marrio

Link: <a href="http://www.planetneil.com/faq/finding- the-light.html" >Finding the light.</

a>

>>As Jeff Ascough said, there's good light, you just have to find it.<<

<p>Neil seems to have found the light here: <url>http://www.planetneil.com/faq/finding-

the-light.html</url>

Those numbers (4.5 and 5.6) are just maximum apertures at the respective focal lenghts 80

and 200mm. It doesn't mean that the apertures can't be made smaller. <p>It's up to you to

dial in whatever aperture you need (up to the maximum available) to make the picture look

how you like it.

Oh, and remember to set the <b>focus limiter</b> on your lens to the closer distance

range.

Yes, <b>manual focus</b> is better for macro photography. <p>Plus I'd try the EF

25mm

extension tube coupled with the 12mm for even greater magnification.

The question should be based on the new 50/1.2 for relative image quality, not the old

50/1.4. It's the new standard against which to compare. <p>Oh, and don't put so many

conditions on people's answers - you're trying to tie their hands as they type! People are

going to write what they want anyway. So just read what you want instead and skip over

what you don't want to hear. The info might be helpful to others.<p>Case in point: Did I

mention that the new 50/1.2 is weather sealed and has greater build quality, plus focuses

faster that the old 50/1.4?<p>Back to the question, at 300mm or longer the choices are the

Canon 100-400 zoom, 300/4, and 400/5.6. They're all in the same price range.

Are you referring to the infamous flare issue with the recalled batch of 24-105mm F4 L IS

lens? That's the only recent manufature defect problem that I've heard about from

Canon. Remember that they issued a press release with information about certain serial

numbers to turn in.

<p>The new 16-35mm lens is a different story - rather, an improved design which

Canon

just announced last month. There are many happy owners of the current Mark I 16-35mm

F2.8L but some users complained that the corners suffered from softness on full-frame

cameras such as the 5D and 1Ds Mark II. Therefore, Canon have redesigned the lens to

improve image quality and offered this new 16-35mm F2.8 L II.

My pleasure Andrea. <p>For a modest investment of money could have both a 50mm F1.8

<i>and</i> an 85mm F1.8 right now. Try this combination first and later if you really need

the

extra speed of the 50/1.4 then just trade up for it.

True, but you could say the same about the 85/1.8 being slower than the 85/1.2 (relatively

expensive). Unfortunately, on the Canon side there isn't an inbetween lens like the Nikon

85/1.4. <p>So with the extra information you've given about your lighting needs (low light

theater/concert halls) I'd recommend that you consider all of the following primes as you go

shopping today - 35/1.4 | 35/2.0 | 50/1.2 | 50/1.4 | 85/1.2 | 85/1.8 | 135/2.0. Don't buy

them all, just keep all of the options in mind. I've seen great portraits with all of these on a

30D-size sensor camera.

Andrea: "...very important portait work!" <p>Apparently that means prime lenses are a must,

to Andrea. So maybe apertures larger that F2.8 are required for specific lighting or bokeh

needs.

I only know of some 'Mark II'-designated lenses (no Mark III). <p>Examples: <p>EF

16-35mm

F2.8 II <p>200mm F2.8 II <p>EF 85mm F1.2L II.

BTW, I love my EOS 50 and 50E cameras because they have red IR focus assist lights instead

of the blinding pop-up flash pulses on the later models. <img></img><A HREF="http://

www.fotovilag.hu/foto/canon/eos-50/50e-02.jpg" TARGET="_blank">Linky</A>

Bob wrote: <i><small>I've used both the IS and non-IS versions.</i></small><p>

I'm sure you meant ECF and non-ECF versions, because otherwise we'd be discussing

lenses.</p>

You'll know when more and more people have a 50/1.2 copy when a lot of 24-70/2.8 plus

50/1.4 lenses start showing up in Classified adverts and Buy/Sell forums around the net. Oh

wait, that's already happening...

The 5D has ISO 50 capability. <p>You sound like a zoom lens guy if you're worried about

being 'stuck' at the 85mm FOV. Landscape can be

done at ANY focal length, even at super telephoto ranges. Just because this 85mm lens is

most often used for

portraits doesn't also mean that it wouldn't be great at other genre too. The question is

would

you <b>need</b> f/1.2 for landscapes? Well, only if you're shooting at dusk or dawn

handheld.</p>

Buy the 1D2N now. Only the 1Ds2 is due for replacement soon and it's going to cost about

$8000 at least. See what the rebate offers are this Fall. You might even be able to save a few

bucks on that 1D2N.

>>No lens is "really sharp" at f/1.4. Not even this one.<< <p> Well, the 85mm f/1.2L is

<b>very</b> sharp at f/1.4...</p>

There's an EF 85mm f/1.8 (not 2.8); and yes it would be a good choice. <p>Plus, an EF

35mm f/2.0 would be good too - same field of view of a 50mm lens on full frame.<p>And

you'll eventually want something wider that 24mm on that 1.6x crop factor 20D, so the

choices are 17-40mm/4.0L, 17-85mm, or 10-22mm zooms.<p>Consider the EF-S 60mm/

2.8 macro as well.</p>

The language bit is a joke. Those in the US are so grateful for their Swedish language fix

as part of the first 5D firmware update, even though they bought the camera on their own

continent! <rolling eyes> <p>The Canon mothership should package just one version for

each item, not just market-specific ones. It's becoming a smaller world, not a bigger one.

Besides, what if I happen to speak one of those languages offered somewhere outside my

regional market? How presumptious of Canon Europe! I wonder if English is among the

Canon Europe market languages. Dont' they ship to the UK? Hmm...</p> <p>I also

blame the uninformed buyers in the Canon Europe market who have purchased on the

cheap/convenient elsewhere, only to turn around and complain about it. Then, of course,

Canon EU (and other divisions to follow) are only more than happy to impose this veiled

trade restriction to boost their profit margins even further. Have you ever heard of

creating a problem (or the environment for one) and then offering a 'solution' for it? That's

what's happening here. Down with corporate greed. Up with free trade.

I reckon it would be difficult to follow a moving subject whilst maintaining sharp focus with a

wide angle prime lens near 20 mm or 24 mm. Sounds like the realm of telephoto to me.

I don't think that Canon will lower the price now, on risk of alienating early buyers even

further.