Maximize use of the equipment you have (Part Two). When I was in Hong Kong in October '97, the range of equipment I had with me then consisted of one EOS-1N w/PDB-E1, Speedlite 540EZ and three EF lenses: EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM, EF 50mm f/1.4 USM and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM plus the EF Extender EF 2x. Why the 50mm lens? Lens speed and compactness were the reasons since film choice was mostly ISO 100 version despite the presence of the EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM zoom lens. The two large aperture zoom lenses were great for most shooting conditions, including some low-light situations, but the 50mm lens was two stops faster than both, at f/1.4, which made a lot of difference for ISO 100 film. Shooting at 1/15 or 1/30 sec. at f/2.8 with the EF 28-70L zoom lens wasn't much of a problem at any of its focal lengths but with the 50mm, I can use shutter speeds of either 1/60, 1/125 sec. or higher for the same low light situations encountered. The interiors of Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok international airport shown below were photographed with the 50mm lens. Interior of HK airport TVs displaying arrival/departure times     Scene from one of the check-in counters Outside one of the duty-free shops     The first photo was shot at f/5.6 - the condition was bright enough for this setting. The remaining three photos were shot at f/1.4. Using the 50mm, one can try to imitate the photographic viewpoints of both wide-angles and telephotos - the difference being that you have to walk back further for the former and to get closer for the latter. The candid shot of the man looking at the watches was photographed at a shutter speed of 1/15 sec. While a longer focal length of either 100mm or 200mm would be better for such pictures, the f/2.8 aperture would not have been able to prevent camera shake with the slower shutter speed. Inside the MTR station Reflection off the windows     Dim Sum truck Shot at 28mm The photo inside one of HK's MTR subways (above) was shot with the EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM zoom lens. The same goes for the reflection off the bus' windows as well as the other two photos of the truck advertising Dim Sum and the other one carrying bottles of drinking water (shot from atop an overhead pedestrian bridge). All four photos were shot at the 28mm focal length of the zoom lens. << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 .