Comments on: Six Benefits of Using a Fast Lens to Make Child Portraits http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits Discover how to use your digital camera with our Digital Photography Tips. We are a community of photographers of all experience levels who come together to learn, share and grow in our understanding of photography. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:05:20 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Kemo http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-53043 Kemo Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:56:29 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-53043 Great Information ! I think my next lens for my D90 will be a Nikkor 35mm /f1.8 regarding to the affordable price compared to 55m/ f1.4 Great Information !
I think my next lens for my D90 will be a Nikkor 35mm /f1.8 regarding to the affordable price compared to 55m/ f1.4

]]> By: Kirill http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51748 Kirill Sun, 24 May 2009 03:21:50 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51748 Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 is really light, small and inexpensive but it is not very sharp under f/3.5. It's focusing mechanism is not particularly fast either and it has a tendency to hunt in low light. Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 is about 3 times the price and it has a much faster motor (USM) making it a lot better for shooting action (pictures of kids on a swing, for example). It is about 1.5 times large and feels a lot heavier than f/1.8 though. And it is not sharp at f/1.4 or even at f/1.8. At f/2.8, however, it is excellent. I first bought the f/1.8 and once I really got frustrated with its focusing limitations (Canon XSi could probably be blamed for some of those), I got f/1.4 which seems to focus a lot quicker and more accurately. From what I've read so far, EF 85 f/1.8 might be an even better prime for portraits. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 is really light, small and inexpensive but it is not very sharp under f/3.5. It’s focusing mechanism is not particularly fast either and it has a tendency to hunt in low light.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 is about 3 times the price and it has a much faster motor (USM) making it a lot better for shooting action (pictures of kids on a swing, for example). It is about 1.5 times large and feels a lot heavier than f/1.8 though. And it is not sharp at f/1.4 or even at f/1.8. At f/2.8, however, it is excellent.

I first bought the f/1.8 and once I really got frustrated with its focusing limitations (Canon XSi could probably be blamed for some of those), I got f/1.4 which seems to focus a lot quicker and more accurately.

From what I’ve read so far, EF 85 f/1.8 might be an even better prime for portraits.

]]> By: Erin Dyker http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51683 Erin Dyker Sat, 23 May 2009 04:01:03 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51683 Neil, Werner, and Marcus, beautiful photos. Marcus, I've been so focused on soft even lighting lately...the photo you posted is refreshing in the contrasted lighting you employed. Werner, your comment about using a single shooting point with shallow depth of field is so true. Neil, excellent tip (I also like shooting down on the subject to emphasize the vulernability and innoscence of the child). Neil, Werner, and Marcus, beautiful photos. Marcus, I’ve been so focused on soft even lighting lately…the photo you posted is refreshing in the contrasted lighting you employed. Werner, your comment about using a single shooting point with shallow depth of field is so true. Neil, excellent tip (I also like shooting down on the subject to emphasize the vulernability and innoscence of the child).

]]> By: Cassy http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51679 Cassy Sat, 23 May 2009 02:19:20 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51679 @ Frank J: Thanks for the info on the min. focusing distance of the 35mm and 50mm. I've got a Canon EOS 400D and was tossing up between the two as I don't currently have a prime (sad face here). I was thinking about a nifty fifty merely for the cheaper price (both my options would have f1.8) but I think the wider angle on my crop sensor and the closer focusing of the 35mm would be much more useful and worth the couple of hundred more! @ Frank J: Thanks for the info on the min. focusing distance of the 35mm and 50mm. I’ve got a Canon EOS 400D and was tossing up between the two as I don’t currently have a prime (sad face here). I was thinking about a nifty fifty merely for the cheaper price (both my options would have f1.8) but I think the wider angle on my crop sensor and the closer focusing of the 35mm would be much more useful and worth the couple of hundred more!

