New Lens Time

So I bought a new lens for my camera today! It's not some super-fancy lens, but one that I hope will give me a few better pictures in certain situations. The main thing being it allows me to let significantly more light into the camera while not reducing my shutter speed to minuscule levels.

Here is a "Before and After" comparison. The old lens, (above), allowed this shot at an aperture of 5.6 and a shutter speed of 1/6 of a second. To try and put it simply, (given I fully understand all of this), the greater the aperture means the more it is closed. An aperture that can open wider allows more light into the camera thus allowing quicker shutter speeds. The faster your shutter is able to move, the better the chance of catching that action-shot without it looking like a giant blur of crap.

Here is the same, (roughly), shot with the new lens. I'm not expert so I'm sure I could have gotton a better comparison, however I was trying to achive roughly identical shots with both lenses. My old lens could go to a minimum aperture of 3.4. This new lens can achieve an aperture of 1.8. A nice heafty jump that allows my camera to recieve more light. This picture was taken at the full 1.8 aperture and a shutter speed of, (wait for it...), 1/60! At such a wide aperture you also get a shallower depth-of-field as well.
To make these comparisons alittle truer, I should have taken these shots at both lens limits, in this case being their widest apertures at the same shutter speeds...I think. Either way you get the idea and the fun test will be at ADB's next show!