Why use an AF lesn for zone focusing? One of the best (according to Photodo tests) 50mm lenses ever made by anybody is the SMC Pentax-F 1.4/50mm - or the 1.7. This lens will sell for appr. 100 USD. It's worth it. I have the FA 1/50mm wich is excellent. The differences I don't know (F/FA). PErhaps something about transfering info to the camera body.
Why not go on using wide angles 24mm or 35mm? Regards Jens Bladt Arkitekt MAA http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: Alan P. Hayes [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 2. august 2005 16:58 Til: [email protected] Emne: Need advice on picking a 50mm AF lens Sending this twice, 'cause I have a suspicion that my other mail address doesn't make it through. If others are seeing it twice, I'd appreciate it if someone would let me know. **************************************************************************** ** I've been thinking about getting a fast 50mm F or FA for my istD for shooting at county fairs and carnivals. I've been using a 24 f/2 mostly for the night stuff. I've tried shooting with a 50 f/2 A lens I have with less than satisfactory results. I mostly zone focus, which works fine with the 24, but not too well with the 50. My questions are: Will the AF work in this kind of light? Are the 1.4s likely to be worth the extra they cost? Roughly how much pricier are they likely to be? Is there any real functional difference between F and FA lenses? Here are a couple of samples of the sort of thing I'm trying to take pictures of. <http://www.ahayesphoto.com/figurestudy/pages/IMGP5188.htm> <http://www.ahayesphoto.com/figurestudy/pages/IMGP5167.htm> These are both at ISO1600, 1/60, wide open with a Kiron 24 f/2. Probably underexposed one to two stops. That's fairly typical. My main concern isn't the light, but being able to focus with a somewhat longer lens while shooting from the hip or off a painter's extension pole! -- Alan P. Hayes Meaning and Form: Writing, Editing and Document Design Pittsfield, Massachusetts Photographs at http://www.ahayesphoto.com/americandead/index.htm http://del.icio.us/ahayes
