Shooting with a "nifty fifty" lens

[Expo_Seeker40]

Hey everyone. I've used my Canon Digital Rebel xti for quite a few years at WDW, finally I have purchased a "nifty fifty", the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens. Very light weight, and in my price range as I don't want to go for the f/1.4 just yet.

I will be going to WDW in February, and three things come to mind....photographing the "star windows" in the Space Mountain queue, Tomorrowland at night, and Cinderella Castle at night.

For those they may have taken pictures with this lens at night, or shot with a f stop of 1.8, I was wondering if what shutter speeds you were using and did you have to increase your ISO at all?

I won't have a mini tripod with me this trip, so I hope the large 1.8 aperture will help me greatly.

 

[PhotoDave219]

You will have to boost the ISO....

BUT...

You should be able to shoot at shutter speeds down to 1/15th of a second w/out a tripod. I'm not familiar with the XTI's performance at high ISO but you should probably be able to shoot at 800-1600 without a huge problem. 800 ISO at night should be fine.

Castle should be somewhere in the ballpark of ISO 800 @1/60-80th at 1.8.

You'll have fun. Dont overthink it. All else fails, aperture priority.

 

[E P C O T]

Void.

 

[Laura]

Your 50mm will be a short telephoto on your camera, so you will have to be quite a way from the castle if you want to fit it all in. Other than that, you should have no problems, it's usable at all apertures. Shutter speeds should be less than 1/60 sec to minimise camera shake. ie 1/125, 1/250 etc.

Mickey passing by in Spectromagic.

Wow, you did that with a 50 mm? How'd you keep the castle so sharp?

 

[E P C O T]

Void.

 

[Laura]

It was a combination of a high sensitivity (high ISO) and VR vibration reduction -plus the fact that the parade and castle are quite bright. A little sharpening was added for web use - but not much.

1/50th second @ f4.5, ISO1600, 43mm (18-200mm zoom) - Mickey is slightly blurred but the castle is OK on the original. No tripod - didn't take one - mistake.

Oh you did that at f/4.5? I was thinking you used f/1.8 and couldn't understand the lack of bokeh. Makes more sense now.

I love the angle too.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The hands with the cameras in the foreground make the photo for me...

 

[E P C O T]

Void.