New here...new lens

[cwat212]

Hello everyone,

New here and just wanted to show a little from my new cannon 50mm F1.8..II...

Obviously it has been said before but this inexpensive lens is so much fun....

I am still trying to work the files but here is one:

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u209/cwat212/isthattrue.jpg

[cwat212]

you can tell what I like to take pictures of...right?

not the best light but..

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u209/cwat212/IMG_2217.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u209/cwat212/IMG_2214.jpg

On the next two I played with the focus....obvious difference? :)

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u209/cwat212/IMG_2526.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u209/cwat212/IMG_2524.jpg

All shot Av on an XTi. 50mm...F1.8-2.2. No flash, no PS. Thanks in advance for the help.

[oj88]

Nice portraits. :)

One comment though; when taking face shots, the picture would usually come out better if you don't crop the lower part of the face (ie. part of the mouth). If you need to keep the face tight, crop the upper part of the head above the eye brows instead (ie. hair).

Pic 4 suffers from cropping.
I like pic 5 best.

[99allturbo]

Having the 50mm 1.8 myself, I would have gone with a higher aperture value to get the whole face in-focus, something like a f5.6. Now if you were only taking a pic to focus on an eye or both eyes, then a lower value such as 2.0 or 2.8 works great. Just my $0.02

Here's what I mean. I took this I believe at 2.0 or 2.8 (can't remember), no flash, outdoors with some overcast skies, but my purpose was to focus on one eye only.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/99allturbo/Misc%20pictures/IMG_0803_1.jpg


This lens has great potential, experiment at different f-stops until you get the picture you want. Have fun.

[adam75south]

you might start using your pop up flash for fill flash. use M mode when shooting and it will automatically put out the correct amount of flash. you can also set your FEC(flash exposure compensation) and crank it down a stop or two to make it look more like natural light just to fill in shadows a little bit.

other than that, you might start working on your post processing. the black and white is in need of a little contrast, it's more of a black & gray than a black and white. if you have photoshop, go to image>adjustments>levels and pull the left slider to meet the beginning of the mountain looking thing and the right slider to the left to meet the end of the mountain looking thing. another thing they could use is sharpening. filter>sharpen>smart sharpen is a very easy to use tool. i use 1 pixel radius, lens blur, check the "more accurate" checkbox and set the amount to about 25%, it's better to not sharpen enough than to oversharpen. i've attached the same picture with only levels exactly how i explained and the smart sharpen. i hope you don't mind.

other than that, the compositions look good and i can tell you will be posting some great pictures very soon.....

i'd rather have the chin and less top of the head if i had to choose.

and my favorite is the baby pic with the chin in it. great shot. and good looking kids.

[cwat212]

Thanks for the tips Adam, 99Turbo and Oj. The kids get their looks from their mother.

Adam, I don't mind. I can see the difference in the b/w pics. I do have photoshop and have been experimenting with it but the photoshop box still has that new box smell to it..

99Turbo - I really like your picture by the way.

Oj - simple tip but agreed that it does make a difference.

Thanks again everyone. I will be around.

[adam75south]

i just finished reading the photoshop cs2 book for digital photographers and i learned a ton and it's an easy book to read. highly recommended. he teaches all the way from camera raw to skin smoothing to monitor calibration to copyrighting. it's a great book.

[cwat212]

Sad to say that this lens did not survive. :(

[cdifoto]

Sad to say that this lens did not survive. :(

What'd you do, bump into a doorknob and kill it? :)

[michaelb]

Welcome!
I would agree with the above recommedations - when trying to get the entire face in focus at a close distance would recommend a smaller aperature (higher f stop) and possibly some fill flash.

[cwat212]

What'd you do, bump into a doorknob and kill it? :)

wild baby grabbed for it and it fell off the couch. lens came apart and one of the small plastic clips inside snapped.

i do want another 50mm lens but I really do not think this lens is built very well.

oh well, at least this LESSON didn't cost very much!

[cdifoto]

wild baby grabbed for it and it fell off the couch. lens came apart and one of the small plastic clips inside snapped.

i do want another 50mm lens but I really do not think this lens is built very well.

oh well, at least this LESSON didn't cost very much!

LOL @ Wild Baby

Funny statement there (bold). Cuz it's such an understatement. That's why I smilied in my other post. :D


You might be able to snap it back together and use it though...kinda like those models that require no glue. :D

[99allturbo]

99Turbo - I really like your picture by the way.




Thanks!

Sorry to hear about the accident, but atleast you can buy another without burning a hole in your wallet.

