canon 50mm f/1.8

Since I am new to the slr and have been reading all the forums I can, my head is spinning! I have the XTI with the tamron 18-200 lens (no kit lens)...now for the question....we have show dogs which are big and black and mahogany in color. Big dog show coming up in Dec and I would like to be able to take some indoor movement shots of the dogs and also standing shots.....will be aprox 20-40 feet away from the dogs. In the movement shots, they will be running but not real fast. What I am trying to accomplish in the photo is, the dog in the photo being clear enough to see the structure and movement of the dog, don't care what the background looks like, picture printing perfect quality not totally needed. My first attempt at this was a month ago when I just got the camera and lens and was quite disappointed to see the photos.....mainly being because I was clueless as to what I was doing in the first place....

but....will the 50mm f/1.8 be of help in this situation?? I have read that people use it to take indoor basketball photos with ok results???

Right not can't afford a expensive lens (5 grandkids to buy Christmas presents for!) and this one would fit my budget.....
any comments would be greatly appreciated....
also if I get this lens, which settings would you recommend?
Thanks
Willowhill

I think the 50 f1.8 is an excellent choice (especially if you want to spend less than $100). If you're 20-30 feet away, it might not get you close enough to the action. Try looking at a 85 f1.8 as well. Remember that your XTI has a crop factor of 1.6 so the 50mm is really 80mm and the 85mm is really a 136mm.

The 50/1.8 is a great len's for what you pay for it. Most people say it's the one len's every canon owner should have. I think it might be alittle short on reach for basketball, but you can always crop. For the price you cant go wrong.
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Life is like a box of len'es, you look inside only too find that you should have packaged thing's better the first time.

For action shots, you need to get the shutter speed UP. High.

To do that, you need either a lot of light, a high ISO, or a low f stop. Or all of the above.

Indoor action shots are tough because often there isn't enough light to get a high shutter speed.

A high ISO means "noise" in the picture. Yes, the Canon's have "less", but if you shoot at 1600 ISO you WILL see it. The board will tell you you can process that away, but it does not sound like you know how or have the software tools to do it.

50mm is probably passable at 20 ft, but too short at 40 ft.

Bottom line is its impossible for anyone here to say for sure just what will work.

The 50mm f/1.8 may well work just fine for you. I'd be willing to try it. But if I had time to switch to the longer zoom for the longer shots, I'd try that too.

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http://www.pbase.com/amateurone

I have shot many indoor dog shows and there are a few lens that will
fit your needs.
1. 50mm f1.8.............may be short (already noted)
2. 85mm f1.8............. should be a great match/ but $375price tag.

Good luck !!

Just up your ISO speed to 800 and put the camera in Av mode set to f/1.8, if that's not fast enough, than try ISO 1600, but only as a last resort because it gets very noisy at ISO 1600.

Merry Christmas, Ed

OK, If I try and use the tamron 18-200mm 1:35-6.3

What settings should I use?? The salesman said to use 1/250 and iso 1600....most of the pics came out very dark and when I lightened them in paint shop pro they were extremely grainy.....again I am not looking for picture perfect photos to print but ones that can be at least good enough to actually see the dog. Would love to have the 85mm lens but with christmas coming I don't think the grandkids would appreciate Gramma spending their gift money!

I purchased the 50mm/f1.8 earlier this week. I was not having good fortune with the kit lens on my XTi, hense the purchase.

I am floored. This $80 investment just brought up my photography by a factor of 10.

I would highly recommend this lens.

You can't use a slow zoom lens indoors to catch action shots. You would be pushing it if you were to use the fastest zooms, which are a constant f/2.8

Go for the EF 50mm f/1.8, it's so cheap you can't go wrong. You can start with it, then add the EF 85mm f/1.8 or the EF 100mm f/1.8 next year.

800 ISO is not too bad, but 1600 ISO is pushing it, try to avoid it if at all possible, it's just too noisy. Sure 1600 ISO will do if you need it, better 1600 ISO than no picture at all, but try to avoid it.

Here is a link to pictures that I have taken indoors at ISO 800 with the EF 50 f/1.8. It was dark at this Christmas Show, they had half the lights turned off so that the light displays would twinkle nicely. But I had no problems with this low light bargain, the EF 50mm f/1.8;
http://www.edto.net/photo_xmas-shw.htm

willowhill said:

OK, If I try and use the tamron 18-200mm 1:35-6.3
What settings should I use?? The salesman said to use 1/250 and iso
1600....most of the pics came out very dark and when I lightened
them in paint shop pro they were extremely grainy.....again I am
not looking for picture perfect photos to print but ones that can
be at least good enough to actually see the dog. Would love to have
the 85mm lens but with christmas coming I don't think the grandkids
would appreciate Gramma spending their gift money!

Click to expand...

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Merry Christmas, Ed

You sold me on it.....going to call the photo shop tomorrow and see if they have any in stock......Our big dog show is mid Dec, if I get a good photo I will post a pic!
Thank you all so much for the information
Willowhill

The 50mm f/1.8 is a must have. An excellent portrait lens.
http://www.photo96.com/yongbo/20050624_crw_7422_a.htm
Sometimes, deliver better images than my 100mm macro:
http://www.photo96.com/yongbo/20050614_crw_7212_a.htm
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Yongbo



Photo Gallery: http://www.photo96.com/
Online DOF Calculator: http://www.photo96.com/dof

Don't forget even if it is a little far away you can crop and should still have better results than you whould get with your Tamron.

This is a 80% crop from 12 feet or so http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelbuff/311235690/ I think you will find that it works for bball. The 85\1.8 would be better, but the 50 will get you in the game for a LOT less.
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Life is like a box of len'es, you look inside only too find that you should have packaged thing's better the first time.

50/1.8 is a good lens ans a very pleasing lens to use.

Do remember though that with low light levels shooting in Raw is I would say a must. It does give you a lot of lea way to re-avaluate the exposure and light levels without breaking up the data you have got on the day.

Focusing is so very critical as well. Dont expect miricles along this line using it for sport. you do get what you pay for, though the 50/1.8 you do get a little bit more thrown in as an extra that is for certain.

Happy times :> )