**For those of you who do not care about lenses, or do not have an SLR, skip to the bottom for info on the photo link-love**
Last week I talked about taking photos in low light. I mentioned something about a “faster” lens. I also mentioned that I had one of these faster lenses.
A faster lens will change your life. OK, maybe it will not change your life, but it will sure change your photos.
The lens I have is the Canon 50mm f/1.8. They also make a 50mm f/1.4, but I am cheap frugal. For my purposes, the f/1.8 suits me just fine.
If you have no idea what I am talking about, or what those numbers mean, stay with me.
I will explain myself! With photos!
Do you remember the Foto Friday post explaining aperture? No? Me neither. Why don’t I copy the part that is relevant to today’s post?
Smaller f-stop numbers mean that the lens has a larger opening and that more light hits the sensor. Because THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER.
Larger f-stop numbers means that the lens has a smaller opening and that less light hits the sensor. Because THAT ALSO MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER.
Basically…the lower the f-stop number you use, the larger the opening and the more light that hits your sensor. More light = FASTER LENS.
The standard 18-55mm lens that comes with your camera usually has f/3.5 as the lowest f-stop number. The difference between f/3.5 and f/1.8 is pretty phenomenal.
As I also mentioned in my aperture post, the smaller f-stop number allows for a smaller portion of your photos to be in focus while the rest is blurry.
Remember the Wordless Wednesday I did with Emily playing peek-a-boo?
Those were taken with my camera’s f-stop set to f/1.8.
I had a friend ask me if the small point of focus/large amount of blur is all that the lens is good for. The answer is NO!
The reason being that if the further you are from the subject of your photo, the more that your subject will be in focus. Let me show you what I mean.
Miss Emily thinks she is a big girl now and wants to sit on the chairs at the end of our kitchen island. I cannot leave her side for a second, but the 50mm lens means I cannot go far.
Here she is swiping some of her brother’s water.
Then she does what she likes to do when she gets hold of water in a cup that does not have a stopper.
This is why HER cup has a stopper.
I tell her to stop pouring water. She looks impressed.
And then does it again.
The teenage years? They should be fun.
See how more of her is on focus, but the background is still blurry? It was a dark and cloudy day, but my lens is fast! Whee!
In addition to just being a rock star lens, the 50mm lens gets even better. Heather at Nabbalicious told me about this extension tube. It turns your lens into a macro lens. You can be THISCLOSE to things and take macro shots of them.
That tube is in first place on my Christmas wish list.
Side note:
I had a few people ask about the ornament photos on Wednesday. I used the 50mm lens. To get the blurry light effect, I set the camera to f/1.8. To get the sparkly lights, I put it on a tripod and set it to f/22 (The shutter stayed open for 3.2 seconds, and there is no way I could do that shot free handed.)
I think that Foto Friday will take a break until the New Year. I pretend to have a life outside of the Internet. With Christmas concerts (plural!), possible travels, and all of the baking I need to make and eat give away, I would like to just blog when I feel the need to. No obligations. Does that not sound divine?
NOW FOR THE PART WHERE EVERYONE CAN PLAY!
Blogging is about community. One way to promote community is to give shout outs to each other. I’m too lazy busy to do a good job of it, and you peeps told me that my Flickr pool was a good idea.
Dig up your favourite photo. Taken by YOU. It can be of you, your kids, your cats, your favourite meal or drink…whatever suits your fancy.
Join the “My Internets” Flickr pool.
Write a blurb about you, or the photo, or whatever you want. Think of it as the introduction you are giving to new people so that they will want to come and get to know you better.
Make sure you include your URL. If you don’t know HTML, I can help you so links to your site.
If you do not want to join Flickr (It’s FREE! And then you can add me as a friend and see all of my photos!), email the above to me.
dutchblitzinATgmailDOTcom
I created a Flickr badge (Thanks to Loralee’s suggestion. Another reason to love that girl.) of people in that group, so as to share the link love. Look to the right.
This should be fun! More linking! Wheee!
Have a super Friday, everyone. Only eighteen days until Christmas!
Awe. I love linky-love. You rock.
I may totally have to borrow the idea. I have been at SUCH a loss for what to do about the whole reader/blogroll thing.
I cannot for the life of me be as cool as Kerfloppy and OMSH, but this is RIGHT up my ally.
Would you be annoyed? I’d give linky loves back, of course!
I would not be annoyed AT ALL. It’s the easiest link-love ever! I’m sure I wasn’t the first to do it…or the last
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Funny that you should mention lenses. I’ve asked Santa (aka Brian) for a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 D AF Lens! Boy oh boy, I’m SO stinkin’ excited! I’ve already tested that lens with my camera in the store and wow, I was speechless! I’m looking forward to it;) AND I’m with you, I want that macro too for my earring pictures!
God, I LOVE all this camera talk!!
Enjoy your “break”. I’m thinking of doing the same, and I’ll be adding my picture to the pool here soon:)
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I like the camera talk as well!
I kind of figured the internets group was about the linky love, good move! And I guess I had better whup up that English Toffee recipe and send it off before Friday! OH, wait, that’s today!
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The nifty fifty lens is DEFINETLY on my Christmas list. I’ve read up on a bazillion different lenses, and I have not read one bad thing about it, except maybe, that it’s toast if you drop it.
Lovely photos my dear! Just lovely.
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oh, it doesn’t have to be of just me… cool. THAT I can do.
Love the pics of Emily! Such a sweet little firecracker!
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The 50mm is one of my FAVE lenses by far! Love the pictures
I need to add somewhat of an “intro” to my pic, I just added it quick last night before dozin’
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You have to let me know how well the extension tube works. I am definitely getting the f1.8 lens soonish and I was considering buying a separate macro too but if this works just as well, why spend the extra money, right?
Pick one photo? Hmmm. this could be a challenge.
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Because of you I am now rampantly buying lenses. I’ll be sure to tell Visa where in Canada to send my credit card bill.
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Oh, I remember your aperture post. Because it’s the post that helped me figure out the aperture settings on my camera! You see, I learn by watching and doing. I cannot pick up a manual and figure it out that way. I’m glad YOU CAN and I can learn from you
Emily looks like such a big girl sitting there with her sippy!
p.s. thank you for helping me figure out that simply function on Flickr
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Heh. I do that to myself all the time. Dump my drinks on my (brand new, clean) shirts.
Thanks! for the invite to My Internets, by the way. It’s a really fun idear.
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Hmmm, I thought I had added a photo to the Flickr group, but maybe it didn’t work?? I’m a Flickr virgin, so perhaps I mucked up?!
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i am SO there!
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What cute pics of Emily, she looks so grown up sitting on the chair like that… well minus the pouring water down her front, grown ups don’t do that… well most of the time we don’t.
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I’m so not smart enough. I have a Flickr account and I joined the group, but how do I add a photo that I select to describe? Or is it the photo that you select as your profile picture? I totally shouldn’t be allowed near computers, I know.
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I purchased the 55-250mm IS lens from Canon but there’s been a delay in the shipment. Or something. Anyway, my local Canon shop lent me the 50mm 1.8 till my 55-250 gets here. Oh sweet mother. It’s fantastic. I may have to buy this thing. Evil, evil Canon peeps.
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P.S. There are close-up filters that can turn lens into macro lens. I’m pretty sure I’ve told someone this before already. I’m just hoping it’s not you so I wouldn’t be redundant. Haha.
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Love the pictures of Emily – so cute!
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ohh this post has helped me so dang much since im on search of a new cool lense!
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