# Old Peculier?



## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

Santa bought me a new lens for christmas and 50mm f1.8 so thought i would share my first attemt with it.

Proccessed in Corel Paintshop Photo x3

thoughts welcome.


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## DW58 (Nov 27, 2010)

The 50mm/f1.8 (or f1.4 if you've got deep pockets) is a lens which ought to be in every serious photographer's bag - it opens up so many possibilities just not available with today's zooms.

Excellent work.


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

DW58 said:


> The 50mm/f1.8 (or f1.4 if you've got deep pockets) is a lens which ought to be in every serious photographer's bag - it opens up so many possibilities just not available with today's zooms.
> 
> Excellent work.


Got to say i really do like this lens, my pockets arent deep enough for the f1.4 though 

It does take some getting used actually having to move yourself and the camera rather than zooming in or out.

I can see the opportunities with this will be endless.


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

For 35mm with my Olympus outfit I have the 1.4 lens, brilliant. 

Some years back I had the chance of buying an f1.2 for £25 and didn't do it - still kicking myself all this time later.....

Interesting that all those bottles are empty!! Old P is lovely stuff so I fully understand......


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## DW58 (Nov 27, 2010)

mattsbmw said:


> Got to say i really do like this lens, my pockets arent deep enough for the f1.4 though
> 
> It does take some getting used actually having to move yourself and the camera rather than zooming in or out.
> 
> I can see the opportunities with this will be endless.


Being an old fart, I go way back to 35mm pre-electronic days. I bought an Olympus OM-1 in 1979 before changing over to Canon A-series in '82. The 50mm/f1.8 is ignored by probably 90% of DSLR photographers, but considering that the Canon EF 50mm/f1.8 can be bought as cheaply as £80.00 every Canon DSLR user should consider buying one. It's fantastic using it in low light taking advantage of the wide aperture and jacking up the ISO setting on the camera.


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

I'm being picky here, but there's something strange going on on the text on the rear bottles. Have you got a colour version? Maybe it was something on the conversion?


I'd also try to avoid your reflection by taking from a dark place; the decoration on the bottle is also not really part of the pic and it could be.
You might also want to re-light the bottles from underneath in the next version - it might also help avoid the blown highlights on the bottles.

This kind of thing is extremely difficult without a lot of playing IMO.

Bret


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## DW58 (Nov 27, 2010)

So show us how it should be done then ... ... ...


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

slim_boy_fat said:


> For 35mm with my Olympus outfit I have the 1.4 lens, brilliant.
> 
> Some years back I had the chance of buying an f1.2 for £25 and didn't do it - still kicking myself all this time later.....
> 
> Interesting that all those bottles are empty!! Old P is lovely stuff so I fully understand......


Not my drink im afraid  The GF's dad came round yesterday.


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

bretti_kivi said:


> I'm being picky here, but there's something strange going on on the text on the rear bottles. Have you got a colour version? Maybe it was something on the conversion?
> 
> I'd also try to avoid your reflection by taking from a dark place; the decoration on the bottle is also not really part of the pic and it could be.
> You might also want to re-light the bottles from underneath in the next version - it might also help avoid the blown highlights on the bottles.
> ...


Comments noted, will being have another try as this was my first attemp


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

I'll pinch a couple of winebottles and set something up, but I'm not at home and I won't be for another few days.

This is as good as I can do a zero notice (note the reflection from the orange object close by....










Bret


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## [email protected] (Jan 9, 2006)

ive got a nifty fifty and my photos on that look as crap as my 18-55 god knows what im doing wong


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

heres another attempt i took last night.


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

[email protected] said:


> ive got a nifty fifty and my photos on that look as crap as my 18-55 god knows what im doing wong


Due to the construction, a zoom lens will never give as good results as a prime lens - assuming they're of equal optical quality, by which I mean the optical elements.


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## [email protected] (Jan 9, 2006)

slim_boy_fat said:


> Due to the construction, a zoom lens will never give as good results as a prime lens - assuming they're of equal optical quality, by which I mean the optical elements.


Tbh its just me, not knowing what looks est and what doesnt, not having time to practise etc


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

I got some lights out today as I had a couple of lenses I needed to take shots of.

Setup: Ikea box. 1 flash in the bottom. 1/8 power, optical trigger.
Translucent correk on the top, with a layer of thin white nylon/muslin style material.
Bottle on the top of that. 
Flash triggered with on-cam flash running at 1/32, i.e. minimal, considering ISO320 and 1/125 and f/22.

Remember, this are something called "high key" in photography terms; the trick is to get the base and the object AND the background all lit uniformly and brightly without overexposing your object. Sounds easy, is damned difficult.



















Lens used is a 50mm macro.

What I'm going to do different next time? Wash the background and let it dry flat. It's crumpled and therefore a pain.

Work some more with location; I tried to take some shots of the amaryllis from the kitchen and that was a complete nightmare. I think I'll be using the floor and set up using softboxes from the start. The correk works nicely, especially with the material. That's about the only part I'm really happy with. Oh, and I need some more stands. But first, I think I'll be getting a new body and that needs to be worked with before I do anything else.

Bret


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