First try with the XF 60mm - Impressions

canonbcguy wrote:

That last pic is great. The background is nicely blurred.

May I ask where you got your lens for $250? I'm assuming that's a price for a used one.

Around here, used ones are rare and the prices are high (about double what you paid).

Generally, since i have little to no money and chose quite an expensive hobby, what I do is try really hard to be patient. I had been searching like crazy in all ebay sites, + mpb.co.uk + some other used equipment site for ages.

It takes avoiding some good deals and just waiting for the perfect combination of a great auction with little interest. In both cases (of the 60 and 14mm) I ended up getting them from ebay via auction. In think in both cases it was a matter of luck of a lens being only available to be sent in a few regions (the 60mm was UK only, and I had it delivered to a friends house who sent it to me. The 14mm was from the UK but EU deliveries only) as well as simply that there were good prices and auctions going on on more 'famous' lenses. For instance, during my 60mm bid, there was a 90mm that ended about an hour later and went for 450-500, which is quite good, and there was an 80mm taht ended three hours later and seemed to be going for 450, which would have been amazing - if anything just to resell later at a higher price. In the end the 80mm was sold for 880 or so, but there was a fierce bidding war.

It seems like the 60mm had been ignored as a UK only and 'lesser' lens, so I was able to grab it with no other bids against me.

It was a similar story with the14mm.

ViMa wrote:

canonbcguy wrote:

That last pic is great. The background is nicely blurred.

May I ask where you got your lens for $250? I'm assuming that's a price for a used one.

Around here, used ones are rare and the prices are high (about double what you paid).

Generally, since i have little to no money and chose quite an expensive hobby, what I do is try really hard to be patient. I had been searching like crazy in all ebay sites, + mpb.co.uk + some other used equipment site for ages.

It takes avoiding some good deals and just waiting for the perfect combination of a great auction with little interest. In both cases (of the 60 and 14mm) I ended up getting them from ebay via auction. In think in both cases it was a matter of luck of a lens being only available to be sent in a few regions (the 60mm was UK only, and I had it delivered to a friends house who sent it to me. The 14mm was from the UK but EU deliveries only) as well as simply that there were good prices and auctions going on on more 'famous' lenses. For instance, during my 60mm bid, there was a 90mm that ended about an hour later and went for 450-500, which is quite good, and there was an 80mm taht ended three hours later and seemed to be going for 450, which would have been amazing - if anything just to resell later at a higher price. In the end the 80mm was sold for 880 or so, but there was a fierce bidding war.

It seems like the 60mm had been ignored as a UK only and 'lesser' lens, so I was able to grab it with no other bids against me.

It was a similar story with the14mm.

Thank you for the detailed reply, Vittorio.  I wish you continued success with it and will keep an eye out for this little jewel of a lens for myself.

Jose V Beta wrote:

I enjoy using the 60mm f2.4.

Great shots Jose. Have you been finding it acceptable even in darker situations such as the first and last pictures you've posted which presumably are from concerts?

I was just given the 35mm f1.4 lens hood a few hours ago and it really is amazing on the 60mm. It fits it perfectly and is visually nicer.

Jose V Beta wrote:

Thank you.

I had to use a Godox flash for the band photos. I was shooting them during a rehearsal. The 60mm did have moments of hunting but it held up surprisingly well in poor lighting.

Do you recall whether it was the 350 or the 680 flash maybe? I'm wanting to get a flash and am between the two so would appreciate suggestions.