TW Blog :: Archives for October 2008

Test Drive Canon 50mm f/1.4 Prime Lens

Relates to Photography

Finally got the chance to do a few test photographs with my Canon D40 and 50mm f/1.4 prime lens. These photos were all taken in natural light indoors on a very dark and gloomy rainy day - off course absolutely NO FLASH was used. I was really just experimenting with the speed of the lens using AV mode (aperture priority) with the aperture at its fullest to see how dark the lens can go.

This first photo was taken with light from the doorway illuminating the surrounds. The creamy background gives an indication of the darkness of the corridor where the next photo was taken. Benji captured at 1/30s @ f/1.4, ISO 320

This next photo was taken in the darkest part of the corridor with very little light. The AF struggled to find a focus for the shot, and due to the darkness I pumped the ISO upto 1600. But handheld still managed to come out with a workable photo at screen resolution. At higher resolution the image showed the grain inherent in the high ISO and blurriness from the slow shutter speed handheld. Benji in the dark corridor at 1/10s @ f/1.4, ISO 1600

These last two photos were taken by the window - the first on the sill and the second underneath in the projected natural light. It was still very dark and dreary overcast drizzle outside! They were principally a test of the shallow depth of field shooting with such a wide aperture which is clearly visible in the samples. Buzzie Bee captured on the window ledge at 1/80s @ f/1.4, ISO 320

Rattler Ball captured at 1 /20s @ f/1.4, ISO 320

In the Rattler Ball frame I tried the photo with an aperture around f/2.8 (since I had initially planned on getting the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom lens). The shutter speed was simply to slow to get any sharpness handheld. In fact even at f/1.8 the shutter was around 1/5s, leaving the image blurry.

My final test was capturing a photo of a book in the bambino's bedroom. The room was very dark and my eyes could hardly resolve the book. Using ISO 1600 with full aperture the camera had no trouble at all setting focus on the book and capturing a very workable image.

What can I say! I am blown away by the performance of this lens. I am very much an amateur DSLR photographer at the moment but it is clear to me that the Canon 50mm f/1.4 is a very impressive piece of glass and well worth the investment.

Posted on Monday, Oct 20, 2008 at 18:13:53.