50mm primes are great for portraiture

[yhelothar]

It's often said that they don't create enough compression, but I love it

pics

All taken with a Pentax *ist DS and a SMC Takumar 50mm F/1.4
I use this lens almost exclusively. The low light capabilities of it makes it far more desirable to me than any zoom.

 

[Psycho18]

nice pictures man!

 

[Czar]

primes are the best
currently waiting for a sigma 30mm f1.4

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Czar
primes are the best
currently waiting for a sigma 30mm f1.4

Nice! How much did it cost? I got a used SMC Takumar 35mm F/2 on ebay for $50. They usually go for $150, I got lucky
But it has the radioactive lens that yellows. But it clears up after a month of sunbathing. Still waiting for it to clear up.

 

[tami]

great shots

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: Czar
primes are the best
currently waiting for a sigma 30mm f1.4

Nice! How much did it cost? I got a used SMC Takumar 35mm F/2 on ebay for $50. They usually go for $150, I got lucky
But it has the radioactive lens that yellows. But it clears up after a month of sunbathing. Still waiting for it to clear up.

about 450 from bhphotovideo

clears up.. month of sunbathing? weiird lense that is

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: Czar
primes are the best
currently waiting for a sigma 30mm f1.4

Nice! How much did it cost? I got a used SMC Takumar 35mm F/2 on ebay for $50. They usually go for $150, I got lucky
But it has the radioactive lens that yellows. But it clears up after a month of sunbathing. Still waiting for it to clear up.

about 450 from bhphotovideo

clears up.. month of sunbathing? weiird lense that is

Yup UV light reverses the effects of yellowing.

 

[edro]

I have the Canon 50mm prime f1.4, plastic, $~70 lens, and it is by far my favorite!

 

[bigi]

50mm on a full frame isn't really considered a portrait focal length. 105-130mm is. Your 50mm is around 75mm on Pentax because of its smaller than full frame sensor.
Nevertheless, I like my 50mm 1.4 very much. I use it with 1D and it is really sharp and light.

BTW, Nice photos.

 

[aphex]

excellent photos!

I love my Nikkor 50mm 1.8d.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: bigi
50mm on a full frame isn't really considered a portrait focal length. 105-130mm is. Your 50mm is around 75mm on Pentax because of its smaller than full frame sensor.
Nevertheless, I like my 50mm 1.4 very much. I use it with 1D and it is really sharp and light.

BTW, Nice photos.

The 50mm still has the same perspective as a 50mm on a full frame, just that it's cropped. It's still a normal lens and doesn't compress the image like a telephoto.

I find the 50mm good for blending the person in with the environment.

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: edro
I have the Canon 50mm prime f1.4, plastic, $~70 lens, and it is by far my favorite!

same here, my favorite
and its 1.8

 

[edro]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: edro
I have the Canon 50mm prime f1.4, plastic, $~70 lens, and it is by far my favorite!

same here, my favorite
and its 1.8

Oops, you're right... it is 1.8.

 

[DBL]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

The 50mm still has the same perspective as a 50mm on a full frame, just that it's cropped. It's still a normal lens and doesn't compress the image like a telephoto.

I find the 50mm good for blending the person in with the environment.

Uh, no. Your lens has the same AOV (angle of view) as a 75mm lens on a FF camera. That is why it makes a good portraiture lens on you camera. 50mm on a 1.5X and a FF do not have the same perspective or AOV.

 

[toekramp]

I have a 50mm 1.4 Canon and I looooove it

Water on the leaves...

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

The 50mm still has the same perspective as a 50mm on a full frame, just that it's cropped. It's still a normal lens and doesn't compress the image like a telephoto.

I find the 50mm good for blending the person in with the environment.

Uh, no. Your lens has the same AOV (angle of view) as a 75mm lens on a FF camera. That is why it makes a good portraiture lens on you camera. 50mm on a 1.5X and a FF do not have the same perspective or AOV.

Yes it has the same angle of view, meaning I get the same frame of coverage as a 75mm on a FF, but I still get the same perspective(the objects are closer than they appear effect). Just look at the 50mm through a 35mm full frame viewfinder then look through it on an DSLR. The view looks the same, except the DSLR frame is much smaller. If you put a 75mm on the 35mm full frame, objects would appear a lot closer than the 50mm on the DSLR.

 

[QueHuong]

These are nice...I have a Canon f/1.8 50mm lens, and your pics will give me some good ideas to work off of.

 

[Accipiter22]

you're pretty

 

[DCFife]

I love all of my 50mm primes

Nikon 50/1.8 AF
Nikon 50/1.4 MF
Canon 50/1.8 AF
Canon 50/1.4 MF

I personally prefer the 85mm primes when working with film/full-frame, but the Nikon 50 works out as a 75mm on my D70 and the Canon 50 works out as a 80mm on my 10D which is close enough.

 

[Aharami]

love the last pic

pardon my ignorance but no way in hell i can take those kinda pics with my A85...or can i?

 

[DBL]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

If you put a 75mm on the 35mm full frame, objects would appear a lot closer than the 50mm on the DSLR.

NO!

All else being equal, the resulting image from a 75mm lens on a FF DSLR camera will be exactly the same as a 50mm on a 1.5X DSLR in terms of how close your subject appears in print. IOW, the AOV or perspective would be equivalent.

 

[njmodi]

Great pics - only comment is that the 50mm doesn't soften the background enough. The sharpness is excellent (in your pics)... but ideally, with a longer lense, e.g. 85mm or 100mm, you would have gotten even more pleasing results...

But of course, the standard disclaimer... these are purely subjective comments. Great pics - keep it up.

 

[DBL]

Originally posted by: njmodi
Great pics - only comment is that the 50mm doesn't soften the background enough. The sharpness is excellent (in your pics)... but ideally, with a longer lense, e.g. 85mm or 100mm, you would have gotten even more pleasing results...

But of course, the standard disclaimer... these are purely subjective comments. Great pics - keep it up.

I don't mean to nitpick but this is also not true. The resulting OOF areas (bokeh) would have been no different with a longer lens unless he framed the pictures differently or opened the aperture. Focal length has little to do with DOF. It's subject distance combined with aperture that matters.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: njmodi
Great pics - only comment is that the 50mm doesn't soften the background enough. The sharpness is excellent (in your pics)... but ideally, with a longer lense, e.g. 85mm or 100mm, you would have gotten even more pleasing results...

But of course, the standard disclaimer... these are purely subjective comments. Great pics - keep it up.

I don't mean to nitpick but this is also not true. The resulting OOF areas (bokeh) would have been no different with a longer lens unless he framed the pictures differently or opened the aperture. Focal length has little to do with DOF. It's subject distance combined with aperture that matters.

bokeh for the win!

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

If you put a 75mm on the 35mm full frame, objects would appear a lot closer than the 50mm on the DSLR.

NO!

All else being equal, the resulting image from a 75mm lens on a FF DSLR camera will be exactly the same as a 50mm on a 1.5X DSLR in terms of how close your subject appears in print. IOW, the AOV or perspective would be equivalent.

Nope. I have several 35mm cameras and 3x50mm F/1.4 lens. I compared them directly with my *ist DS. The perspective of the view are identical, except that the DSLR has a much smaller frame.
You want to explain that?