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5D Lens choices

Riley

New member
As a favour to a fellow photographer who's got a cash flow problem, I am in the process of acquiring a 5D full box and dice with a low shutter count. I am a real estate shooter and not all that endeared to Canon wides, so Im thinking of picking up an OM 18 and a 21, but looking toward other longer lens choices as well, perhaps even a 35-70 OM zoom, and I have some other OM stuff laying around and a few K mounts to fill in the gaps.

I just wondered what people might think of these choices from an IQ and operational standpoint. I figure MF wides might be rather easy work, set aperture and shutter and focus for hyperfocal distance off the scale, rack up the ISO to obtain an exposure as close to 1/3 stop underexposed as I can get. Use fill flash on camera to fulfill the rest.

This might give you some idea how its working for me on E3 with a 9-18 zoom using a single on camera FL50r flash in TTL.

E3, F4.5, 1/40th, ISO320, 9mm


E3, F4.5, 1/40th, ISO320, 9mm


E3, F4.5, 1/160th, ISO640, 9mm


E3, F4.5, 1/160th, ISO640, 9mm


E3, 1/30, F4.50, ISO640,9 mm


Im a bit at sea, so any advice is welcome...
 

LCT

Member
You'll get less DoF and more vignetting with full frame lenses. To get roughly the same FoV as half frame 9mm i would choose an Elmarit-R 19/2.8 (code # 11225) or smaller Super-Angulon-R 21/4 (code # 11813), Zuiko 21/2 or Zuiko 21/3.5.
 

LCT

Member
I forgot the Distagon 21/2.8 for Canon but i have no experience of it. Tempting for whom need full aperture metering IMHO.
 

Riley

New member
thanks for the comments folks
my problem isnt so much which lenses, but my impression of handling them in the above application.

thanks anyways...
 

LCT

Member
...I figure MF wides might be rather easy work, set aperture and shutter and focus for hyperfocal distance off the scale, rack up the ISO to obtain an exposure as close to 1/3 stop underexposed as I can get. Use fill flash on camera to fulfill the rest...
You're right but you'll get less DoF and more vignetting as i said above.
This means for instance that il will be more difficult to get everything sharp as in your half frame pics above. Using hyperfocal distance will give you an overall acceptable sharpness but some parts of the frame will be sharper than others and vignetting will affect more or less the corners depending upon the quality of the lens. FWIW.
 

Riley

New member
yes I understand that, 2 stops up on aperture, and 2 stops up on ISO puts it around the same place as my E3
 

LCT

Member
Some use 2 stops for APS so perhaps 3 for your E3 i don't know as i don't use half frame so far. Also you won't get full aperture metering if you don't use Canon or dedicated Cosina-Zeiss lenses but you know this already if you are the Riley i know from the LUF. ;)
 

Riley

New member
nah, 2 stops is about right
its 1/2 stop to canon APSC and 0.72 stops to Nikon APSC
i shoot manually anyway, well most of the time
with a few minor distractions
this was shot auto everything on my E3



yes that be me over at LUF too :)
 

Riley

New member
thanks John
I have looked at the CV21 of course, but man that suckers pricey!
In my research I fell over some interesting opinions of the Oly 18/3.5, and just today this one from OLP.

http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html

and more here, with some notes on focussing an OM on 5D

http://www.joereifer.com/words/?p=109

considering I can get the rather wider OM for less than $1k, I would have a budget for other primes. The FOV is important, as I need th 90 degrees horizontally for at least 1 lens.
 

Jonas

Active member
Hi Riley,

There is something here I don't understand: From all I have seen and read from you I gather you have a complete Olympus setup working very well. The E-3 is not for me but as I have said earlier it seems to work wonderfully in the UWA region and for anyone shooting real estate it must be a very good setup.

Helping a friend out and getting a 5D is good. But why spend all that money to make it replicate what your E-3 already does for you? The 5D has a somewhat quirky user interface, it needs more light for the same DOF and the advantages are few, imo.

I think FF is very much about DOF control, low noise and low light (fast shutter speeds). It is also great for general use incl landscapes and for everything where you want to PP a lot as the files are robust.

What of this is it you need for your work today? I guess nothing. You can help your friend and buy the 5D. Maybe buy, or borrow, an EF50/1.4 for a while as you contemplate the situation amd have some fun with the camera taking advantage of its strong sides.

I'm having great fun with my 5D and I wouldn't switch it against an E-3 - but I'm a happy amateur often shooting in the dark and fund of shallow DOF and blur.

regards, /Jonas
 

Riley

New member
Thats a good set of observations,....

at least some of it is guilt,
in a way my business success is sending this person broke, its a tough credit market at the moment, and this person is going to be completely screwed without just a little help and encouragement, so the first part is obvious.

And you are right about E3 and how that is working out, but there are other things in play. I want to create a path to insulate myself from housing market fluctuations, perceived or real, and at least make a start on another income stream. In the mean time I figure at least what some of 5D can do will materially help the real estate role, like dusk shoots, and more ambient light shot interiors.

What Im doing is very 'cut and dried' easy, and I feel the need to push a bit further into skills. I had thought about foveon or M8 as other platforms, but I think 5D is a better vehicle for this. Where it will take me Im not so sure, but I guess I will find out when it happens...

So its not all about helping someone out, theres plenty for 'me' in this too. As long as I dont end up in Afghanistan or something, I shall be happy in my indulgences :)
 

Riley

New member
ok I acquired a Contax 18/4 Distagon today,
so I guess that takes care of my widest needs
 
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