best studio lens - is fixed better than zoom?

jon oringer · Dec 3, 2003

just bought a 300D - to do some stock studio stuff...

lets say that i can get as close as i need to my subject -- is it true that I should avoid a zoom lens? right now i have the wide-angle zoom that came with it (18-55 f/3.5)

Should i get a fixed 50mm lens? i would also like to be able to get in macro (within .5 ft) of my subject... would a fixed length lens be alot more clear than the 18-55 that came with it?

is it also correct to assume that i dont have to go with a super-expensive fast-f lens? (f 3.5 should be good enuf - i have studio strobes)..

just curious.. im new to this - and im jumping in and learning fast

thanks
Jon

woody2 · Dec 3, 2003

jon oringer said:
just bought a 300D - to do some stock studio stuff...

lets say that i can get as close as i need to my subject -- is it
true that I should avoid a zoom lens? right now i have the
wide-angle zoom that came with it (18-55 f/3.5)

Should i get a fixed 50mm lens? i would also like to be able to get
in macro (within .5 ft) of my subject... would a fixed length lens
be alot more clear than the 18-55 that came with it?

is it also correct to assume that i dont have to go with a
super-expensive fast-f lens? (f 3.5 should be good enuf - i have
studio strobes)..

just curious.. im new to this - and im jumping in and learning fast

thanks

jon oringer said:
Jon

Hi Jon,

Did you know the strobes could fry the 300d? most give more than 6v trigger voltage which can cause arching inside the camera and eventual damage. I just got a wein safe sync from Jacobs for £50 which solves the problem.

I have 50mm f1,8 which is a super sharp lens at a bargain price. f1,8 allows you to use very small depth of field if you want it, background out of focus to isolate the subject.

Otherwise I use 28-105mkII which is very good when stopped down a bit (I am usually at f8 or more with strobes) These lenses are not good at Macro, see my post on that for some useful answers.
Robin

jon oringer · Dec 3, 2003

I have alien bee strobes - and they indicate that the sync voltage is 6 volts... should i still be concerned?
check this out:
http://alienbees.com/allspecs.htm

Thanks alot for your post - this helps alot.. im going to get that 50mm 1.8 lens

do you also think that the fixed length lens will be clearer than the 18-55?
thanks!
Jon

woody2 said:
jon oringer said:

just bought a 300D - to do some stock studio stuff...

lets say that i can get as close as i need to my subject -- is it
true that I should avoid a zoom lens? right now i have the
wide-angle zoom that came with it (18-55 f/3.5)

Should i get a fixed 50mm lens? i would also like to be able to get
in macro (within .5 ft) of my subject... would a fixed length lens
be alot more clear than the 18-55 that came with it?

is it also correct to assume that i dont have to go with a
super-expensive fast-f lens? (f 3.5 should be good enuf - i have
studio strobes)..

just curious.. im new to this - and im jumping in and learning fast

thanks

Click to expand...

woody2 said:

Jon

Click to expand...

Hi Jon,

Did you know the strobes could fry the 300d? most give more than 6v
trigger voltage which can cause arching inside the camera and
eventual damage. I just got a wein safe sync from Jacobs for £50
which solves the problem.

I have 50mm f1,8 which is a super sharp lens at a bargain price.
f1,8 allows you to use very small depth of field if you want it,
background out of focus to isolate the subject.
Otherwise I use 28-105mkII which is very good when stopped down a
bit (I am usually at f8 or more with strobes) These lenses are not
good at Macro, see my post on that for some useful answers.
Robin

jon oringer · Dec 3, 2003

why does canon make some lenses 52mm, and others 58?
do they just want us to keep buying more and more filter sets?

im sure there must be some reason - i just wish they would keep this a constant in the 18-105 fixed range

woody2 said:
jon oringer said:

just bought a 300D - to do some stock studio stuff...

lets say that i can get as close as i need to my subject -- is it
true that I should avoid a zoom lens? right now i have the
wide-angle zoom that came with it (18-55 f/3.5)

Should i get a fixed 50mm lens? i would also like to be able to get
in macro (within .5 ft) of my subject... would a fixed length lens
be alot more clear than the 18-55 that came with it?

is it also correct to assume that i dont have to go with a
super-expensive fast-f lens? (f 3.5 should be good enuf - i have
studio strobes)..

just curious.. im new to this - and im jumping in and learning fast

thanks

Click to expand...

woody2 said:

Jon

Click to expand...

Hi Jon,

Did you know the strobes could fry the 300d? most give more than 6v
trigger voltage which can cause arching inside the camera and
eventual damage. I just got a wein safe sync from Jacobs for £50
which solves the problem.

I have 50mm f1,8 which is a super sharp lens at a bargain price.
f1,8 allows you to use very small depth of field if you want it,
background out of focus to isolate the subject.
Otherwise I use 28-105mkII which is very good when stopped down a
bit (I am usually at f8 or more with strobes) These lenses are not
good at Macro, see my post on that for some useful answers.
Robin

Greg Hammond · Dec 3, 2003

jon oringer said:
why does canon make some lenses 52mm, and others 58?
do they just want us to keep buying more and more filter sets?
im sure there must be some reason - i just wish they would keep
this a constant in the 18-105 fixed range

It is not in Canon's best interest from an engineering or cost standpoint to try and make all of their lenses make use of one or two different filter sizes. If you want to standardize on filters, you should get the best filters you can afford and buy "step-up" rings for your lenses to get you to a common diameter. Most people seem to go with 72mm or 77mm filters and step-up to those.

