For the last few years I've been using a 55-200mm Sigma lens (Canon fitting) at 55mm for a widefield nova search. It's a cheap lens with a fair bit of aberration but the images are pretty good if I use it a couple of stops back from wide open (F/5.6 as opposed to F/4.5).
The 'pros' who use DSLRs often use a Canon 50mm F/1.2 lens but that's so far out of my price range that it's not even funny. Even an F/1.4 (available new at a little under $400) is a fair bit more than I'm able to spend.
Just wondering if anyone owns a Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens, and has used it for widefields? I'm looking at shooting with something a bit faster and would be interested to hear how it performs on starfields at F/1.8. Or how many stops back it needs to get acceptable images. Or whether it gives acceptable images at all! Price is right at just under $100 on eBay. Of course I know only too well that you get what you pay for, and you can't expect Rolls Royce performance from a VW beetle!
Thanks.
Cheers -