Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Updated: The Nifty 50

Hello everyone!

I've been so busy with heaps of things lately but I finally have the time to blog. This is something I recommend every photographer get whether you're an amateur or a pro, the 50mm prime lens. Its the lens I think should be in everyone's camera collection. Its a sharp, fast and very affordable lens to own. Its the only prime lens I have in my kit at the moment and it is without a doubt the sharpest lens I own and its 25 years old.

My Minolta 50mm f1.7 lens

Generally, prime lenses are very lightweight due to their construction so it wouldn't be as heavy as a zoom lens which makes it very easy to carry around with you. They're great tools for photographers as I find that it challenges the user to compose their images in the frame by moving around instead of zooming in like they would with a zoom lens. The 50mm is also known to be a good portrait lens and very popular among photographers for this reason.

 Minolta 50mm lens mounted on a Sony a350 body

These are one of the reasons why I love the Sony system. With the ability to use legacy lenses, old Minolta lenses work perfectly and with in body stabilization added, I'm able to use this lens at longer shutter speeds. Of course there are other versions of this lens that are faster from Sony and Sigma but you only need one and I got this for a really good price online.

I will be doing a few events this month and like I said before in one of my previous entries, its going to get busy! PMA is next month and I'm in the middle of booking my flight to Melbourne and perhaps staying there for three or four days, so expect a few videos on my youtube account where I'll be able to check out new gadgets, have the chance to talk to a lot of photographers and learn a whole lot from them.

Vivid Sydney is back for 2010 and I encourage everyone to check out the light show around Circular Quay and the Rocks because its going to be awesome! I went there so many times last year and I had a chance to meet a lot of photographers and experiment with my equipment. It was then when I really learned about what my camera was really capable of and for anyone that attends this, they won't regret going here. Vivid Sydney starts on the 27th of May and ends 21st of June so thats plenty of time to enjoy Sydney lit up in a creative and spectacular way.

Opera House - Vivid 2009

 To tech news, I am anxiously waiting for Sony's new ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera) due to be announced May 11, just in time for FIFA. I also had the chance to handle Samsung's answer to the micro four thirds camera, the NX10. When I was fiddling around with the controls and taking a few shots, I found that it was very slow to focus and still quite large in comparison to Olypan's (Olympus and Panasonic) cameras which was rather strange. Back to Sony, they really need to fill in their DSLR gap between the a550 and a850 which was once filled with their now discontinued a700. They need a top APSC body to compete with the Canon EOS 7d and Nikon d300s. I am patiently waiting for the a700 replacement (with a lot of many other photographers who have Sony) as my next camera body and then after that, I'll make the jump to full frame but that won't be for a long time. 

I shall leave it at that with my postings and I'll post my update to the 319 project before I go to sleep tonight.

Thanks for reading everyone and take care! =.)

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