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new lens - i enjoy people shot the most

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dgosho

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Portland, OR, US
My wife got me the EF-S 60mm macro for Christmas and i am not sure it suits me (though i have not opened it to try it) and i might exchange it.
What do you recommend base on the the following info about me?

I have a Digital Rebel XT
Kit lens (EFS 18-55) (use it about 20% of the time)
EF 75-300 4-5.6 III USM (about 30%)
and EF 50mm 1.8 II (about 50%)

My favorite lens is the 50mm because of the speed! Although, in my house it does push me out of rooms (through walls) for getting good shots.

I find myself taking a lot of pictures at family and friend gatherings, weddings, hikes and city walks (Portland OR). I primarily use the 50 and switch to the 75-300 when i need the reach and there is enough light.

I would really enjoy getting into portrait photography and have really enjoyed using the 75-300 for getting close in to people's faces and shoulders when they are not aware of my presence. The only difficulty with it is the speed.

I might also enjoy macro photography, a little bit. I have a small marine aquarium and it might be fun to take some shots of the life in there.
BUT my favorite pictures have to have people in them.

So... based on that, do you have any recommendations?

also a question:

I know with EF lenses have a field of view crop on the rebel xt of 1.6x (so you have to multiply it by 1.6 right?)
Are the EF-S lenses the actual size?
Meaning my EF 50mm is actually 80mm on my xt
BUT the EF-S 60mm is truly 60mm?

Here are some of my favorite pics to give you an idea of what i like to shoot:

A picture of a flower girl at a friend's wedding, taken indoors and unknown to the girl



A picture from a tripod of my wife and i, posing for a college catalog (not really, but it looks that way huh?)



A candid shot of a couple at the Blues Fest - I think this is my favorite!



My daughter getting dressed up for a wedding



Muriel putting a penny in her shoe



Or pretty much all the photos in this set:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/94559704@N00/6wrlI2

Thank you DP community for always being so helpful!
 
I have a similar set up to yours, and like to shoot people as well.

I basically have two lenses on my wish list:

1) Tamron 17-50 2.8 (although I am considering the new Sigma 18-50 macro in place of the Tamron). This is to upgrade the kit lens. Much of my photography is indoors. This lens is not as fast as the 50 1.8, but still can make use of available light. It gives me a wider angle that I often wish I had with the 50 1.8. I find myself backing into walls too often.

2) The Canon 85 1.8. This lens seems to be often recommended as a portrait lens. I look forward to getting this lens for indoor sports and performances.

There are certainly more expensive lenses and probably better ones than these out there. But on my budget they seem to fit well.

The EF and EF-s designations do not affect the zoom range. 50mm will be cropped 1.6 with both an EF and EF-s lens on a cropped sensor.
dgosho said:
My wife got me the EF-S 60mm macro for Christmas and i am not sure
it suits me (though i have not opened it to try it) and i might
exchange it.
What do you recommend base on the the following info about me?

I have a Digital Rebel XT
Kit lens (EFS 18-55) (use it about 20% of the time)
EF 75-300 4-5.6 III USM (about 30%)
and EF 50mm 1.8 II (about 50%)

My favorite lens is the 50mm because of the speed! Although, in my
house it does push me out of rooms (through walls) for getting good
shots.

I find myself taking a lot of pictures at family and friend
gatherings, weddings, hikes and city walks (Portland OR). I
primarily use the 50 and switch to the 75-300 when i need the reach
and there is enough light.
I would really enjoy getting into portrait photography and have
really enjoyed using the 75-300 for getting close in to people's
faces and shoulders when they are not aware of my presence. The
only difficulty with it is the speed.
I might also enjoy macro photography, a little bit. I have a small
marine aquarium and it might be fun to take some shots of the life
in there.
BUT my favorite pictures have to have people in them.

So... based on that, do you have any recommendations?

also a question:
I know with EF lenses have a field of view crop on the rebel xt of
1.6x (so you have to multiply it by 1.6 right?)
Are the EF-S lenses the actual size?
Meaning my EF 50mm is actually 80mm on my xt
BUT the EF-S 60mm is truly 60mm?

Here are some of my favorite pics to give you an idea of what i
like to shoot:
A picture of a flower girl at a friend's wedding, taken indoors and
unknown to the girl



A picture from a tripod of my wife and i, posing for a college
catalog (not really, but it looks that way huh?)



