New Prime Lens 1.4/50 - Grainy results?

[strawbs77]

I got a new lens for my camera today. Its a prime lens 50mm F1.4

I tested it out today on F1.4 and the result looked very gainy. I am wondering if the lighting was too low or if I did something else wrong (maybe too close to subject) or if maybe the lens is damaged?



What do you think?

p.s... meet Ben! He is 8 months old and my son #4!

[Colin Southern]

Hi Cherie,

It's because it was shot at 3200 ISO.

[strawbs77]

HA! I forgot I was playing with the manual settings late last night....

It was my 1st investment since actually buying the camera and I was starting to freak out a little bit.

[Colin Southern]

HA! I forgot I was playing with the manual settings late last night....

It was my 1st investment since actually buying the camera and I was starting to freak out a little bit.

I've known a certain notorious professional photographer to do many worse things

[Amberglass]

Hi Cherie. What a cutie! Do take the time to read the operations manual for your lens(es) as well (i.e. it's minimum focusing distance). You can always double check what settings you dialed in by pressing the info button on the back of your camera.

But it's best for you to get yourself familiar how to navigate the top lcd screen via the primary and secondary command dials. Also do not forget about setting up "My Menu" window to add functions most commonly used (like format card, sensor clean, custom WB) so you don't have to "surf" the settings menus to find it.

[strawbs77]

But it's best for you to get yourself familiar how to navigate the top lcd screen via the primary and secondary command dials. Also do not forget about setting up "My Menu" window to add functions most commonly used (like format card, sensor clean, custom WB) so you don't have to "surf" the settings menus to find it.

I don't think my camera has a my menu? Is a Sony

I did make an important discovery today - the reset button!

I'm much happier with the results I am getting now. here is a quick shot of my mobile phone (and of couse the original was sharper before it was compressed)

[Amberglass]

I don't think my camera has a my menu? Is a Sony

I did make an important discovery today - the reset button!

I'm much happier with the results I am getting now. here is a quick shot of my mobile phone (and of couse the original was sharper before it was compressed)

Oh sorry Cherie, for some reason I thought you owned a Canon 40D. Thinking back, you have the Sony A230? Am I correct?

[strawbs77]

Oh sorry Cherie, for some reason I thought you owned a Canon 40D. Thinking back, you have the Sony A230? Am I correct?

No worries I have the Sony A330 - so you were close! I actually planned on getting the Canon 450D but walked out of the store with the Sony It was the tilt screen and the learning menu that sold me. I was terrified that I would regret it and be stuck with a camera I hated until I could afford an upgrade - so far so good (although I still day dream of upgrading to a higher Sony).

[rpcrowe]

A lens with an f/1.4 aperture is quite an asset because with today's high ISO capabilities, you can almost shoot "A black cat at midnight in a coal bin."

However, in photography we never get something for nothing. The payback for using an f/1.4 aperture is very slim depth of field (DOF is the area of between the near point and far point of acceptable focus.)

Here is a depth of field calculator which you can play with. Choose your camera, the focal length of the lens and f/stop used and the distance focused on.

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

As an example, I chose the Sony A700, A550, A500 as the camera (I don't know what model Sony that you are shooting), a 50mm lens, f/1.4 focused at two meters. You will see that the total area of acceptable focus is from 1.96m to 2.05m. That is a total of .09m or .04m in front and .05m to the rear of the focused distance. As you see, that doesn't allow much area in focus.

As you will notice, the area of acceptable focus is very slim in the picture of your handsome little boy. His eyes are in focus but, hardly anything else is in focus.

In order to get a more extensive DOF, you need to do any or all of the following actions:
Use a smaller f/stop (f/8 will give you almost a half meter in focus), a shorter focal length (when you use a prime, you are stuck with one focal length) or shoot from a further distance (five meters will give .56m in focus but, your subject will naturally be smaller).

Anyway, play with the calculator and it will give you a real-time idea of the inter-relationship between f/stop, focal length and distance focused on. The reason we included the camera model in the calculations is that different size sensors result in different depth of field when using the same parameters of f/stop, focal length and distance focused on.

NOTE: We don't always need or want the entire image to be in focus. Often we use "selective focus" with just the areas of the image to which you want to attract attention being in focus. How much of the subject or the image you desire to be in focus is a subjective judgement call.

[Colin Southern]

However, in photography we never get something for nothing. The payback for using an f/1.4 aperture is very slim depth of field (DOF is the area of between the near point and far point of acceptable focus.)

The Ef85/1.2L is even "worse" in this respect - put on the plus side, I have found that it's not anywhere as much of an issue if the subject is further away (eg shooting someone on stage, from the audience type distances).

[Amberglass]

No worries I have the Sony A330 - so you were close! I actually planned on getting the Canon 450D but walked out of the store with the Sony It was the tilt screen and the learning menu that sold me. I was terrified that I would regret it and be stuck with a camera I hated until I could afford an upgrade - so far so good (although I still day dream of upgrading to a higher Sony).

FYI, your camera is compatible with Konica/Minolta AF lenses besides Sony's own. I have an Aussie friend who upgraded to a digital Sony after moving on from Minolta film bodies. He already had a nice lens collection and didn't want to start completely over.