Getting a new lens.!!

[jaikapoor]

I bought my camera (200D) around a year ago and have been using the kit lens with it ever since, which has served me fine for a while. However I'd like to buy a lens with a lower f-stop so I can get bigger bokeh blurs in the backgrounds of my shots, and take better photos/videos in low light.

I'd be looking to get a lens with a preferrable f-stop of around 1.2-2.5.

I've been looking at buying the 50mm f1.8 lens, but was deterred from it when I found out that the crop sensor on my camera would effectively decrease the bokeh effect to something more similar to a lens with an f-stop of 3. Are there any alternatives that actually give me a 1.8 bokeh effect or are my options kinda limited because of the crop sensor?

Thanks!

[Waddizzle]

Buy the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. Ignore the DoF talk.

[MikeSowsun]

Some people like to apply the 1.6 crop factor to only the focal lenth, and a few apply it to both the focal length and aperture.

This is only done to try and compare the crop camera image to a Full Frame image. This is not necessary and just causes a lot of confusion and debate.  This is especially unnecessary since you don’t own a FF camera, or have ever used a FF camera.

Any f/1.8 lens you buy will be  much “faster” than any f/5.6 kit lens. The  Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a fantastic lens and you will be VERY happy with the amount of background bur you will get.

”Bokeh” is actually the quality of the background blur, and that is very subjective. Most experts say the bokeh quality of this lens can be a little busy, but don’t worry about it, because I am sure you will like what you see.

[ebiggs1]

"This is not necessary and just causes a lot of confusion and debate."

Boy, is that ever the most truthful thing ever posted on this forum.  Crop factor is totally a joke and a bad joke at that. A lens is what it is.  You know the medium format or 645 guys don't compare or worry about 'crop factor' although there is one. 645 is .62 for instance.

As to bokeh with the 50mm f1.8, you have to add the 'distance from subject' to the equation. Stand in the appropriate place and the bokeh comparison is the same.

Buy the ef 50mm f1.8 or the ef 50mm f1.4 and just enjoy it.    Look through your viewfinder and see the picture you will get.  Forget crop factor.

[mike21]

Don't forget that the EF 50mm 1.8 does not have anti-shake, so hand held you will need about 1/100 sec as with your camera it will be effectively 80 mm focal length. I got caught out the first time I used mine.

[MikeSowsun]

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@mike21 wrote:

Don't forget that the EF 50mm 1.8 does not have anti-shake, so hand held you will need about 1/100 sec as with your camera it will be effectively 80 mm focal length. I got caught out the first time I used mine.

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The OP wants to shoot at wide apertures like f/1.8 for blurred backgrounds, so fast shutter speeds should be no problem, even indoors. 

[TCampbell]

The amount of out-of-focus blur is based on the depth of field for the shot (and how far away those background or foreground objects are from the focus field).

It's controlled by:

1 - Focal length of the lens  (longer lenses have shallower depth of field)

2 - Focal ratio of the lens  (lower focal ratio has shallower depth of field)

3 - Distance to the subject  (closer focus distance has shallower depth of field)

Camera sensor size isn't "technically" part of the equation.  So why does everyone presume that larger sensor cameras produce more blur?

The answer has to do with the angle of view... and specifically how the photographers compose the shot based on that angle of view.

Since the sensor on an APS-C camera is smaller than a full-frame camera (by 1.6x), the angle of view (using the same lens) is narrower.  This tends to cause the photographer to EITHER ... select a shorter focal length lens (which increases the depth of field thereby reducing the background blur amount) OR stand farther away from the subject (which increases the depth of field thereby reducing the background blur amount).

It's a by-product of decisions the photographer is likely to make in response to the difference in angle of view.  If the photographer chooses to do nothing... so they use the same focal length lens, same focal ratio lens, and same focused distance to the subject... the depth of field does not actually change (you just get less stuff that fits in the frame.)

Confusing this is that some small sensor cameras (phones, etc.) will state "35mm equivalent" focal lengths on their specs.  But the phyics is based on true focal lengths (not "equivalents").  The sensor on most phones is very tiny chip and a very short focal length lens.  This can lead some people to think that it's the tiny sensor size responsible for the loss of background blur... when the reality is that it's the extremely short focal length on the lens.

Given that a photographer using the same focal length lens with a full-frame body *can* stand closer ... they usually do so it's no surprise that they get stronger background blur.  

[kvbarkley]

You forgot the "circle of confusion", which is related to sensor size - or at least photo-site size.

[John_]

I just put the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens on my Santas list from NewEgg at $267 now

[ebiggs1]

  Don't forget to let me know how you like it.