Greg

woody2 · Dec 3, 2003

Hi Jon,

300d is rated to take 6v trigger voltage so thats no problem you just use the cheapo hot shoe sync adaptors.

50mm lens is definitely better than 18-55 near to that lens' zoom limits or wide open, stopped down to f8 in the middle of the zoom range both should give good results and you would have to be blowing things up pretty big to see much difference.

jon oringer said:
Thanks alot for your post - this helps alot.. im going to get that
50mm 1.8 lens

do you also think that the fixed length lens will be clearer than
the 18-55?
thanks!
Jon

woody2 said:

jon oringer said:

just bought a 300D - to do some stock studio stuff...

lets say that i can get as close as i need to my subject -- is it
true that I should avoid a zoom lens? right now i have the
wide-angle zoom that came with it (18-55 f/3.5)

Should i get a fixed 50mm lens? i would also like to be able to get
in macro (within .5 ft) of my subject... would a fixed length lens
be alot more clear than the 18-55 that came with it?

is it also correct to assume that i dont have to go with a
super-expensive fast-f lens? (f 3.5 should be good enuf - i have
studio strobes)..

just curious.. im new to this - and im jumping in and learning fast

thanks

Click to expand...

jon oringer said:

Jon

Click to expand...

Hi Jon,

Did you know the strobes could fry the 300d? most give more than 6v
trigger voltage which can cause arching inside the camera and
eventual damage. I just got a wein safe sync from Jacobs for £50
which solves the problem.

I have 50mm f1,8 which is a super sharp lens at a bargain price.
f1,8 allows you to use very small depth of field if you want it,
background out of focus to isolate the subject.
Otherwise I use 28-105mkII which is very good when stopped down a
bit (I am usually at f8 or more with strobes) These lenses are not
good at Macro, see my post on that for some useful answers.
Robin

Click to expand...

dik · Dec 3, 2003

jon oringer said:
just bought a 300D - to do some stock studio stuff...

lets say that i can get as close as i need to my subject -- is it
true that I should avoid a zoom lens? right now i have the
wide-angle zoom that came with it (18-55 f/3.5)

Should i get a fixed 50mm lens? i would also like to be able to get
in macro (within .5 ft) of my subject... would a fixed length lens
be alot more clear than the 18-55 that came with it?

is it also correct to assume that i dont have to go with a
super-expensive fast-f lens? (f 3.5 should be good enuf - i have
studio strobes)..

just curious.. im new to this - and im jumping in and learning fast

thanks
Jon

I'd suggest the Tamron 90mm Macro. Extremely sharp, and you'll appreciate the improved perspective tha comes with longer working distances. I'm sure you'll love the macro performance, too.

chojan · Dec 3, 2003

Greg Hammond said:
It is not in Canon's best interest from an engineering or cost
standpoint to try and make all of their lenses make use of one or
two different filter sizes. If you want to standardize on filters,
you should get the best filters you can afford and buy "step-up"
rings for your lenses to get you to a common diameter. Most
people seem to go with 72mm or 77mm filters and step-up to those.

The only problem with that is that one often wants to use a lens hood, and the step-up ring will not always fit! I have a Canon 100/2.8 USM that I use for a large percentage of my shots, and originally assumed I could get by with the step-up from 58 to 72 (of which I had a wide filter collection). Unfortunately, with the lens hood, the 72mm fits, but using anything like a circular polarizer will drive you crazy!

Good luck,
Cal.

BTP · Dec 3, 2003

When you shoot in a studio, you are almost always somewhere around f/8. At f/8, almost all lenses do well. I personally like the 28-135 in the studio since it has a good focal range. Normally the reason you want sharper lenses is for shooting wide open not at f/8. It is easy to be good at f/8. I would go for versatility.

jon oringer said:
just bought a 300D - to do some stock studio stuff...

lets say that i can get as close as i need to my subject -- is it
true that I should avoid a zoom lens? right now i have the
wide-angle zoom that came with it (18-55 f/3.5)

Should i get a fixed 50mm lens? i would also like to be able to get
in macro (within .5 ft) of my subject... would a fixed length lens
be alot more clear than the 18-55 that came with it?

is it also correct to assume that i dont have to go with a
super-expensive fast-f lens? (f 3.5 should be good enuf - i have
studio strobes)..

just curious.. im new to this - and im jumping in and learning fast

thanks
Jon

--
Brian

david kohn · Dec 3, 2003

take a look at the Sigma 50/2.8 macro lens. It has 1:1, so you can get in close enough to shoot your model's nose hairs.

jon oringer said:
just bought a 300D - to do some stock studio stuff...

lets say that i can get as close as i need to my subject -- is it
true that I should avoid a zoom lens? right now i have the
wide-angle zoom that came with it (18-55 f/3.5)

Should i get a fixed 50mm lens? i would also like to be able to get
in macro (within .5 ft) of my subject... would a fixed length lens
be alot more clear than the 18-55 that came with it?

is it also correct to assume that i dont have to go with a
super-expensive fast-f lens? (f 3.5 should be good enuf - i have
studio strobes)..

just curious.. im new to this - and im jumping in and learning fast

thanks
Jon

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best studio lens - is fixed better than zoom?

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