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Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 | Any Good for Filming?

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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,164
Getting a T2i, and wondering if anyone has experience filming with this lens? Is this lens simply to cheap to be good, or have any of you gotten good footage with it? Please leave edits too with it. Thanks
Jan 20 2013 5:43PM
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p.hawks
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
it is decent, though many people complain about the focus ring, and it can be a hard focal length to use as your only lens, at least for skiing. I think it can be great for getting medium to medium close shots, and it is obviously decent at shallow dof and lowlight. What other lenses do you have though? If you want this focal length, I would suggest looking at a helios 44-2, or a smc/super takumar. The helios shouldn't run you more than $30 with shipping, and that is on the high end. You will need an adapter, but they are dirt cheap. the takumars are a little more expensive, same price range as the canon, but they are also great (I personally like the look of the helios, but I think a takumar may be in my future as well). If you want something for everyday, pick up an old 28mm or 35mm, or a 24mm if you can find one for the right price and want something a little wider. So all in all, the canon is fine, I just don't see much of a need for it when compared to these other choices, but if you like the look of it, its up to you
Jan 20 2013 6:09PM
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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,164
Thanks man +k, I will have to consider those options
Jan 20 2013 6:19PM
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[978]
Posts: 424 - Karma: 1,491
I havent used this lens, but from what ive heard its not bad for the price. only complaints ive heard is that its cheaply made/all plastic. personally im going to start looking at some 30mm primes because i jut feel like 50mm would be a little close for the kind of stuff im looking to do, but that's just me
Jan 20 2013 6:20PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
Idk why people are saying its not bad, and that its decent. In actuality, its a great lens for the price. I had one for a year and switched to a vintage 50mm. Its great for starters and has very good IQ.
Jan 20 2013 7:11PM
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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,164
Do you have any edits you could link me to of you using it? Thanks
Jan 20 2013 7:13PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
Im on mobile, but look in my profile and go to my "Summer 2011" video. That edit was shot 100% on it.
Jan 20 2013 7:14PM
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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,164
Awesome thanks. Looks great!
Jan 20 2013 7:21PM
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SSteezle
Posts: 9221 - Karma: 9,939
it's a great lens, the first minute of this edit (the night shots) were all filmed with the 50 1.8 on a t2i

Jan 20 2013 7:33PM
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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,164
Thanks man! +k
Jan 20 2013 7:56PM
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RawrRawrRob
Posts: 1841 - Karma: 685
Yep, very good for filming! It's always nice to see something other than fisheye/gopro for skiing. It's definitely worth it for filming, and of course pictures too. Drop down to 1.8 and you can get decent night shots. Just practise manual focusing with it and you'll be good to go!
Jan 20 2013 8:50PM
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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,164
Awesome thanks!
Jan 20 2013 8:53PM
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.qzyxya
Posts: 1479 - Karma: -26
Love this lens, great for filming as long as you use it right.
Jan 20 2013 10:35PM
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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,164
thanks for the reply. i think this lens will be purchased in the near future
Jan 20 2013 10:54PM
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.qzyxya
Posts: 1479 - Karma: -26
Also you can check out vintage glass, it works great as long as you don't need auto focus, and its really cheap. I think someone here's selling a pentax smc 50mm f2 lens, for like $25
Jan 21 2013 10:15AM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
. I'd get a 50 1.4, cheaper than the 50mm 1.8(on which the autofocus is near useless anyway) and if filming you wouldn't be using it anyway
Jan 21 2013 11:24AM
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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,164
Where could I find one of these?
Jan 21 2013 11:58AM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
eBay, there's few bad ones but I'm sure there's some, so ask somebody who knows about vintage glass if its good before you buy it
Jan 21 2013 11:59AM
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juicedrummer11
Posts: 1960 - Karma: 1,331
ive used the 50mm 1.8 plenty of times as well as the 50mm 1.4. i personally am going to get a 1.4 here sometime soon just because of the build and extra stop is worth it to me because i have a lot of low light filming situations. but for the price, the 1.8 is awesome for filming. i have used a friends 1.8 on a bunch of my latest projects and it is pretty sharp. the focus ring can be a little cumbersome but one you get used to it, its fine
Jan 21 2013 3:29PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Have you considered the sigma 30mm 1.4? I find 50 too tight a lot of the time when I'm needing a fast lens, and the dof at 1.4 will be unusable for a lot of things, I figure 30 would make it a lot more usable, but of course the 50's shallow dof would be an advantage to some, and the sigma has ring hsm, canon doesn't.
Jan 21 2013 3:42PM
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juicedrummer11
Posts: 1960 - Karma: 1,331
i haven't really looked into yet. that would be a pretty good focal length actually. i basically need a fast prime or two for weddings so i might have to check that one out. i just like the FOV on a 50 tho which is why im still kinda leanin toward it more
Jan 21 2013 3:46PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
Personally, i think a 35mm would be fun as hell to shoot on. Sometimes i find my 50mm to tight, but a 28 and 30mm not tight enough.
Jan 21 2013 3:56PM
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juicedrummer11
Posts: 1960 - Karma: 1,331
yeah i can see that. a 35 would be legit. maybe ill look around at some of those a well. cuz i am a fan of tighter shots most of the time but in some of the close shooting situations a 35 could be perfect
Jan 21 2013 3:59PM
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