Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hey guys, my name is Kineyas. I go around the www with the same name so feel free to call my house phone and ask for "Kineyas". biggrin

I have the new Canon Rebel T1i, 18-55mm kit lens, 55-250mm, 50mm f/1.8, Speedlite 430ex II. I just got into the photography business May 2009, I did my first wedding photography the month after. I was an amateur so I did it for free ("word of mouth" marketing) and I've been shadowing wedding photographers and have been invited to do a couple more since then. I have to say that I have more respect towards wedding photographers now than I did back then, gosh you guys work HARD!

I got an invite to join this guild and I joined because I've been looking for a guild based on photography!

@cilayin: Do you mind if I ask why do you need the 85mm ($1800) and the 50mm($1300)?

I understand and I want an L lens also but if anything I'd get the 24-105 f/4.0 L, but that's a personal preference. Anyway, I can only think of a couple of things you would need an aperture that wide, but why would you need two of them?

Because those lenses are worth it.. They're both 1.2 and that's so useful especially with wedding photography. That extremely shallow DOF is amazing and just gorgeous for wedding photos, plus usually when youre doing wedding photography you deal with less than perfect (usually) lighting conditions so instead of going up to iso 800 or something, just shoot wide open at 1.2 and it makes such a world of difference.

As for the 24-105 f4, honestly I simply just don't like that lens. I really don't. I don't like the focal length, I don't like how slow it is and honestly THAT lens isn't worth $1000+.

Especially when you can buy a 70 - 200 2.8 for just a few hundred more.

Also personally I like to stick with prime lenses as much as possible or very short zooms with the exception of the 70 - 200 2.8. But I am saving up for the the 200 f2.

There's a great deal of difference (optically) from prime and zoom lenses plus primes are so much faster (generally lol) anyways. Although you do have a set focal length its worth it imo.

As for having the 50 1.2, and the 85 1.2 well they both have their unique qualities. It's not just their focal lengths however the 50 for me, to be honest is too much of a wide angle for most portraits.. Which is where the 85 1.2 comes in handy, I can get a much better portrait thanks to the tighter fov.. and it still shoots at 1.2 so its really fast.

But hopefully once I get the 200 f2 I'll be able to get those really tight shots i'm looking for with a really nice bokeh and fast aperture.

I've used both the 50 and 85 and personally I like them both and saying that they have the same "quality of glass and mechanics" isn't really true.

And they do have "unique" qualities. If you don't believe me rent both of the lenses or find someone that has them and test them. You'll see.

First of all the 50mm focuses faster than the 85, but the 85 has MUCH nicer bokeh imo, I don't have as much of a problem problem with distortion in the 85 as I do with the 50 and I've found that the 50 is a little sharper than the 85 but that shouldn't be news to you.. That's just what I've found in my own use.. And sure the 85 weighs a lot more than the 50 blah blah blah

So saying that they're the same isn't exactly true and on top of that you know.. sometimes you can't move anymore forward or backward, so it's nice to have that extra FL without compromising your DOF.

And personally, I dont know why you would pick a 24 - 105 f4 over a 70 - 200 2.8. I mean if you're doing some more wide angle shots its fine but I guess I just don't see much of a use of it with portraits. Let me stress "much of a use". I mean I know you can hit that 105 but still it 105 at f4 doesn't give you as nice of a bokeh as 200 at 2.8 and their price range isn't that far apart. I don't know, maybe it's just me. I guess I just don't see a reason to have it since I have basically a set wide angle, then some mid range primes and then some set telephotos. I've never, personally like having a lens going from wide angle to telephoto. I just hate it. But maybe it's just me.

I love the 85 1.2 haha heart twisted

But I also carry my camera gear with me everywhere as well. Then again I carry a lot more than what most people would ever want to - literally.

I carry my cameras with me also but the thing I love is... I got this Jansport bag several months back for only about $20 and It holds so much more than just my camera bodies, lenses, filters, cleaning supplies.

I keep a first aid kit in there and a survival kit and so many other things. It's great, It's been so abused and it hold everything I need.

Considering how much it holds and what it's been through it's amazing for the price.

I throw all my lenses in there, in one of the pouches inside I have all my filters, cleaning supplies, extra batteries, chargers, flashlights. I've also got two camera bodies in there, 4 or 5 lenses, a first aid kit, a small tool kit (Like holding a screw driver, scissors, screws, nails, etc), a tube tent, some notebooks, etc. It's just great to have just in case! And I can't tell you how valuable that first aid kit has been. I also carry hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol in these little spray bottles I got from Top Foods for like $.85, and it's great!

Plus it's great if I go camping, I just have everything right there with me! Cameras, lenses, first aid and other emergency supplies!!!

It's like a really cheap but really good backpack! Although it's not a backpack. It's like a shoulder.. bag.. I don't know what the bloody things are called.


But the 2 lenses I keep on my bodies that are in the bag by default are my 50mm 1.2 and a 50mm 1.4. It's kind of a sad story why but lets just say it involves a lot of police, a very hurt family, low light shooting and a lot of tears. I just keep them on by default because if I need to I can switch out for a telephoto but usually when I need a lens and I need it RIGHT NOW.. It's (for me) been in low light conditions so I need that 1.2 or 1.4 and the 50mm has proven, once again just for me, to be just the right focal length in most situations.

Freelance Jet, most people just call me jet.

I've been involved with photography for 8 years now.
Canon user <3
and always good to have other people interested around =)

My name is Zac.
I've been into photography for about 7 years, I like to take pictures just because.
I joined because I saw this in another guild and figured I'd join.

My name is Ella, My dad and me are vary into the arts....Ummm...I don't know what else to say..... I like taking pictures of objects that I feel have some importince to me. I also Like takeing pictures of animals.
I think thats it...