Justin Black wrote: A fast lens isn't important. The pictures that you wish to make are important. If a fast lens is the tool that will help you make the pictures that you want, then by all means use one. If not... fast glass may not be necessary.
Photographers who only make traditional landscape pictures may never need fast glass. I used a 4x5 view camera for close to 20 years and only on a rare occasion made an exposure wide open and I was using lenses with maximum apertures of f/5.6, f/9.0, and f/11! Most exposures with the 4x5 were made at f/16, f/22, or f/32.
One of my most important mentors, Galen Rowell, routinely used those "amateur" zooms like the Nikkor 24-50mm f/3.3--4.5, and even the cheap little 28-80 f/4.5-5.6 kit lens. He made some great pictures that enlarge well to 32"x48" prints with those lenses, because after testing them rigorously he discovered that they were very good indeed when used between f/8 and f/22. The reason he sought them out in the first place was because they were very compact and light in weight, and he took them rock climbing, trail running, and mountaineering. Of course, he also owned fast glass like an 80-200 f/2.8, a 35mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.4, and 300mm f/2.8, but he VERY RARELY took any of those on self-propelled trips into the mountains. AFter reading so many Rowell stories, I can see why he would not always use expensive glass. A true master.
It's just a matter of selecting the right tool for your photography.
Why? on all your lenses? I understand having more light, but don't you ever want more of a DOF?
Of course, don't you ever want thinner depth of field?
I don't think the question was about the OP not wanting a thinner DOF. The question was more as to why photographers seem to always want a faster lens.
Do you and other photographer here, who shoot at 2.8, ever shoot a greater depth of field? F4? F5.6?. f8? etc...If not, why not?
f2.8 is very narrow, not much get be in focus.....unless your subject is completely in a straight line to be in focus for a f2.8.
Rob pix4u2 wrote: I shoot at 2.8 all the time shooting hockey-indoor sports demand the fastest lens possible
Awesome shots!
If those are shot at 2.8, why does it seem the net behind the player is a tad in focus? Here I always thought the subject is in focus, but anything behind it is more like a blur.
Actually more f-stops gives you more options in choosing the shot you want. Having the f/3.5- 5.5 is very limiting with lower light, and depth of field. I always like more options.
Rob pix4u2 wrote: I shoot at 2.8 all the time shooting hockey-indoor sports demand the fastest lens possible
Awesome shots!
If those are shot at 2.8, why does it seem the net behind the player is a tad in focus? Here I always thought the subject is in focus, but anything behind it is more like a blur.
How much DOF you have is determined not only by the F stop, but also by the lens's focal length & the distance to the subject...
denhim1 wrote: ... why photographers seem to always want a faster lens.
It's the upgrade. Almost everyone falls into one of two groups: those who need the upgrade, and those who want the upgrade. The gear has obsessed photographers since the very beginning. I've read accounts from the 1800s discussing gear, and if you just inserted the brands "Canon" and "Nikon" it would be like many posts you see today. Photography is a very technologically oriented activity. It attracts people who like fiddling and comparing the gear.
denhim1 wrote: Do you and other photographer here, who shoot at 2.8, ever shoot a greater depth of field? F4? F5.6?. f8? etc...If not, why not? f2.8 is very narrow, not much get be in focus.....unless your subject is completely in a straight line to be in focus for a f2.8.
My DOF is significantly influenced by three factors: focusing distance, focal length, and aperture. At macro photography distances f/11 can be razor thin. At the other extreme even f/1.4 has a hyperfocal distance where DOF becomes infinite behind the subject. I use all the f/stops at one time or another to control both DOF and exposure. A f/5.6 lens is fine if I'm working at f/5.6 or smaller aperture. It only becomes a problem when I need a large aperture. Like a lot of tools the one with more options is larger and more expensive, but if you don't need those options it might be smarter to go with the smaller, cheaper tool.
Not too long ago most 35mm SLRs came standard with a f/1.8 50mm lens. It's only since zooms got better and became so popular that f/2.8 is considered all that fast or narrow. There is plenty of shooting to be done above and below f/2.8.
