Okay, so I'm confused (and dazzled, thanks to Nick and Edd).

The blurred image you posted, Al, was from a standard Canon EF 50mm ƒ/1.8 II on a new EOS 50D body?


Or did your friend just set the 24-105mm to 50mm for comparison?

My understanding, Heather, is the sharper image was the 24-70 f/2.8L set to 50mm, and the blurrier the 50mm f/1.8 II.

That's what I thought, but on reading the thread again it wasn't entirely clear to me.

Yup - the image on the left was taken by the 50mm F1.8 (Nifty 50). The image on the right was taken with the 24-105 set at 50mm - both taken with a 50D that is less than a week old. He's done some more comparisons today so I'll see later on tonight.

And Matt - if you recognise those chimneys then name the road? I'll give you a clue - it ends in 'Avenue' and is in the Mastrick area of Aberdeen....

Al

I presume the appertures were the same on both. What was he focussing on?

Good point. The DoF on the 50mm is very shallow when wide open.

I've convinced her indoors I need a new lens for the baby coming (got a project in mind). In a perfect world I'd have something like the Tamron 90mm Macro and a fast prime too, probably 35, 40 or 50mm. Being as I dont have £800 laying around (Pentax dont seem to do a cheap nifty fifty) I found a comprimise. Its the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro for £235. Its shorter than my ideal Macro and longer/slower than my ideal fast prime but it a good allround comprimise I think and with the crop factor (equiv FOV 75mm whilst retaining 50mm perspective) It'll do for a bit of a portrait lens too. It doesnt look like anyone is stocking it around here though so I'm on the hunt!

Better buy it before she changes her mind!

eBay may be your friend

Mark

Just ordered it from Microglobe. Never used them before but none of the big retailers had the lens in stock and I spoke to the guy before I ordered who assured me it was in stock (the pains of Pentax K mount). There or thereabouts £240 with next day delivery.

Since putting the 50mm on the front of the camera a month ago it hasnt been off! I'm taking one photo a day of the new baby (for a year) and each and every one since she was born has been done with the 50mm.

Love it.

That's good to hear! A fast fifty is one of the most under-rated and ignored lenses available. I'm with Tony the tiger on this one.

Quite surprised to see Jessops as the current cheapest seller (that I can find) for the Nikon f1.8 50mm AF-D, 99 notes including delivery as a special online price.

I've been looking at getting one for a while but without a job can't afford any expenditure at the moment. What I find most interesting is that there are people on eBay generally paying the same money, and in some cases more, for a used product. Even the new cheap deals from Hong Kong work out around the tun when you factor in postage, and you'll have to wait a couple of weeks in a lot of cases.

Are people so blinkered into believing that eBay will guarantee the best deal that they can't spare a moment to check elsewhere?

Out of interest Jacobs and WE are currently doing the same lens for 106 notes, not sure about delivery.

just been messing around with my 50mm today and I didn't realise there is a HUGE differance in sharpning your RAW images in photoshop, I am WELL impressed!

Told you nifty-50s are good (8-p)

Anyone tried one of these?