50mm 1.4 how to sharp focus?

[m.lomibao]

Hi, im using a 50mm 1.4 with my 7d n I would like to know how to sharp focus on everything ( subject n background ) at the same time. At the moment regardless on how I only know how to use it it just focus on the subject or viceversa the background ... How can I achieve both at the same time ? Thanks

[Bif]

With that lens at f1.4 your "Depth Of Field" (zone of acceptable sharpness) is very shallow. What you are focused on is sharp and nothing else. To make that zone "deeper" you have to raise lighting levels or increase the light somehow so you can use smaller apertures.

Here is a link to a very good video demonstration of "Depth Of Field".

Bruce Foreman

[Almohada]

Hey Bruce, forgot to attach the link..

[Janke]

How can I achieve both at the same time

Very simply said: You can't, unless you stop down the lens to a ridiculously small aperture.

To get really deep focus at large f-stops, you need a wideangle lens.

[m.lomibao]

Very simply said: You can't, unless you stop down the lens to a ridiculously small aperture.

To get really deep focus at large f-stops, you need a wideangle lens.

Does the wide angle comes with f1.4 ? Cos I need it to shoot at night times with low lights

[m.lomibao]

Thanks bif n almohada

[liverpool 1]

try work at f11 but in evaluative mode not spot metering

[m.lomibao]

try work at f11 but in evaluative mode not spot metering

Care to explain how to do that pls? I'm a dslr beginner here

[cgbier]

For your last question - sorry - read the manual.

I'm not sure which site Bruce meant, but I'd suggest http://www.dofmaster.com/

I'd also suggest to visit your local public library and borrow a book about photography basics. It ain't rocket science, but some basic knowledge makes your life much easier

[cgbier]

Read the book and the manual first, then go to Dofmaster.

[Daniel Rutter]

I'd also suggest to visit your local public library and borrow a book about photography basics. It ain't rocket science, but some basic knowledge makes your life much easier

That, or a Photography class at your local art school will go a long way as well. Just don't go with old people who "step into it late", otherwise you'll hear the same sh*t being repeated over and over again. I've been in my class for 6 months, and the same three questions come up every two weeks. Thanks to a bunch of old farts (no offence to any old farts in here, you guys know your stuff) who suffer from "old people forget" syndrome and no basic understanding of photography.

[cgbier]

Hey, I fight my old fart syndrome with Evernote.

[Bif]

For your last question - sorry - read the manual.

I'm not sure which site Bruce meant, but I'd suggest http://www.dofmaster.com/

I'd also suggest to visit your local public library and borrow a book about photography basics. It ain't rocket science, but some basic knowledge makes your life much easier

Sorry, forgot the link. This one is a very simple straightforward video tutorial (short, too...Not longwinded) that illustrates "depth of field" applied in both landscape work and in closeup and portrait. He touches on lens focal length too, but this is very simple to understand and with enough visuals to show it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzedefUXARE

Sorry again.

Bruce Foreman

[Bif]

Does the wide angle comes with f1.4 ? Cos I need it to shoot at night times with low lights

I'd recommend the following lens. While it is a wide angle on Canon full frame cameras it is not a "wide angle" on your camera. But it is wider than your 50mm f1.4 and has an f1.8 maximum aperture which will give you very similar low light performance. It will be a more "normal" field of view (your 50mm is a short telephoto on your camera) allowing you to work in closer.

It's wider field of view will help a little bit with deep depth of field but not a lot. You will have to work at higher ISO and try for f5.6 or f8.

I have this lens and it is a good "workhorse" lens, still very good for low light work.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...e_EF_28mm.html

Understanding camera lenses:

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...era-lenses.htm


Short tutorial on using wide angle lenses:

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...gle-lenses.htm

try work at f11 but in evaluative mode not spot metering

Care to explain how to do that pls? I'm a dslr beginner here

Look in your manual for "metering modes". Evaluative pretty much reads the whole area the camera sees and gives you an exposure that may work for the overall view. Spot metering concentrates on one spot (often at the center) and for what you want to do may be too specific.

[Bif]

Does the wide angle comes with f1.4 ? Cos I need it to shoot at night times with low lights

There is another possibility, the Micro Four Thirds system. The sensor is only slightly smaller than what you have but results can be similar. The big difference is in lenses that are available, not especially cheap but not as high priced as Canon gets.

For wide angle with low light: Olympus Zuiko 12mm f2.0 - gets lots of raves from both pro and hobbyist users. It's a true wide angle (24mm full frame equivalent), sharp with very good contrast and f2.0 is only one stop "slower" than f1.4. About $800 (I don't have but WANT)

Another wide: Panasonic Lumix 14mm f2.5 - 28mm full frame equiv, a very good "workhorse" wide angle and I've used this one in marginal and low light situations. Well worth the about $300 price tag, very compact lens.

Normal perspective (not wide, not tele): 2 lenses...

Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7 - Slightly "wide" normal (40mm full frame equiv) good and sharp, excellent low light performance (I have this one and love it). $359 at B&H

Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH - "Normal" field of view lens (50mm full frame equiv), very sharp, clean tonal rendition, legendary color and contrast with f1.4 max aperture. Much sought after and priced at $539 right now at B&H (I just placed an order for this one)

Telephoto (portrait perspective): Olympus Zuiko 45mm f1.8 - another much sought after lens for it's perspective, sharpness, color, and low light f1.8 performance. $399 at B&H (I also have this one).

OK...m.lomibao...None of these will fit Canon. While I still have a Canon 60D, I sold my 7D and Rebels, sold my "L" series lenses, and replaced them with a pair of Panasonic GH2s and all of the above lenses except that 12mm wide (and I'm "scheming" for that one but it will be a little while). Right now the Micro Four Thirds system counts Panasonic (a bunch of their camera models) and Olympus with their Pen line and the new OMD E-M5.

Some other independent lens makers are jumping into the format (Sigma has a few lenses out).

If you stick with Canon I'd go for the EF 28mm f1.8, learn more about your 7D (new firmware update will help in camera audio a lot) and press on.

Otherwise watch online "buy/sell" ads for a used GH2 body, order the 14mm f2.5 and the 20mm f1.7 for starters. But learn whatever you use.

Bruce Foreman

[cgbier]

Sorry, forgot the link. This one is a very simple straightforward video tutorial (short, too...Not longwinded) that illustrates "depth of field" applied in both landscape work and in closeup and portrait. He touches on lens focal length too, but this is very simple to understand and with enough visuals to show it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzedefUXARE

Sorry again.

Bruce Foreman

Wow, that video was very well done. Competently explained and very good choice of visuals... no, not only the bikinis.

[m.lomibao]

Thanks for all the advices guys ... Bif any chance I can see some of ur work pls? Thank u sir

[Bif]

Thanks for all the advices guys ... Bif any chance I can see some of ur work pls? Thank u sir

Here's a few, mostly done for video "challenges". I haven't had a chance to do much of anything with the new Micro Four Thirds gear except some quick testing. Right now I have stitches in an eye and eyelid due to an accident, I took an impact to the left eye (got lucky I didn't lose an eye or sight in it), so I'm kind of sidelined at the moment.

I don't believe the look of what I do will change too much with the new gear but we'll see. But I still have a 60D and may keep it.

https://vimeo.com/1262033 "The Devil's Due" (HF100)

https://vimeo.com/31188606 San Angelo TX gun club range (7D, T2i, T3i - mostly T2i)

https://vimeo.com/13812411 "Payment Past Due" (T2i)

https://vimeo.com/1043803 "Vision Quest" (HV20)

Bruce Foreman