Like Henry said it all depends on your subject, my landscapes require a greater DOF and so I will use F16 and hyperfocal distance the quality of the lenses is important.
Justin Black wrote: A fast lens isn't important. The pictures that you wish to make are important. If a fast lens is the tool that will help you make the pictures that you want, then by all means use one. If not... fast glass may not be necessary.
It's just a matter of selecting the right tool for your photography.
10
I am in full agreement with this. The photos that you wish to take are the over-riding factor and should dictate which lens/es you use. Yes, a lot of photographers go and buy the biggest/fastest/best/newest lenses on the market... If they are cashed up, then why not? Personally, I am on a pension and make do with what I have. A little bit of research (I LOVE Google) can always lead to a Forum where others are in my position. There are many ways of getting around the seemingly insurmountable. Playing with DOF & ISO speeds can be interesting to say the least, and I've certainly come up with shots that are at least on a par with the pro's at times.
Hope this is of some help to you.
Thankyou! Although i am sort of starting out. a great photo can be shot with a cheap lens. Some photos with the best equipment can be lifeless. i super boggled down with what lens i want. I don't have a budget problem but i wish for the thing to be small and light because I am tiny. so i think im stuck with getting maybe two prime lens wide angle and later tele photo i can't decide which!
Why? on all your lenses? I understand having more light, but don't you ever want more of a DOF?
Of course, don't you ever want thinner depth of field?
I don't think the question was about the OP not wanting a thinner DOF. The question was more as to why photographers seem to always want a faster lens.
Do you and other photographer here, who shoot at 2.8, ever shoot a greater depth of field? F4? F5.6?. f8? etc...If not, why not?
f2.8 is very narrow, not much get be in focus.....unless your subject is completely in a straight line to be in focus for a f2.8.
One of those reasons is thinner depth of field.
When the last candle has been blown out
and the last glass of champagne has been drunk
All that you are left with are the memories and the images-David Cooke.
denhim1 wrote: ... why photographers seem to always want a faster lens.
It's the upgrade. Almost everyone falls into one of two groups: those who need the upgrade, and those who want the upgrade. The gear has obsessed photographers since the very beginning. I've read accounts from the 1800s discussing gear, and if you just inserted the brands "Canon" and "Nikon" it would be like many posts you see today. Photography is a very technologically oriented activity. It attracts people who like fiddling and comparing the gear.
denhim1 wrote: Do you and other photographer here, who shoot at 2.8, ever shoot a greater depth of field? F4? F5.6?. f8? etc...If not, why not? f2.8 is very narrow, not much get be in focus.....unless your subject is completely in a straight line to be in focus for a f2.8.
My DOF is significantly influenced by three factors: focusing distance, focal length, and aperture. At macro photography distances f/11 can be razor thin. At the other extreme even f/1.4 has a hyperfocal distance where DOF becomes infinite behind the subject. I use all the f/stops at one time or another to control both DOF and exposure. A f/5.6 lens is fine if I'm working at f/5.6 or smaller aperture. It only becomes a problem when I need a large aperture. Like a lot of tools the one with more options is larger and more expensive, but if you don't need those options it might be smarter to go with the smaller, cheaper tool.
Not too long ago most 35mm SLRs came standard with a f/1.8 50mm lens. It's only since zooms got better and became so popular that f/2.8 is considered all that fast or narrow. There is plenty of shooting to be done above and below f/2.8.
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AFter reading so many Rowell stories, I can see why he would not always use expensive glass. A true master.
The gear has obsessed photographers since the very beginning. I've read accounts from the 1800s discussing gear, and if you just inserted the brands "Canon" and "Nikon" it would be like many posts you see today. Photography is a very technologically oriented activity. It attracts people who like fiddling and comparing the gear.
Google) can always lead to a Forum where others are in my position. There are many ways of getting around the seemingly insurmountable. Playing with DOF & ISO speeds can be interesting to say the least, and I've certainly come up with shots that are at least on a par with the pro's at times.
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