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disappointed in my Nikon 50 mm 1.8
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Jan 27, 2016 12:02:49   #
kenpic Loc: Edmonds, WA
 
Finally broke down and got my "nifty fifty", a 1.8. (wanted the others, but didn't want to spend the money.) Took it to shoot a highschool basketball game last night, and did not have good luck. There seem to be a delay between when I pushed the shutter and when the camera took the photo. I am used to shooting with my 24-70 (2.8) and my 70-200 (2.8) with their quick release. Did I get a defective lens, or am I just getting what I paid for? (all plastic and inexpensive). Should I take it back and exchange for a 1.4? Will I get a better result? I am shooting a D700 at ISO 6400. The shots I took are properly exposed, just late.

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Jan 27, 2016 12:19:11   #
rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA
 
Do you have your camera set to only fire the shutter when focus is confirmed?

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Jan 27, 2016 12:28:01   #
Capture48 Loc: Arizona
 
kenpic wrote:
Finally broke down and got my "nifty fifty", a 1.8. (wanted the others, but didn't want to spend the money.) Took it to shoot a highschool basketball game last night, and did not have good luck. There seem to be a delay between when I pushed the shutter and when the camera took the photo. I am used to shooting with my 24-70 (2.8) and my 70-200 (2.8) with their quick release. Did I get a defective lens, or am I just getting what I paid for? (all plastic and inexpensive). Should I take it back and exchange for a 1.4? Will I get a better result? I am shooting a D700 at ISO 6400. The shots I took are properly exposed, just late.
Finally broke down and got my "nifty fifty&qu... (show quote)

are you on auto-focus? This is not really a sports lens anyway.

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Jan 27, 2016 12:48:01   #
mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)
 
kenpic wrote:
I am used to shooting with my 24-70 (2.8) and my 70-200 (2.8) with their quick release.


What does this mean? If you bought the 50mm f1.8 D your slow focus is due to the absence of a focusing motor in the lens. Your 24-70 and 70-200 have SWM motors and focus faster. If your 50mm is an AF-S model your problem is elsewhere. Is your focus priority selection set on release or focus? If it is set on focus your problem is not with the lens; it is with the camera not acquiring focus fast enough due to low light. Try pre-focusing or using manual focus.

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Jan 27, 2016 12:53:12   #
Rick36203 Loc: Northeast Alabama
 
If you have the AF version of the lens it may focus slower than the AF-S version. An AF-S lens is generally supposed to be quieter and faster at focusing than those that use the camera's AF motor.

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Jan 27, 2016 13:06:07   #
bjprovo Loc: Northeast CT
 
I used this lens with my D300 for five years and got great results. I camped along the baseline in a small cramped poorly lit high school gym and it was fast and sharp. Not sure what is wrong with yours but I used mine for exactly what you are doing and was very pleased.

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Jan 27, 2016 13:17:41   #
Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.
 
kenpic wrote:
Finally broke down and got my "nifty fifty", a 1.8. (wanted the others, but didn't want to spend the money.) Took it to shoot a highschool basketball game last night, and did not have good luck. There seem to be a delay between when I pushed the shutter and when the camera took the photo. I am used to shooting with my 24-70 (2.8) and my 70-200 (2.8) with their quick release. Did I get a defective lens, or am I just getting what I paid for? (all plastic and inexpensive). Should I take it back and exchange for a 1.4? Will I get a better result? I am shooting a D700 at ISO 6400. The shots I took are properly exposed, just late.
Finally broke down and got my "nifty fifty&qu... (show quote)


Were you in release priority or focus priority? Release priority allows the shutter to release whether or not the subject is in focus. Focus priority requires the subject to be in focus before the shutter will release.
The lens itself has no impact on the shutter releasing. Things like release and focus priority are set in the camera menu.
A fast lens doesn't mean that the lens itself is fast. It means it's aperture opens wide enough to allow a faster shutter speed. f/1.4 is faster than f/1.8 because f/1.4 is wider than f/1.8 the wider the aperture, the more light which allows for a faster shutter speed.
The 50mm f/1.8G lens is very good.
Have fun.

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Jan 27, 2016 15:07:29   #
kenpic Loc: Edmonds, WA
 
It is the AF-S model (G). I am shooting in auto-focus, and usually am trying to pre-focus where I anticipate the action is going to happen.

