last minute xmas gift

So after I exchanged many many emails with my friend I decided to post something about this on my blog.  My friend wants a nice lens for Christmas and asked me for advice.  I am no expert, but I had and have my fair share of lenses. :)  

She was interested in the 50mm/1.4 lens.  This little lens is very inexpensive, around $550 (I think for both Canon and Nikon) and is so great in low light situations.  It is small enough to handhold and can take images in a dark church easily.  As a matter of fact, some of the below images from the Indonesian Relief Event have been taken with the 50mm lens.  And if you shoot wide open, that is at 1.4 (some of them come even wider but they are more expensive), you get a lovely blur in the background.  That blur is called bokeh, so my friend told me.  Didn't I say I don't know it all.  But what it does, everything but the main item in focus becomes blury and bubbly at times.  Really lovely.  

Because my friend needed to see what this little lens can do, I sent her some test shots which I will also post here.  I should probably add that the image of the little angel has been taken with the 50mm plus a 12mm extension tube.  It is exactly what it says, a tube, no glass, nothing, but it goes between the lens and the camera and allows you to get a bit closer and looks like macro.  They are not very expensive and are a nice addition to the 50mm lens if you don't want to spend all that money on a macro lens.

So, if you need a last minute gift for someone special, here it is:  the 50/1.4

   

Comments

[Ute]

I am so glad I could help. :) And have I mentioned, that this lens is in fact "brilliant".

[Lisa]

Now my husband has all the information he needs to buy me a new lens and an extension tube. Thanks so much. Did I ever mention you are 'brilliant'. Yes I said 'brilliant'. I think I'll add that word to my new word template.