[cwat212]

I snapped it back together but some inner plastic pieces broke so it doesn't fit as it should. It also sounds like a truck now....:rolleyes:

I am probably going to buy another but with the chance that this could happen again, I may as well just buy the 50mm f1.4 lens. After a couple
$80+ hits I am half way to a better lens! Right? Assuming the f1.4 is built a little stronger?

[cdifoto]

I snapped it back together but some inner plastic pieces broke so it doesn't fit as it should. It also sounds like a truck now....:rolleyes:

I am probably going to buy another but with the chance that this could happen again, I may as well just buy the 50mm f1.4 lens. After a couple
$80+ hits I am half way to a better lens! Right? Assuming the f1.4 is built a little stronger?

The 1.4 is built a LOT stronger. :)

[cwat212]

As said before my 50 1.8 was killed by my little one...so I went with the 50mm 1.4....

well, it is much more lens in a stronger package...

this was my 2nd shot. 1st was a split second before but out of focus. cc please. I really think the pic is better but I used AWB which isn't right. Also...the original is a bit lighter.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u209/cwat212/IMG_3595.jpg

[cdifoto]

It's a bit dark (but you acknowledged that). The yellowish tint is from the tungsten lighting (typical indoor light bulbs). Set your white balance to the tungsten setting when you're indoors without flash and it should be closer to "correct." Alternatively grab yourself an inexpensive grey card at your local photo shop and use it to set custom white balance. They're usually 8x10" in size and under $10. I got a 2 pack for that price and cut one down into smaller pocketable squares for convenience. Your manual should tell you how to set custom white balance.

[cwat212]

Thanks. I had it set on AWB and it definitely wasn't real.

After he fell asleep which was in about 2 minutes, I switched to Tungstun on the WB and it completely changed the lighting. Also, the original are jpg....I switched to RAW, another league i guess?

[zmikers]

I tend to agree with the above comments as well......Welcome, hope we didn't scare you off in the other thread. You are very lucky, in these cold wet winter days, you still have a nice subject or two or three to snap. Keep posting. Hope you stick around;) :D

[cdifoto]

Here's a quick edit of your image.

[cwat212]

^^ Not totally scared yet. Sorry for my reaction. I don't know anyone or anything that has happened here before my joining. :confused:

I do however want to improve my knowledge and that is why I am here. :D

I know there are many shots I have missed because I have had the WB incorrectly set.... I guess if AUTO or AWB really gave great shots there would be no need for Av, Tv or M for that matter.....Hell, there wouldn't be any additional lenses or selections needed.

[cwat212]

Here's a quick edit of your image.

Yes! See that is what I wanted the camera to do!!! Thank you. Much better.

I have Elements and am still learning. Playing with Actions, etc. but need to buy a book.

With all the help I am positive I will get there. More to come. THANKS!!!

[timmciglobal]

Use raw and forget (mostly) about white balance issues.

Raw will also let you adjust the exposure, contrast and tone better then jpeg's will.


Tim

[cdifoto]

Use raw and forget (mostly) about white balance issues.

Raw will also let you adjust the exposure, contrast and tone better then jpeg's will.


Tim

Even though I shoot RAW I still set a custom white balance when I can...or when I remember. Makes life that much easier and color that much more accurate. Trying to find a good reference spot in the image isn't always ideal or possible and it's not fun to mess with a bunch of shots in post when 3 seconds of effort before shooting will take care of it.

[timmciglobal]

Sometimes 3 seconds.

Variable light will really mess with your custom WB or if your shooting a mix of flash/natural light.

And maybe I'm just a sadist but I enjoy playing with raw images mostly because it lets me focus at the time of shooting on "taking a picture" and not what "setting" needs to be changed next.

Tim

[zmikers]

Even though I shoot RAW I still set a custom white balance when I can...or when I remember. Makes life that much easier and color that much more accurate. Trying to find a good reference spot in the image isn't always ideal or possible and it's not fun to mess with a bunch of shots in post when 3 seconds of effort before shooting will take care of it.

Yes agree here. Setting a custom WB, usually, helps a lot. I remember the day I first starting getting familiar with the custom WB option. I was so amazed at how much it helped and to this day am still very thankful for it.

[zmikers]

^^ Not totally scared yet. Sorry for my reaction. I don't know anyone or anything that has happened here before my joining. :confused:

I do however want to improve my knowledge and that is why I am here. :D

I know there are many shots I have missed because I have had the WB incorrectly set.... I guess if AUTO or AWB really gave great shots there would be no need for Av, Tv or M for that matter.....Hell, there wouldn't be any additional lenses or selections needed.

CWAT - no need to apologize. I totally understand. 99% of the time here is great, filled with loads of help and tips and mostly encouragement. That being said there are a few times when the opposite occurs. Unfortunately, I think you popped up right at the wrong time. It will get better, trust me:p