Feel like I'm learning so much
 

in my photography class. I finally shot in raw for the first time this week and I think its really awesome. I just got a 30 mm 1.4 lens and its so fantastic. I was trying to decide between the 30 and 50 mm 1.4 and end up going with the 30 after talking to several photographers. Its a great multipurpose lens for everyday stuff.

So, I had to share some pictures. (btw, I didn't use any actions on these, just played with the raw settings)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...f/firstraw.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...17-2009-55.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...17-2009-40.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/v_usaf/raw2.jpg

I LOVE my 30mm 1.4 lens. It's what I use about 99% of the time.

Great photos!

Beautiful pictures. Congrats on shooting in RAW and the new lens.

Great pictures!

beautiful pictures... I use my 50mm 1.4 all the time but the 30mm 1.4 is on my wish list.

Oh I love that last picture the best!

Amazing!

I love the leaf one!

gorgeous!!! <3

Gorgeous photos Vanessa! I would love to have the 50mm 1.4 or the 30mm 1.4, my wish list is never ending lol!

Really beautiful! I use my 50, 1.4 all the time! And I always shoot in RAW - love being able to make adjustments.

Gorgeous shots!!

Gorgeous! I haven't made the leap to shooting in raw yet, but love editing my jpegs in camera raw! :)

gorgeous photos...now you're making want that lens :)

THanks girls!

Beautiful pictures!

great photos - wow! You ladies with the 30mm - is it a canon brand or sigma or what? I'm in the market for a new lens for christmas and this one has me intrigued. I really prefer prime lenses but my 50mm is almost too long for pics inside the house cause I'm constantly backing up....

I have the Sigma 30mm 1.4. As far as I know Canon doesn't make a 30mm prime lens, they have a 28 1.8 and 35 f2. But I wasn't too impressed by the photos I saw with the 28 1.8 and everything I read was that the Sigma was actually sharper than it. I can't say I've regretted my decision at all in the 2.5 years I've had this lens.

Oh and I switched to the 30mm lens because I had the same problem using my 50mm lens. I missed a lot of shots because I was always having to back up. I'm much, much, much happier with the 30mm length. :thumbup:

I just bought a 50mm 1.8 today, because honestly, that was what I could afford, and I really needed a new lens. As soon as my dh is back to work, I'll be getting the 30mm 1.4. I'm already loving the one I got though....a thousand times better than what I had on my camera, and it will be perfect for my trip next week!

Beautiful pictures!
I need to get a few new lenses...but they are sooo expensive. ugh.

Yep, its the Sigma, Canon doesn't make one.

I had a 50 mm 1.8 awhile back, and it was not bad, but my house is small and it was way too close up when taking pictures of the kids in the house. I like this one so much better.

Just beautiful!! :)

Gorgeous shots Vanessa! I had put my 50 mm away for a while, in favor of my Tamron, but I just pullled it out the other day and fell in love all over again! Now I'll have to take a look at the 30 mm!

I use my 50mm 1.8 ALL THE TIME. My husband hates it because he's used to zooming in and out, but I am slowing converting him. I do agree with the boxed in feel, especially indoors, and had been looking at the 35mm 2.0 - until you all mention this 30mm 1.4! I will definitely check that out.

As a s/o question - what do you all recommend for very wide angle and for zoom on a modest budget? Modest being in the $500 range I think. We're just not at a point to make a huge investment.

The 50mm (and likely the 35) cover a lot of my needs, but sometimes I want a really grand landscape shot and sometimes I want to get in close to something far away... both of these occurring during travel.

My photography teacher is the one that actually recommend the lens to me. He says because of the crop factor (lots of stuff I didn't understand), that a 30 mm lens on like a rebel is actually a normal lens and a 50 mm is starting to be more of a long lens.

I haven't taken it off my camera at all since i got it. I really love it. I looked and sigma makes the same lens for nikon too, $439.

Yes, that's what I've been reading - that for true 50mm (not that I ever used a film camera) on a 1.6 crop factor camera you should be looking at 28, 30 or 35mm. The 30 definitely gets you closest.

I'm now browsing the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 for landscapes. It is about the same price as the 30mm 1.4 -- just for a different purpose really. I certainly know what will be on my wish lists for many years - lenses!

Nikon makes a 35mm 1.8 lens for $219 that autofocuses with the D40/D60s. It's on my wish list. :)

I just emailed my dh that link for the 30 mm lens. ;) Christmas is coming up! :)

My house is tiny too and I can't always get far enough away with my 50 mm to make it work even though I loooove the look of the pictures I get from it. :thumbup: Sounds like the 30 mm will do the trick. Thanks for the suggestion!

What it sounds like you need is a good walk-around lens. Canon has two new zoom lenses coming out that you might want to look in to:
EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM ($800)
EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS ($500)

The second lens would definitely give you both the wide end and some zoom. Those prices are MRSP so they might actually be a little less than that once the reviews and everything come out.

I have the older 17-85 IS lens that I think these are replacing and while it's not a super great quality lens, the focal length is perfect for when we travel.

I don't require both issues to be satisfied by one lens. In fact, telephoto is just a nice-to-have. However, my husband finds having to change a lens totally annoying.

I am more interested in wide angle landscapes (hence the 10-20mm ultra wide angle interest) and great depth of field but not too boxed in on portraits (hence the 28/30/35mm faster lens interest) while he wants to not have to think about anything.

Perhaps instead of looking for a walk around lens that would satisfy both of us, I should just get him a compact point & shoot!