Fill flash and "bokeh"

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Patrick L - 17 Apr 2006 21:52 GMT

Need a lens for my 20D which will, on a bright sunny day, allow me to
shoot at f/4 or so, use high speed sync fill flash with the 580ex, getting
me close enough to the subject for a headshot.

Whaddaya think, the 85mm f/1.8 will do it? Longer lenses might put me out
of flash range, so I'm wondering if any of you ladies and gents have dealt
with this, specifically.

Please, I'm not talking about dimmer lighting than sunny sixteen, i.e.,
overcast, cloudy days, indoors, low light, etc., just for the above
scenario since HSS fill flash and wide apertures on sunny days will dictate
what lens will work for me.

Patrick

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Jeremy Nixon - 18 Apr 2006 00:01 GMT

> Need a lens for my 20D which will, on a bright sunny day, allow me to
> shoot at f/4 or so, use high speed sync fill flash with the 580ex, getting
> me close enough to the subject for a headshot.

Well, you'll need a lens that can do f/4. Beyond that, the lens really has
nothing to do with any of the stuff you mention. Since any portrait lens
will do f/4 (and wider), choose the one you prefer.

Whether you can use such a wide aperture will just be a matter of whether
the camera can do a high enough shutter speed with flash, which has nothing
to do with the choice of lens.

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Jeremy | jeremy@exit109.com

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John A. Stovall - 18 Apr 2006 00:34 GMT

>Need a lens for my 20D which will, on a bright sunny day, allow me to
>shoot at f/4 or so, use high speed sync fill flash with the 580ex, getting
>me close enough to the subject for a headshot.

You won't get much boken at f/4.0. Wider is better.

Have you read this?

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/bokeh.shtml

I have an 85mm f/1.8 and wouldn't say it has great bokeh not like the
135L does...

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