifty fifty and a set of tubes (maybe the Fotga ones? they have the electronics for Canon lenses and their AF) Thanks for the help, I appreciate it as I'm fairly new to all of this.

[QUOTE=ProWaffle;40276358]I'll probably go with the 50mm f/1.8 and extension tubes. Just a few things: -Would a kit of 12 + 20 + 36 (or 13 + 20 + 36 depending on brand) be reasonable to pair with this?[/QUOTE] guess so, they're all extension tubes [QUOTE=ProWaffle;40276358] -Am I correct in saying that brand isn't too important here? From what I've read, it seems that there's not actually any optics in the tubes and the only difference is whether it has the electronics for AF/aperture control/etc[/QUOTE] they're all pretty much the same product with different names on, so it shouldn't be a problem [QUOTE=ProWaffle;40276358] -Are there any major issues you can forsee with this combination or that lens? I'm aware that the bokeh on it isn't fantastic, but it seems fine for me.[/QUOTE] the bokeh isn't cutting edge, but it's a fucking £80 lens, what do people expect? it'll look pretty good. after all, you're just experimenting. [QUOTE=ProWaffle;40276358] If all this is fine then I'll probably go ahead and buy the thrifty fifty and a set of tubes (maybe the Fotga ones? they have the electronics for Canon lenses and their AF) Thanks for the help, I appreciate it as I'm fairly new to all of this.[/QUOTE] go for it, enjoy your new lens

[QUOTE=cueballv2themax;40276437]guess so, they're all extension tubes they're all pretty much the same product with different names on, so it shouldn't be a problem the bokeh isn't cutting edge, but it's a fucking £80 lens, what do people expect? it'll look pretty good. after all, you're just experimenting. go for it, enjoy your new lens[/QUOTE] Thanks a lot for your help!

you might consider getting a 35mm lens instead of 50mm because on a crop sensor 35mm is ~56mm (so better approximates a 50mm's fov and feel instead of being a short telephoto) [editline]14th April 2013[/editline] you don't really need the expensive extention tubes, you can easily just use ones with no electronics like the fotodiox ones (use dof preview to set aperture, af will be practically useless)

Why not just get an old Canon FD macro lens? Correct me if I'm wrong, but manually focusing for macro photography really shouldn't be that big of a deal right? [URL]http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=canon+fd&_lncat=0&LH_Sold=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&LH_Complete=1&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR9.TRC1&_nkw=canon+fd+macro&_sacat=0[/URL] Some decent glass can be had for a great price. Macro lens $30 - $50? Yes!

[QUOTE=ProWaffle;40276358]I'll probably go with the 50mm f/1.8 and extension tubes. Just a few things: -Would a kit of 12 + 20 + 36 (or 13 + 20 + 36 depending on brand) be reasonable to pair with this? -Am I correct in saying that brand isn't too important here? From what I've read, it seems that there's not actually any optics in the tubes and the only difference is whether it has the electronics for AF/aperture control/etc -Are there any major issues you can forsee with this combination or that lens? I'm aware that the bokeh on it isn't fantastic, but it seems fine for me. If all this is fine then I'll probably go ahead and buy the thrifty fifty and a set of tubes (maybe the Fotga ones? they have the electronics for Canon lenses and their AF) Thanks for the help, I appreciate it as I'm fairly new to all of this.[/QUOTE] I had a set of extension tubes a while ago, found that they make close up photography very cheap to do but they do have serious limitations. 1) Each tube added reduces the amount of light so needs higher ISO 2) You have to keep adding and removing tubes depending on distance (If you want to suddenly get a picture of something more than a foot away then forget it) Another point to watch out for with 'macro' lenses is that they put the word macro on lenses that can have lower minimum focus distances than normal lenses of the same focal length If you want to do true macro photography when you can see into an insects eyes etc then you want a macro lens with a 1:1 magnification (which means it reproduces a life size image on the sensor) A got rid of the extension tubes quite quickly and went for a Canon 100mm F2.8L and promptly got some fantastic macro shots On a side note a took my Canon 70-200mm F2.8L IS out for a spin at the zoo yesterday. All I will say is if you don't have one, your loss!

if you can find some bellows for cheap then they're a lot easier to use than extention tubes, also reversing rings allow you to not have to jack up your iso so much

Finally ordered the finished Liquid Photography kit I wanted, will be putting out more liquid photography shots and hopefully selling prints.

