New lens Arrives

[sparkie1263]

I had to run to the post office before they closed to pick it up. It is the Minolta 50 mm f1.7. I got it from ebay for $101.00 including delivery. Looks good here are a few quick shots.
Frank

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn219/sparkie1263/Minolta50MMF17.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn219/sparkie1263/Minolta50mmlenstest.jpg

Camera Make: SONY
Camera Model: DSLR-A100
Image Date: 2008:11:12 18:12:53
Flash Used: Yes (Manual, red eye reduction mode)
Focal Length: 50.0mm (35mm equivalent: 75mm)
Exposure Time: 0.040 s (1/25)
Aperture: f/4.0
ISO equiv: 400
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Spot
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual


http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn219/sparkie1263/BirthdayDuck.jpg

Camera Make: SONY
Camera Model: DSLR-A100
Image Date: 2008:11:12 17:47:09
Flash Used: Yes (Manual, red eye reduction mode)
Focal Length: 50.0mm (35mm equivalent: 75mm)
Exposure Time: 0.0080 s (1/125)
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO equiv: 400
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Spot
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

This was without flash

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn219/sparkie1263/Minolta50mmlenstestnoflash.jpg

[AJ Gressette]

Frank,

This is the best 100 dollars you could have spent. Congrats on the Original Kit Lens from Minolta! Few lenses in this range produce a duel combination of bokeh and sharpness as this lens. It really has a sweet spot at f/5.6.

[DonSchap]

Man ... I do not know what got into me when I sold mine ... oh yeah, I had two f/1.4s knocking out of the prime case. It is better served on someone else's camera. Great lens.

Try doing some portrait work with it, Frank. Use several aperture settings and see what happens. It's a lot of fun having that much range to play with. Exciting times ahead, for sure. ;)

[sparkie1263]

Can't wait till I see my granddaughter. My favorite model.
Thanks
Frank

[DonSchap]

Don't forget to put her in an elf hat ... (hint hint) ;)

[Elisha]

sorry for hijacking your thread but this is my favourite lens. i have the RS version of it.
here's a pic in a dark restaurant:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/elishajesudason/_DSC1205.jpg

File Size: 727 kb

Camera Make: SONY

Camera Model: DSLR-A300

Date/Time: 2008:11:09 15:00:04

Resolution: 1023 x 685

Flash Used: No

Focal Length: 50.0mm (35mm equivalent: 75mm...

Exposure Time: 0.040 s (1/25)

Aperture: f/3.2

ISO Equiv.: 400

Whitebalance: Auto

Metering Mode: matrix

Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)

[sparkie1263]

Very nice image. I can't wait to put it to use. Thanks for posting.
Frank

[dr4gon]

Congrats! Your best lens so far!

[sparkie1263]

We will see what it can do.
Thanks
Frank

[millz]

man im addicted. looks like a very nice lense there are quite a few of these on ebay is this a must have lense. Just got my camera last night and already thinking of buying more. i have the sony 18-250 and it seems like you can pick this lense up for 100-150 thats pretty cheap in my mind should i get what does the rs version mean

[dr4gon]

man im addicted. looks like a very nice lense there are quite a few of these on ebay is this a must have lense. Just got my camera last night and already thinking of buying more. i have the sony 18-250 and it seems like you can pick this lense up for 100-150 thats pretty cheap in my mind should i get what does the rs version mean

some people claim the older version is better IQ wise, but the RS looks more modern (like the Sony 50mm F/1.4). IMO, they're probably nearly identical. On Dyxum, the older one has a slightly higher review, not that that really means much. The RS though is a bit more expensive.

[millz]

So is this lense a good one to have or are there better options for what im looking for indoors low light

[dr4gon]

So is this lense a good one to have or are there better options for what im looking for indoors low light

Better would be the Sony 50mm F/1.4 (or minolta)

or 35mm F/1.4 G

or the 85MM F/1.4 ZA

Other options include the ridiculously sharp 135mm F/1.8 ZA and possibly the Tamron 70-200 F/2.8 (for longer range zoom)

[BobJohnson]

This was the first lens I bought for my first ever DSLR camera and I was, and remain, very impressed with it. I've had some excellent portraits of my family taken through it and I'm a complete amateur photographer. It seemed to allow me to try out a lot of the features of my camera, in terms of having a huge number of aperture/shutter speed combinations. Only cost me £55 as well.

[DonSchap]

Welcome, "BobJohnson" and thanks for sharing your experience with the forum.

Please, take a few moments to explore some of the other options we've discussed on the forum and see how you can expand your photography, quite handily, with zoom lenses and MACROs.

It is nice to see the forum continue to grow. :)

[seanhoxx]

Frank congrats on the purchase. This lens or one of its versions really is almost required to have with a Alpha camera, the color, the blur, all just amazing, nice for low light, but take it outside in the sun with a CPL on it and it does some nice work! The guy I got mine off of included a UV filter and a CPL with the lens so I felt like I got a pretty sweet deal. So assignment for the weekend everyone post pics from your 50mm? Sweet spot at f 5.6 eh, will have to try that out!

[BobJohnson]

one of th emost important lessons I ever learned was to ask questions when you don;t know something lol. So... what's a CPL?!

[seanhoxx]

circular polarizing filter, and I shouldn't use abbrevations and presume everyone knows what I mean. sorry lol

[DonSchap]

one of the most important lessons I ever learned was to ask questions when you don't know something lol. So... what's a CPL?!

Bob ... there are a few abbreviations you will find referred to quite commonly with photography. It's shorthand for most of the members, but yeah, there is a learning curve. I have to keep remiunding myself that new members are always coming in ... and like yourself, could use a quick hand in reference.

A good way to learn many of these, other than having to refer to a chart is to read through advertisements on some of the web page catalogs. Man, you want to talk about shorthand on a massive scale! Whew!

Anyway ... just to cut down some of that research time ...

Filters:

UV = Ultraviolet
CPL = Circular Polarizing
ND = Neutral Density (Comes in three different levels, +2, +4, +8)
1/2 ND = A ND-filter that only is treated on one half and requires rotation to manipulate to cover the upper portion of your image (sky)
Grad ND = A ND-filter to goes from 0 (zero) effect to full ND reduction across the face of the filter, in a linear graduated fashion.


These are the most commonly used filters in digital photography. There are many more that were developed for use in film photography. They are designed to alter/control the optical image that presents itself to the media (being it film or electronic) in order to help in the management of the light. Filter use requires experience. You have some basic rules for their use, but you still have to go out and use them to appreciate their effect.

Here was a lively FILTER discussion (http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41255) (<- click on this link), recently (just last month), that tossed around all sorts of ideas. It may be worth your time, since the subject has be broached.