]]> By: Neil Bryars http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51605 Neil Bryars Fri, 22 May 2009 11:36:13 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51605 I love the 50mm prime I purchased at Christmas, it's made a huge difference to my child portraits. My top tip is to take the pic from above the subject. The shadows are gone, and the skin is tighter on the face. This one is my favourite, by a mile. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/nbryars/3501176169/] I love the 50mm prime I purchased at Christmas, it’s made a huge difference to my child portraits.
My top tip is to take the pic from above the subject. The shadows are gone, and the skin is tighter on the face.
This one is my favourite, by a mile.

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/nbryars/3501176169/]

]]> By: Werner http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51580 Werner Fri, 22 May 2009 05:45:25 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51580 By the way, if light is good, a long tele lens (even a slow one !) used at close distance will give nice, shallow depth of field as well, although maybe with a little less sharpness than the super primes. This for instance, is shot close with a cheap Canon 55-250 lens at f/5.6 @ 171mm. http://picasaweb.google.com/MarWers/020509BikingAround#5332259206348150146 By the way, if light is good, a long tele lens (even a slow one !) used at close distance will give nice, shallow depth of field as well, although maybe with a little less sharpness than the super primes.

This for instance, is shot close with a cheap Canon 55-250 lens at f/5.6 @ 171mm.
http://picasaweb.google.com/MarWers/020509BikingAround#5332259206348150146

]]> By: Werner http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51579 Werner Fri, 22 May 2009 05:36:36 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51579 It's a great article Erin ! Of all my lenses, definately my super fast Canon 50mm f/1.4 is the crown jewel for taking portraits, surely, mostly stopped down a tad or two two get the extreme sharpness. With regards to focal point issue, I have found that when shooting at shallow f's it is ESSENTIAL to use a single point focus in the camera to catch those lovely eyes perfectly. Agree about the nit pickers in here :) Werner It’s a great article Erin ! Of all my lenses, definately my super fast Canon 50mm f/1.4 is the crown jewel for taking portraits, surely, mostly stopped down a tad or two two get the extreme sharpness. With regards to focal point issue, I have found that when shooting at shallow f’s it is ESSENTIAL to use a single point focus in the camera to catch those lovely eyes perfectly.

Agree about the nit pickers in here :)

Werner

]]> By: Togin Thomas http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51572 Togin Thomas Fri, 22 May 2009 04:35:50 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51572 I recently bought a new 50mm 1.4 for my D90 and I had this same issue and my doubt here is no one speaks about 1.4, as this is suggested by many big guys out there as a fast lens ?? did I made a mistake ??? thanks every one out there I recently bought a new 50mm 1.4 for my D90 and I had this same issue and my doubt here is no one speaks about 1.4, as this is suggested by many big guys out there as a fast lens ?? did I made a mistake ??? thanks every one out there

]]> By: Togin Thomas http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51571 Togin Thomas Fri, 22 May 2009 04:34:54 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51571 Very nice article and posts and its truly helped me in understanding some of my flaws, I recently bought a new 50mm 1.4 for my D90 and I had this same issue and my doubt here is no one speaks about 1.4, as this is suggested by many big guys out there as a fast lens ?? did I made a mistake ??? thanks every one out there Very nice article and posts and its truly helped me in understanding some of my flaws, I recently bought a new 50mm 1.4 for my D90 and I had this same issue and my doubt here is no one speaks about 1.4, as this is suggested by many big guys out there as a fast lens ?? did I made a mistake ??? thanks every one out there

]]> By: Marcus http://digital-photography-school.com/six-benefits-of-using-a-fast-lens-to-make-child-portraits/comment-page-1#comment-51543 Marcus Thu, 21 May 2009 22:30:28 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5978#comment-51543 I grabbed this shot a few months ago using my 40D and my 50 mm f/1.8. The lighting was all but absent aside from the lamp to the baby 's left. I was so glad I was able to get this shot. http://www.flickr.com/photos/hypnoeyez99/3316787396/ I grabbed this shot a few months ago using my 40D and my 50 mm f/1.8. The lighting was all but absent aside from the lamp to the baby ’s left. I was so glad I was able to get this shot.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hypnoeyez99/3316787396/

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