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Jan 27, 2016 15:26:09   #
martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida
 
Not Possible. In manual focus your camera will fire when shutter button pressed. In Auto Focus, If you focusing by manually adjusting your lens to said pre-focus spot, then pressing your shutter button at the perfect moment, your camera will automatically refocus, then fire, hence the delay. Either use manual focus and fire at said pre-focused spot, or leave in auto and follow subject, with shutter button half pressed, or back button focus, anticipate the right moment a split second before the shot you want, then fire. And this is Only possible if you understand all of the focusing settings and focusing modes your camera has and how to set them.
kenpic wrote:
It is the AF-S model (G). I am shooting in auto-focus, and usually am trying to pre-focus where I anticipate the action is going to happen.

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Jan 27, 2016 15:52:21   #
kenpic Loc: Edmonds, WA
 
I plan to shoot another game tonight and will do some more testing. May have to upgrade to the 1.4 version. I usually follow the action and have the button half way down. Works fine with my expensive lenses; just this slight delay with the new lens....

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Jan 27, 2016 15:56:12   #
Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.
 
kenpic wrote:
I plan to shoot another game tonight and will do some more testing. May have to upgrade to the 1.4 version. I usually follow the action and have the button half way down. Works fine with my expensive lenses; just this slight delay with the new lens....


I don't think you will find any difference in operation with the f/1.4. I believe the problems you perceive come from the way you have your camera set up.

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Jan 27, 2016 15:57:59   #
bjprovo Loc: Northeast CT
 
Try back button focusing. That way you are in control of the focus. You do not need a different lens. This one will do every thing you need.
kenpic wrote:
Finally broke down and got my "nifty fifty", a 1.8. (wanted the others, but didn't want to spend the money.) Took it to shoot a highschool basketball game last night, and did not have good luck. There seem to be a delay between when I pushed the shutter and when the camera took the photo. I am used to shooting with my 24-70 (2.8) and my 70-200 (2.8) with their quick release. Did I get a defective lens, or am I just getting what I paid for? (all plastic and inexpensive). Should I take it back and exchange for a 1.4? Will I get a better result? I am shooting a D700 at ISO 6400. The shots I took are properly exposed, just late.
Finally broke down and got my "nifty fifty&qu... (show quote)

Reply
Jan 27, 2016 15:59:10   #
steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA
 
kenpic wrote:
I plan to shoot another game tonight and will do some more testing. May have to upgrade to the 1.4 version. I usually follow the action and have the button half way down. Works fine with my expensive lenses; just this slight delay with the new lens....


1.4 won't focus faster, it will just be able to use a faster shutter speed (assuming you use a wider aperture). You need to adjust your focus mode and/or shutter release mode.

For starters, are you shooting f8 or wider?

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Jan 27, 2016 16:04:58   #
martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida
 
Important setting for your camera.. When using your Nikon, and wanting to capture focus on a subject moving towards you or away, your Focusing Lock Mode must be in the Off Position.. With Focus Lock On your camera will Lock focus for 1, 3, or 5 seconds, before Refocusing, depending on the setting you have it set on. This Only works if the subject is moving parallel to you. If the camera locks focus on a subject that is moving towards you it will be out of focus the moment the subject takes a step. Setting the focus lock to the Off position, the camera continues to adjust focus on the subject, as long as your shutter is press half way down. My birding Lens is F/4.5 to F/5.6 depending on focal length. I nail focus all the time with this lens. It's the way you set it up. Your lens is plenty Fast enough.
kenpic wrote:
I plan to shoot another game tonight and will do some more testing. May have to upgrade to the 1.4 version. I usually follow the action and have the button half way down. Works fine with my expensive lenses; just this slight delay with the new lens....

Reply
Jan 27, 2016 16:07:45   #
mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)
 
kenpic wrote:
It is the AF-S model (G). I am shooting in auto-focus, and usually am trying to pre-focus where I anticipate the action is going to happen.


If your 50mm FA-S lens takes longer to focus than your other two lenses there is something wrong with it. The 50 is a small lightweight lens with a very small 'throw' compared to the other two. It should focus faster, if the camera is set up the same way.

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