A candid shot of a couple at the Blues Fest - I think this is my
favorite!



My daughter getting dressed up for a wedding



Muriel putting a penny in her shoe



Or pretty much all the photos in this set:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/94559704@N00/6wrlI2

Thank you DP community for always being so helpful!
Click to expand...
 
Cropping has nothing to do with focal length. 50 mm = 50 mm, irrelevant of the camera you use. The 50 mm produces 50 mm, always. BUT –

With a 1.6-crop camera, you’re just taking some of the center of the picture, since the sensor is not full size. This would be equivalent to the coverage of an 80 mm lens at the same distance on a full-sensor camera.

The 50 mm would be a ‘normal’ lens, at a ‘true’ 50 mm, on a full-frame or film 35-mm camera.

The 50 mm would be a wide-angle on a medium-format camera, as the sensor or film exposed is much larger than on a 35 mm camera.

The 50 mm would be an ultra-wide on a 4x5 camera, and approaching a fish-eye on an 8x10 view camera.
BUT – they are ALL 50 mm!
--
BJCP National
 
I see your dilema with alread having the 50mm if you do otwish to use the 60mm for macro?

I love fixed focal length and enjoy the said 50mm. Maybe the 35mm instead of the 600mm? just for the moments you dont wish to leave the room or pass through the wall.

I am conviced i will let go of my zoom. A 1.8 is in my own experience far more advantagous than IS at say 4.6. Traditionalist maybe or just old;> )
 
I have the 50mm 1.8, and bought the 60 2.8/macro about a month ago. It hasn't come off my camera yet. I absolutely love this lens. Portraits, macros, it's all good. Love this lens!
--
Gary

http://www.pbase.com/digitalgee
 
Hi,

From the description you have given I would recommend the Canon 85/1.8. It is a joy to use, the focal length on the 350d is great for what you like to do. The hardest part is getting skilled at using it wide open, where focus accuracy is more difficult due to shallow DOF.

Here's a sample:



G.
dgosho said:
My wife got me the EF-S 60mm macro for Christmas and i am not sure
it suits me (though i have not opened it to try it) and i might
exchange it.
What do you recommend base on the the following info about me?

I have a Digital Rebel XT
Kit lens (EFS 18-55) (use it about 20% of the time)
EF 75-300 4-5.6 III USM (about 30%)
and EF 50mm 1.8 II (about 50%)

My favorite lens is the 50mm because of the speed! Although, in my
house it does push me out of rooms (through walls) for getting good
shots.

I find myself taking a lot of pictures at family and friend
gatherings, weddings, hikes and city walks (Portland OR). I
primarily use the 50 and switch to the 75-300 when i need the reach
and there is enough light.
I would really enjoy getting into portrait photography and have
really enjoyed using the 75-300 for getting close in to people's
faces and shoulders when they are not aware of my presence. The
only difficulty with it is the speed.
I might also enjoy macro photography, a little bit. I have a small
marine aquarium and it might be fun to take some shots of the life
in there.
BUT my favorite pictures have to have people in them.

So... based on that, do you have any recommendations?

also a question:
I know with EF lenses have a field of view crop on the rebel xt of
1.6x (so you have to multiply it by 1.6 right?)
Are the EF-S lenses the actual size?
Meaning my EF 50mm is actually 80mm on my xt
BUT the EF-S 60mm is truly 60mm?

Here are some of my favorite pics to give you an idea of what i
like to shoot:
A picture of a flower girl at a friend's wedding, taken indoors and
unknown to the girl



A picture from a tripod of my wife and i, posing for a college
catalog (not really, but it looks that way huh?)



A candid shot of a couple at the Blues Fest - I think this is my
favorite!



My daughter getting dressed up for a wedding



Muriel putting a penny in her shoe



Or pretty much all the photos in this set:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/94559704@N00/6wrlI2

Thank you DP community for always being so helpful!
Click to expand...
--
Gareth.

http://www.pbase.com/sgingram
 
Thanks for all the input.

I am thinking of either keeping it or going to the 85 1.8 or something with a wider angle for the in the house family shots.

I think that my 50mm 1.8 has me covered for portraits at that focal length with just a step or two closer to the subject.

and at less than $100 for the 50 and over $400 for the 60 macro - does everyone agree that unless i am really interested in macro photography, the 50 is best?
 
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