Ordinarily I wouldn't be in the office, however occasionally certain sacrifices need to be made 😉 Leaving for HOST exhibition the day after tomorrow, and I need to get all my sheet together before exiting stage right...so putting in some time. When I leave, the slate will be clean. Re lens (now I am having a break before switching off and going home): Canon offers 3 x 50 mm lenses The f1.2 costing I think somewhere around 2 g's local pricing The f1.4 USM costing around $465.00 local, and The f1.8 STM (latest new arrival) costing around $165.00 local, and the f1.8 II (just superseded and there is still some stock) costing $145 local. All can be had for considerably (% wise) less if prepared to buy imports etc. but in real money, saving say $20.00 to $30.00 to make say a $150.00 purchase is silly...especially as you then have to wait for delivery, when you can walk into a shop and buy over the counter and have it now. Depends on individual priorities, and of course there is more difference dollar wise on the more expensive lenses than there is on the f1.8. The f1.8 is the steal of the bunch because the diff between the resulting images from it vs the f1.4 is not so great as the difference in the price. BUT....the build quality of the f1.8 is commensurate with its great (low) price and it is said that one inadvertent, light bump can result in a lens in pieces. So I have bought the f1.4 because I want a lens that is still in one piece when I travel and take it out of the bag. After all that, the difference in all the lenses as well as any differences between the canon and nikon equivalents (which are rated better in all the internet reviews) can be filed in the waste paper bin because it will all depend on the operator and what he she is doing, his/her capability, and the subjects, to get real life photographic results. I am sure you (GK & Brett) can get far better results out of my canon gear than I can ;D, meaning just like with coffee machines, there is a lot of value in the operator and to quote Brett from another thread, just cause you own a stradivarius doesn't make you a musician ! Actually, I should say that when I was in Mexico City in May I went to the Arts Centre and there happened to be a photographic exhibition on. Unfortunately I cant remember the fellows name but he was a street photographer active from before WW2 to maybe the 1970's and he toted a simple old 45 mm fixed lens 35 mm whatever camera around and took the most unbelievable photos I have ever seen. Especially the ones during the war and the various revolutions that took place in various countries. Fantastic shots of the people. But it is nice to play with the gear.... Cheers for now, A. Oh I should have said...there is one other nifty fifty for those that need to be really budget conscious. The Yongnuo 50 mm f1.8. You can buy it from someone that has stock in Sydney for $82.00 so is a relatively "local" delivery, maybe $10.00 less for an import. The reviews are interesting, especially those comparing it to the canon f1.8 STM which costs double, or the nikon for maybe a little more. For the price it could be said to be the steal of the century..... !
