Nifty Fifty Showcase

[pdxflint]

A fixed lens is about speed, size, weight and price that a slower, larger, heavier, about 10 times more expensive zoom lens cannot match, albeit being more versatile for certain situations.

You use one for some things and you use the other for some others. They don't need to butt heads.Is that a quip about Canon moving to EF?

Thanks for the lesson... I actually didn't realize all that. If you look back in the thread, the question about the 17-55 f/2.8 maybe negating the need for the nifty-fifty was asked--so I responded with my experiences. Pretty simple, really. But, I do appreciate your help clarifying things.

It was a somewhat justifiable way to usher their camera system into an all electronic system without carrying the excess baggage that mechanical systems had. Everyone else is actually following suit and doing the same thing Canon is doing now, except Canon did it about 23 years ago.

The EF system is actually able to take Contarex, Contax RTS, Leica R, Nikon F, Olympus OM, Pentax K, M42 and some other lenses with simple adapters that do not hinder image quality in any way. So in essence, any of those "manual focus old school" lenses that you may want to use on your Nikon, you can on a Canon And it will actually meter on every Canon body, which is something that can't be said on Nikon unless you have a D300 body and above. Talk about Nikon's legendary compatibility.

And for the record, it's FD not FB.

...sorry, nice try-- but you're not going to draw me into some Canon vs. Nikon battle, since I've used both, and like them both. Thanks for correcting my error on the FB/FD nomenclature. I'm glad you've got my back.

I once was a Canon shooter back in the early days of the EOS system, and liked it a lot. I completely understood the history, and the reasoning for why Canon did what they did back then, which is why I actually chose Canon at the time. But, again, thanks for reminding me, just in case.
Once going digital, I ended up investing in the Nikon system. Subsequently, I have enjoyed being able to use some legacy manual focus lenses on my D300, and simply was suggesting that might be something the OP might consider, until I remembered the mount change...(you can label it a quip if you choose that viewpoint, but it really wasn't...) However, you brought up a terrific point--the adapters (you might always find a free one somewhere...) So, my original suggestion is now back in effect, thanks. It's always good to have historical context, right?

 

[Hutch98R1]

For the price I don't think you really need to debate the purchase.

Even if it was $200, I'd still agree!

 

[gødspeed]

Just dropped $450 on a manual focus Nikon 50mm f/1.2 AIS + EOS body adapter, for use on my Canon 7D. Will post initial impressions when it arrives, but everything I've heard suggests this is one of if not the best nifty fifty you can get. Won't be missing AF, as I mostly do video, and often prefer manual for stills too.

 

[.mark.]

Happy Liberation Day, Mark!

Got any shots of Jersey Black Butter?

mmm...

Thanks! No shots of Black Butter but maybe I'll do one soon for you!

 

[funkboy]

The lenses I have been debating for my general replacement are:

• Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
• Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR ZL Di LD
• Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
• Sigma Zoom Super Wide Angle 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC

Any thoughts? I've pretty much sold my self on the fact that I'd rather get something a little more versatile than the nifty fifty.

Just get the nifty 50 anyway

if you've got the budget, the new Canon 15-85 IS USM and Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 VC are both excellent.

 

[funkboy]

There is an EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II USM There are a few different versions of the 18-55mm.

I think you failed to see my point; I meant a USM II version of the IS lens, so that the name would be absolutely as ridiculously long as possible, possibly giving Tamron a run for their money in this department (can you say "SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II VC LD Aspherical (IF)" three times fast?!?). Well, they could make it longer by doing a DO version, but somehow I don't see that happening <grin>.

And Canon having digital full frame bodies for much longer than everyone else would probably rather see you buy into a full frame system than make a fast, inexpensive, fixed lens for crop users.

Sadly, I think you may be right in this regard.

Or they just expect you to buy the EF 35mm f/2 which serves the purpose just fine on crop systems. There is no hole to be filled according to Canon.

Surely they see the market potential being gobbled up by Zeiss et al. for high-quality fast primes... Using the briefcase-phone Beta-VCR era plastic micromotor primes for MF & video is really no fun if you've ever had your hands on a Zeiss or Voigtländer, or even lenses like the 85mm f/1.8 USM (of course USM & L primes don't really have adequate focus travel for video, but at least they feel great and have lots of diaphragm blades).

 

[funkboy]

Thanks! No shots of Black Butter but maybe I'll do one soon for you!

Maybe some of your awesome tomatoes would be more photogenic <grin>.

Are there still any farmers growing Channel Islands strawberries? We didn't find any the last time we were in Guernsey but it was still early in the season.

Sark's liberation day is the 10th:

Yes, that's a tractor race in the background .