MrChad

The current rebates stink. In the old days they had them on almost every lens in the line-up. And they had double and sometimes triple rebates. Bring back the old mail-in rebate system.

My 30D had a $300 rebate, but they didn't discontinue it at the time. They canned my $20 rebate 580ex flash. You can't figure Canon out some days.

Mizouse

what do you guys think of this lens



its going to be either a really long time before i can get the EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS

or i could get the tamron 17-50 2.8 within a month or 2

should i wait it out or just go with the tamron?


btw, does the 17-50 have full time manual? what about the front element, does it rotate when focusing? (i cant stand that)

hrj

iTrader: (1)

No, it doesn't have FTM focusing feature. It doesn't rotate.
Here is a discussion thread of that lens over POTN : http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=209580

MrChad

Another option would be the Canon 17-40mmL. I use and love this lens, if you can make do with the f/4 vs. f/2.8. Else I see no reason not to go for the Tamron...

Sigma also makes a new 18-50mm/2.8 Macro version to replace the old non-Macro DG model.

Mizouse

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...6_EF_S_IS.html

anyone gonna buy it?

srika

nice price for IS!

dom

I'm waiting to see some tests on the EF-S 55-250 IS. If it ever comes out.

srika

Wanna move this over here, just for topic's sake.

Great to hear. What aperture are you at for your sharp shots? I read this lens isn't that sharp under wider than f/2.

I think the 50 1.4 will be a great lens to do stock photos with just because of the crazy shallow DOF.

srika

sorry - the above post is talking about the 50 f/1.4 only, not the EF-S 55-250 IS as it kinda seems.

dom

Not really.

Mizouse

i think i finally figured out why some of my basketball shots are coming out blurry.

i have my camera set to center point focus only, and when the action is happening fast i just press * real fast to focus and assume the center point was on the player when instead its on the stands

i thought it was because the lens was back focusing

guess i need to be more careful and verify that it actually aimed at the player.

this is mostly an issue with my 50 1.8 thou

waTSX

Being f/1.4 you can stop down to just f/2 or something and it's already tack-sharp, but I've used it wide-open a lot and it's plenty sharp for available light work. By f/2.8 or f/4 things are looking really good. I think the biggest issue people have with its seeming "softness" wide open is that they underestimate the razor thing DoF they are working with and misfocus. You have to be careful with where you're focusing shooting at f/1.4.

I think it's plenty sharp wide open myself and use it that way indoors all the time.

srika

ass

waTSX

That's "razor thin."

stogie1020

Slightly OT, but I am getting the 40D with the 28-135 lens, and am picking up the lens hood as well. Do you guys and gals think I need a filter on the lens? I know some people just use a UV to protect the lens glass, while others swear by the benefits for PQ. Is this a MAC vs. PC thing, where everyone has their opinion and there is no right answer or is there a general consensus? If needed, specific recommendations for which B-W or Hoya?

hrj

iTrader: (1)

Hoya tend to smear, they can be a pain to clean.
This is the only reason why I sold all my Hoya filters and got B+W.

srika

ha.. here's a 100% crop from RAW with the 50 1.4, as-shot. I think I notice a tad of softness, it's from the hand-holding. EXIF is in place.

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/2961/img2511rf0.jpg

waTSX

If you plan on using the hood a lot, you won't need the filter for protection, but there's definitely two schools of thought on that. Some swear by using UV filters for protection, but my take is that I didn't spend all that money on my expensive glass only to put another piece of glass in front of it, whether it's a good filter like a B&W or not. Lenses are also more prone to flare with filters on them. That said, I do like to use a circular polarizer from time to time, but that's for a specific effect, not for protection.

And +1 hrj on B&W's, they are really good, though pricey.

waTSX

I'd like to know where the focus points are in that shot. The DoF is so shallow with this lens, I'd bet the buttons are a bit soft because they're closer to the camera than the area below them, or due to camera shake like you said. I'm not saying there's no softness at f/1.4, only that it's very usable and having that extra speed when you really need it is invaluable.

