Why Fast Lenses?
Jan 31, 2021 22:49:20 #
photoman022
Loc: Manchester CT USA
Why do I like my Tammy 28-75 f/2.8?
1. I can control depth of field to a greater extent. If I want to separate my subject from the background, I can do it more definitely with my f/2.8 than I can with my f/4.
2. I can shoot in lower light without have to goose my ISO.
3. I can hand hold my camera in lower light and still have a reasonable shutter speed.
4. People think I know what I'm doing when they see me with a lens like that!
1. I can control depth of field to a greater extent. If I want to separate my subject from the background, I can do it more definitely with my f/2.8 than I can with my f/4.
2. I can shoot in lower light without have to goose my ISO.
3. I can hand hold my camera in lower light and still have a reasonable shutter speed.
4. People think I know what I'm doing when they see me with a lens like that!
Jan 31, 2021 23:01:05 #
photoman022 wrote:
Why do I like my Tammy 28-75 f/2.8?
1. I can control depth of field to a greater extent. If I want to separate my subject from the background, I can do it more definitely with my f/2.8 than I can with my f/4.
2. I can shoot in lower light without have to goose my ISO.
3. I can hand hold my camera in lower light and still have a reasonable shutter speed.
4. People think I know what I'm doing when they see me with a lens like that!
1. I can control depth of field to a greater extent. If I want to separate my subject from the background, I can do it more definitely with my f/2.8 than I can with my f/4.
2. I can shoot in lower light without have to goose my ISO.
3. I can hand hold my camera in lower light and still have a reasonable shutter speed.
4. People think I know what I'm doing when they see me with a lens like that!
I have that lens for my Nikons. Like it for the same reasons plus it is smaller and lighter than most 2.8s.
Jan 31, 2021 23:34:40 #
IDguy wrote:
Not hardly. They really mattered in film days when you couldn’t get slide or color film above ISO 100. Most cameras do fine today at ISO 400 and later full frames with ISOs in many thousands.
An additional factor today is the excellent image stabilization in most cameras or lenses, enabling sharper longer exposures of several stops. That is more than fast lenses deliver and is not additional cost or weight...
An additional factor today is the excellent image stabilization in most cameras or lenses, enabling sharper longer exposures of several stops. That is more than fast lenses deliver and is not additional cost or weight...
IS is all fine and well unless your subject happens to be moving. Fast lenses are still necessary if you shoot indoor weddings, receptions, sports, performances, etc. when flash isn’t allowed or appropriate in which case you’re often at ISOs of 3200-8,000 or higher with shutter speeds of 1/160-1/250 and apertures of f1.8 - f2.8. When you’re at ISOs like that even with FF, every stop matters. I just looked back the EXIFs from a wedding reception I shot in a very well lit hall, and the typical exposures with a modern FF were 1/160, f2.0 and ISO 3200 or f2.8 at ISO 6400.
Feb 1, 2021 00:41:08 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
TriX wrote:
IS is all fine and well unless your subject happen... (show quote)
Yes, certainly special applications for them. That is why they are available. But such applications are relatively few thus driving the high price.
Feb 1, 2021 02:12:56 #
TriX wrote:
IS is all fine and well unless your subject happen... (show quote)
Your mention of the wedding reception info is great. I’m new to the craft and just saw a video comparing studio flash to LED which demonstrated how a light meter reading was extremely low for the LED studio light.
As LED lighting becomes more common in all settings, I’m guessing this is going to be huge problem.
Feb 1, 2021 05:16:03 #
Meh. Tool for the job. If you don't want to shoot a subject or in a situation where a fast lens improves the shot, don't get one.
If weight and cost are deciding factors, make your decision based on them.
If you want the effects that a faster lens can give in certain situation, buy that lens.
It might be rocket science or even more complex than that .... but it can be simplified to a few sentences.
If weight and cost are deciding factors, make your decision based on them.
If you want the effects that a faster lens can give in certain situation, buy that lens.
It might be rocket science or even more complex than that .... but it can be simplified to a few sentences.
Feb 1, 2021 07:00:46 #
Urnst wrote:
Thanks for your thoughtful replies. Does moving up just a couple of ISO notches really affect the grain that much? Does a stop or two less in aperture affect separation that much? I wonder. Not in my experience. And I can buy a bag full of slightly slower lenses for the price of one fast zoom and with less weight still carry that bag around. Just my thoughts.
I like a little heft with my gear. It makes me feel important.
Feb 1, 2021 10:16:17 #
xLarry
Loc: Dallas
Do a youtube search on "shooting portaits wide open vs stopping down". Blows the idea you need to shoot wide open. And with high end cameras you can shoot with really high ISO and get great results. Lenses from Nikon (and probably Canon) are very high quality even if you don't go for the 2.8 lenses. I have 16-35 4.0 and the 28-300 3.5-5.6 and get excellent results.
Feb 1, 2021 11:28:40 #
Good luck is when opportunity meets preparation, while bad luck is when a slow lens meets reality.
Feb 1, 2021 11:44:25 #
Urnst wrote:
nope
Yep! If you already Shallow like me it means everything! LOL LOL 🤣
Feb 1, 2021 12:03:56 #
Orphoto
Loc: Oregon
Finally if you pursue the highest levels of image quality you will usually wind up using fast primes.
Feb 1, 2021 12:24:44 #
Orphoto wrote:
Finally if you pursue the highest levels of image quality you will usually wind up using fast primes.
Fast low-element count primes for sure.
Feb 1, 2021 14:00:44 #
IDguy wrote:
Yes, certainly special applications for them. That is why they are available. But such applications are relatively few thus driving the high price.
I don’t agree that applications with moving or low light subjects or subjects where a limited DOF for subject isolation are relatively few - a quick look at the photos posted on any given day shows otherwise. And the higher price of faster lenses is driven by many more factors than the smaller number produced - they include larger and higher quality optics, more robust build quality and likely more extensive QA. All the pros I know are shooting fast lenses, and they know the reasons why even if they’re not applicable to the type of work you do.
But we can always find something to disagree about.
Feb 1, 2021 14:14:14 #
photoman022 wrote:
Why do I like my Tammy 28-75 f/2.8?
4. People think I know what I'm doing when they see me with a lens like that!
4. People think I know what I'm doing when they see me with a lens like that!
Don't you mean "photographers" not "people"? People probably don't care and anyway, they lack the expertise to know anything much about "a lens like that". Before I got interested in photography, the only thing I thought about lens was that they were like male sex organs, ie bigger is better. :-) Harry
Feb 1, 2021 14:18:20 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
If people envy your gear, that's worth something, isn't it?
lol!
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.