My Canon 30D came in! Now I'm waiting on the lens. :( [IMG]https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/562031_3021853842073_1457346564_n.jpg[/IMG] $159 from eBay!

Just upgraded to the MK III [img]http://i.imgur.com/dLTDZqa.jpg[/img]

^noob still shooting digi

[QUOTE=The Salmon;40301847]^noob still shooting digi[/QUOTE] Douche still being a douche. Your attitude sucks super duper super duper hard killer. Maybe if you weren't such an assbutt people would share things here more. Such as their personal film work. [img]http://i.imgur.com/WNTG26N.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE=karlhungus;40301877]Douche still being a douche. Your attitude sucks super duper super duper hard killer. Maybe if you weren't such an assbutt people would share things here more. Such as their personal film work. [img]http://i.imgur.com/WNTG26N.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] Cool it dude I shoot digi as well, was making a childish joke. Maybe if you weren't so defensive more people around here would like you.

[QUOTE=The Salmon;40302044]Cool it dude I shoot digi as well, was making a childish joke. Maybe if you weren't so defensive more people around here would like you.[/QUOTE] Shame on me for thinking your constant trolling of my posts is unneeded

[QUOTE=karlhungus;40302074]Shame on me for thinking your constant trolling of my posts is unneeded[/QUOTE] Woah, dude seriously turn it down a notch. This is an informal forum, nobody here is 'out to get you' or anything, I made a harmless joke that came down to [i]you[/i] to take as a personal attack. You are making this much bigger than it is in your head mate, I would like to know where you get off thinking I am constantly 'trolling' your posts. Yes I'm not going to be naive about this and say: yes I do not like you. However this does not stop me from making a joke that had nothing to do with you personally, just making a sarcastic comment about my preference for film that I was hoping would garner a chuckle or two from you and others. Did you seriously think that someone was going to legitimately refer to you as a 'noob' in a sincere mark of disrespect?

[QUOTE=karlhungus;40301631]Just upgraded to the MK III [img]http://i.imgur.com/dLTDZqa.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] what were you using before? the mark II?

[QUOTE=/B/rother;40302207]what were you using before? the mark II?[/QUOTE] Yes, the MK II it's got many battle scars and now I've tucked it away to rest until emergencies.

[QUOTE=karlhungus;40302074]Shame on me for thinking your constant trolling of my posts is unneeded[/QUOTE] lmao

Got my SplashArt Kit, waiting on rest of the stuff to get a proper setup, so just messing around currently. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/hTJKsGDl.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/DhU9bsIl.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/1hX9Tpol.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/yjPfH7cl.jpg[/IMG]

man part of me is dying for a 5DII but then i remember oh shit it costs a lot of money

I'm trying to score an old Vivitar series 1 28mm f1.9 m42 lens off of a guy on Craigslist, he wants $60 for it. They sell for around $250 min on eBay, with the m42 version yielding the highest amounts. So I'm hoping that it works out, I want to try and use it for a film my friend and I are working on as its close to a 50mm on a 16:9 crop, can easily be mounted to my a77, and should make a much easier to use fast lens than a real 50mm. But if I end up not liking it I can sell it and make a profit. Would probably get a 35mm 1.8 sony with the cash.

[QUOTE=karlhungus;40301631]Just upgraded to the MK III [img]http://i.imgur.com/dLTDZqa.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] Go shoot a video or something

My teacher bought a 50mm 1.2L and a telephoto L lens (can't remember exactly) Excited to test them out.

[QUOTE=Ohfoohy;40309820]My teacher bought a 50mm [B]1.2L [/B]and a telephoto L lens (can't remember exactly) Excited to test them out.[/QUOTE] L glass, oh my! And you will probably never use f/1.2

[QUOTE=garychencool;40310397]L glass, oh my! And you will probably never use f/1.2[/QUOTE] Lies. Low light shots for videos. Sure it'll be super shallow but I can make it work.

[QUOTE=Ohfoohy;40310409]Lies. Low light shots for videos. Sure it'll be super shallow but I can make it work.[/QUOTE] okay you got me on the low light but still

[QUOTE=garychencool;40310593]okay you got me on the low light but still[/QUOTE] i have a 1960's Canon FL 55mm 1.2, i use it on f1.2 about half the time, the other half on f2. the image isn't very sharp, but that's not really why you shoot a lens at that aperture. it has a nice glow and softness that lends nicely to portraits