Either way, that shot would probably sharpen up nicely in PP.

stogie1020

Thanks for the info. I think I will hold off on a filter for now.

srika

I think that shot is quite sharp for being a 100% crop, as-shot! Remember we are trained that at full-size, shots from a DSLR do *not* look sharp. Given that guideline, this crop is hella sharp!

waTSX

jupitersolo

This is not my shot, but this is what got me to buy this lens.

Mizouse

i wish i could post what i got out of my kit lens at a glamour workshop i attended, i was quite surprised at how sharp they were at 100%.

srika

Are there any attachments I can screw onto this 50mm that will make it like fisheye or wide-angle or something? just curious. I looked at Calumet briefly but didn't see anything that seemed like it would do this. It doesn't seem like it would be hard to do? There would probably be a reduction in IQ but for my specific purposes its not a terrible concern. Kind of looking for something that will give me some possibly wacky results. I know I can do it in PP but sometimes it's cooler to get em straight off the cam.

Mizouse

never heard of such thing

maybe pick up the canon 15mm fisheye?

Crazy Bimmer

Whats everyone using as their walk-around lens?

Im still debating if i want to pick up another lens for my India trip. All i have now is the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens.

Any recommendations for under $450?

moeronn

Why can't you?
I use the 17-40 f4 /L, but I'm thinking about getting the EF-S 17-55 f2.8 IS, but it's quite pricey.

Not sure what to recommend for that price range, maybe there's an aftermarket lens someone can suggest. It's kind of going to matter where you're going and what you plan on seeing/taking pics of. The thrifty fifty (50 mm 1.8) is always a good, cheap lens (~$70) to have around if you don't have something better already.

Good luck and enjoy the trip and come back with a wife.

stogie1020

I am pretty sure Dan put to rest any doubts regarding what that lens is really capable of in a thread a few months back...

He got some stellar results with it. I am using one of those images as my wallpaper (thanks Dan!)

Truthfully, what do I know??!! I am still staring at the total in the Amazon checkout page for my shopping cart with the 40d in it, too scared to click "buy". All I have is a SD750 p+s...

moeronn

While that lens may be capable of producing great results, it's not an all-encompassing lens. However, without knowing if he's planning on trying to shoot landscapes, portraits, wildlife (at a distance) or macros, it's tough to make any real reccomendation for a supplemental lens.

stogie1020

I learn something new every day!


I usually forget something important every day too, though....

waTSX

You're better off getting off the notion of an all-encompassing lens, there is no such animal. The 18-55 is a good walk-around range. Get something longer if that's the kind of shooting you like to do or something wider, the EF-S 10-22 say, if you want to go wider.

Crazy Sellout it'd be easier to make suggestions if you could tell us the type of shooting you anticipate doing in India. Dan knows a ton about the various lenses and how good they are, so hopefully he'll chime in. The 18-55 is a good starting point, maybe something longer would complement it, like the EF 70-300.

moeronn

Isn't that pretty much what I said? Maybe my statement about the 18-55 not being an all encompassing lens implied that there is such a thing, which wasn't my intention.

wndrlst

Did you do it?

srika

that SD750 is sweet!!

waTSX

Yes it is pretty much what you said. I was talking more about the all-encompassing part and kept on typing. A couple more beers and I'll really be on a roll.

moeronn

We'll just call this place AlcoholiZine in your honor, then.

waTSX

Thank you.

stogie1020

Not yet. Too nervous. Need to come to terms with it first. May take a week or two.



I have a really stupid emotional attachment to money. First I need to learn to hate the $2000, then I can spend it...

Crazy Bimmer

Well the 18-55 has been great to me and its the only lens I been using for the past year. I'd like to get something else just to experiment with. Figured the subject matter in india will be a good time to toy with settings and such.

I will mostly just be taking pictures of landscape and of the people/family members/my wives.

Dan Martin did do a great write up on the 18-55mm but im wonder how it compares to the new 18-55mm with IS.