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Topic: suggestion for best, fast non canon prime 50mm or less lens (Read 10692 times)
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jamisan
Junior Member
Posts: 48
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Looking for the best, fast non canon prime 50mm or less. Primarily for taking pictures of the night sky
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klindup
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I use a Sigma 30mm f1.4 and I am very happy with the results. What sort of objects in the night sky are you wanting to photograph?
Ken
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Bob Atkins
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Wny non-Canon? Cost, quality, availability? The best lens would probably be the 35/1.4L, but it's a Canon. There's also the Canon 35/2, 50/1.4 and even the good old 50/1.8. I'd advise sticking with a full frame lens, even if you have a crop sensor body because you're going to want minimum vignetting and maximum corner quality with the lens wide open. The larger image circle of the full frame lens will give you both on a crop sensor body. Of course you can shoot full frame and crop. What I'd avoild would be a crop sensor lens on a crop sensor body, but I think about the only crop sensor prime would be the above mentioned Sigma 30/1.4, which I suspect will vignette and give somewhat soft corners when shot wide open. You might also look at some of the older manual focus Pentax lenses which can be adapted to EOS. You can use live view for focusing (assuming you have an EOS body with Live View). They're likely to be a lot cheaper than most current AF lenses. You can find 50mm, 35mm, 28mm and 24mm lenses without too much trouble. The Zeiss 21mm f2.8 is reputed to be very good, but it's not cheap. See http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html for more info on non-AF lenses. |
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« Last Edit: April 02, 2011, 05:13:09 PM by Bob Atkins »
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klindup
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I certainly endorse Bob's reccomendation for manual focussing. I have found that when taking shots of the night sky autofocus seems to be problematic. I got my best results with the camera hooked up to my computer and using live view. The image could be seen magnified on the computer screen and this made focussing much easier.
Ken
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Johnf
Junior Member
Posts: 29
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I assume you are shooting with a canon camera. If so, I have the EF 50mm 1.4 and uesd Ken's method to manual focus although the 5D II can focus in "just brighter than pitch black". It is very inexpensive (around $300). These 50's are not a bad investment either, I had the 50 1.8 plastic mount. I bought it for about $100, used it for about 4 years and sold it on e-bay for $80. Not a bad lens to have for 5 bucks per year.
John
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whizkid
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I would think for most nighttime in the sky subject matter, subject distance would be great enough to use manual focus and lens set at infinity.
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Bob Atkins
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Yes, but it's the "set the lens at infinity" that's the trick. You need very pecise focus. The best way to do that is with a camera with live view and the ability to magnify the image. You cannot depend on either the focus stop or the markings on the lens if you want the best possible results.
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jamisan
Junior Member
Posts: 48
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Budget mostly on the non-canon, just figured they would be a little cheaper. Yes I have a live view the Rebel XSI. I have looked at the Sigma 30mm,very interesting. Was also thinking maybe an older FD mount since I will and do use manual focus. I have taken some really pretty good shots with the kit lens 18-55mm. I have the 28-135 but want something "faster" IE let more light in. I had the Canon 50mm 1.8 but want something wider. What do you guys think about an FD mount for this?
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