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My main reason for buying this lens was for low light shots. My intersts have changed to Lanscape/sunset photography.

I am curious if this lens will do the job.

What are good settings for sunset images? F/?

Should a neutral density filter be used also.

Thank You

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Canon 40D* Contax Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 28-85mm f/3.3-4.0 MM, 50 mm 1.8 MKII, Gitzo GT1931

Wishlist: Contax Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 MM, Contax Zeiss 21mm Distagon T*

F8 & F11 for best performance.

a ND filter is not a good option,unless you really need to "tame" the light & have a tripod

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Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
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I'm positive your 17-85 is better for sunset landscapes, and it has stabilisation

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

I seem to get a very dark landscape when I adjust my setting to not over expose the horizon. Won't a ND solve that?

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Canon 40D* Contax Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 28-85mm f/3.3-4.0 MM, 50 mm 1.8 MKII, Gitzo GT1931

Wishlist: Contax Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 MM, Contax Zeiss 21mm Distagon T*

Only if it's a graduated ND filter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduated_ ... ity_filter

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Canon 1000D, EF-S 17-85, EF-S 60mm macro f/2.8, EF 50mm f/1.8, Tamron 70-300, 430EX II

I agree on the lens - your 17-85 is better for sunset landscapes - and I am wondering about you being worried about the dark landscape - when taking a photograph of a sunset/sunrise. Isn't it about the sunset or sunrise - to me - if the landscape is viewable - then you have lost the coloration and beauty of the sunset.

In the canon manual - "When you use a tripod, the Image Stabilizer should be turned off to save battery power." - but other books do talk about the non needed for the IS on a tripod.

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Larry
"Have you hugged your pet today"
-Canon EOS Rebel XS
-EF 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
-EF 70-200 F/4 L (non IS) USM
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Citruspers, When I do landscapes, I never use stabilization because I'm always using my tripod. I don't know if you know this or not, and don't take offense if you do, but image stabilization actually causes vibration when its on a tripod. It tries to counteract the non-existent vibration, and in doing so, causes vibration. Like I said, I don't mean to imply that you didn't know, just trying to help out. Sorry for getting off subject.

MNstorm, you will appreciate the 17-85 more because of the wide angle. If you look at almost any sunset photo, they are all wide. You get a better feel of it. Also, if you have a 1.6x cropped body, your 50mm is actually 80mm, which is definitely not ideal for landscapes and sunsets. Find the sweet spot of that lens and you will be good.

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That's great Spawn, but not everyone carries a tripod around, all day
Also, the newer VR systems are designed to also work on tripods (VRII).

My point was, the 17-85 goes wide, and is stabilised. I would've missed a lot of landscapes if it weren't for those 2 features (albeit with the nikon counterpart).
Yes, the landscapes would be better if I had a tripod. But I didn't.

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

Stupid me, it never occurred to me that not everyone uses a tripod. haha I completely overlooked that when I posted that comment above. I didn't know about the new VR. I'm a Canon shooter so I don't even read up on Nikon anymore. Even if I did shoot Nikon, with the new VR II, I would still turn it off out of habit.

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If you have a good tripod I'd definitely turn it off. The less things moving on it, the better

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

Hm... there's really no point in using the 50mm prime for low light if you're using a ND filter...You're stopping down resulting in slower shutter speeds anyway. Like others have said, you might as well just use the 17-85 on a tripod.

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Hello, my name is Jay.
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@ SolarSanction

The only difference between using the 50mm and the 17-85mm is the focal length, given that you can't use an aperture of 1.8 for a landscape.

But yes, the 17-85 is much better for is shorter and wider 17mm.

The trick in sunset photography is to underexpose the sky to bring out the colours. A graduated neutral density filter is a must.

Or though you could shoot in raw and tinker in photoshop with masks and stuff.. but the result is never as good or satisfying as the ones achieved with a good filter.

Do not buy a 50mm 1.8 lens for landscape photography. In landscape you never use such big apertures. What really matters here is focal length and a wide angles are the best. Regardless of it's biggest aperture setting.

I know what the difference is. I was just stating that IF (theoretically speaking) you were to use a 50mm 1.8 in combination with a ND filter, then there's no point because you're going to end up with a slow shutter speed anyway. I mean, if youre going to be putting a filter on a 50mm, then mount it on the tripod because you can't hold it steady enough, then you might as well use a zoom lens.

My main point was that big apertures are great for low light and you wouldn't be using it to its full potential if youre stopping light from getting in (otherwise what's the point). Sorry, if what i said was misleading. Just my 2 cents on lenses with big apertures.

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Hello, my name is Jay.
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I disagree for 2 reasons:

-Using a ND filter on a 50mm lens at an aperture of 1.8 is not pointless. It's useful in any situation that requires a shallow DOF and a long exposure in bright conditions.

-You just cannot use a 1.8 aperture for landscape photography (the main reason the OP wants to use it for). The picture would be completely out of focus because at F1.8 you get a shallow DOF

In landscape photography everything needs to be in focus and to achieve that you normally use apertures smaller (Higher F number) than F8, regardless of the lens used and it's focal length (unless it's an ultra wide).

Your first reason, being true, doesn't really apply to this situation at all because, sunsets are usually almost considered lower than daylight conditions.

I apologize for the confusion, I was merely stating the general nature of this type of lens. I'm not saying that it's a rule not to use a filter with this lens, I'm just saying that you're not using the lens to it's full potential under LOW LIGHT situations given that you're shooting anything BUT landscapes.

Nevertheless, I think we can both agree that the 50mm f1.8 isn't the ideal lens for this kind of shooting (or so I hope)

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Hello, my name is Jay.
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