Ruby With Fuji 56mm

[Steve Boykin]

I just got this lens. I don't know what to do with it. I'm either too far away or too close. I have never really used this focal length before. Plus at F1.2 the DOF is so shallow that it's really hard for me to take a good picture with. Anyway, I managed to take 8 photos today with it. Three of them were worse than these if that's possible. Definitely user error. The lens seems really great.

Those brown things on Ruby's head are dirt clods from a digging expedition she did earlier on the walk. I was glad she went swimming because she was just a giant dirt ball.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

That lens is superb Steve. As are the images. Beautiful animal.

 

[Steve Boykin]

That lens is superb Steve. As are the images. Beautiful animal.

Julian,

It's a really great (and expensive...sigh...) lens. It's probably too good a lens for me. I really struggled with the focal length today. I'm probably going to keep it, but I wonder if it is money well spent. I'm not sure I will use it much.

Ruby says "Thanks for the compliment!!" She's a character. Fearless when we are out hiking and terrified at home of an 8 pound cat we rescued named Betty. Admittedly Betty is a pretty tough cookie.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Julian,

It's a really great (and expensive...sigh...) lens. It's probably too good a lens for me. I really struggled with the focal length today. I'm probably going to keep it, but I wonder if it is money well spent. I'm not sure I will use it much.

Ruby says "Thanks for the compliment!!" She's a character. Fearless when we are out hiking and terrified at home of an 8 pound cat we rescued named Betty. Admittedly Betty is a pretty tough cookie.

Steve, I suspect a lens like that is very sellable if need arises. The way I look at it is as entertainment. I don't drink or have any social expenses. Photography is where all the spare goes and for the pleasure it gives, it is very good value.
Say thanks to Ruby and not to let Betty run the roost.

 

[Beth Carter]

these look pretty good to me. 56mm isn't one of my favorite focal lengths either, but i'm sure you'll figure it out.

 

[Pete Askew]

Perfectly OK shots but I can see that it is not your focal length yet. I miss the environmental context that you usually have with shots of the 'gang'. I suspect this lens would be good for details of buildings etc and more traditional portraiture.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Got to agree with Pete. Send it over to me if you like. Great dogs and a great lens.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Steve - I think it's just a mental thing - every time I get a new focal length, I have to re-train my brian

Takes a while, just keep shooting with it and it will click - I keep the same lens on for days and force myself to shoot with it 100% of the time

As for f/1.2 - very challenging in a non controlled environment - we will see dozens of posts on DPR in the coming months from people saying 'my new f/1.2 lens is faulty' etc etc due to soft images

Couple of technique suggestions:

Reduce the size of the AF box on the camera - to ensure you get exactly what you want in focus

Figure out the thing that's going to be sharp, the nose, eye, ear, etc - because most likely only one thing will be sharp!

Always put the AF box over the thing you want to be sharp by moving it's position before you shoot - using the old focus and recompose method will spoil most shallow DOF shots as the subject will no longer be in the focus plane after you recompose

Consider shooting f/1.4, f/1.6 or f/2 outside of the studio, You get the same sort of bokeh, better DOF, higher hit rate

Don't focus then pause before taking the shot - if you and/or the subject move at all in that pause, you're toast - do a test shot where you line up the AF box, frame comp and verticals etc - then for the actual shot just mash the shutter release so it does focus and immediate shot without any gap

Hope these help - technique with a longer fast prime is a killer