Which Prime?

lucky_13

lucky_13

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Have a canon 550D and I'm after a prime
Not sure what to choose...
Canon 35 f/2
Canon 50 f/1.8
Canon 50 f/1.4
Canon 85 f/1.8 although it just might be a bit long on a 1.6 x body.
For general portraiture/ night photography/ low light stuff
 
I had the 50mm f1.4 on a cropped sensor camera and found it good for portraits, but a bit too long for a general walkabout lens.

If that sounds what you want go for it, of not the 35mm would be a good wider option.
 
Does any one have any experience with the pricier sigma 30mm f1.4?
 
I think the 50mm 1.8 can't be beaten for value, and if you're not 100% sold on a 50mm it's an inexpensive way to find out. I recently upgraded to the 50mm 1.4 and that's a great lens too. Awesomely sharp and much better build quality that the 1.8.

Haven't used the sigma, but it does get good write ups.
 
How does the 50 f1.4 IQ compare to the 35 ? The 35mm is going for £217 on wex website is that worth the money for a non USM lens?
 
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I've yet to use the 35 but was looking at it as a walkaround lens, so will also be interested to hear peoples opinions.
 
You know what I think!

I'd take the Canon 35mm f/2 over both the 50mm f/1.8 and f1.4! It's my favourite prime.

Now the Sigma 30mm f/1.4..... Mmmmmmm yea please! Best of the lot but crop only iirc.
 
odd jim said:
You know what I think!

I'd take the Canon 35mm f/2 over both the 50mm f/1.8 and f1.4! It's my favourite prime.

Now the Sigma 30mm f/1.4..... Mmmmmmm yea please! Best of the lot but crop only iirc.
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I'm one of those people that unless I win the euromillions will never upgrade to FF as that lil money I earn has to pay for a lot, so I can only see my self owning crops, I have the 550D and I won't upgrade until this one's dead in the water and even then I would go for a 60D or maybe by than 70D 80D or 7D mk II or even mk III,:-) lol. I did some research on the Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM and by what I could see from the reviews it's the sharpest and the colors poped out, I just have to save up a bit longer. Maybe its time canon announced the 35mm mk2 f1.4 ps: non L
 
I was going to suggest the Sigma 30mm F1.4. I've been using it on a 40D and 550D and it is much more useful as a good general purpose prime than the 50mm which I found was just too long a lot of the time. So far I've found its a brilliant lens.
 
30mm f1.4 all the way. 28mm f1.8 usm is fantastic as well, but as it looks like you're going to stay with the crop - siggy it is !
 
I have the 35mm f2 and it's a good focal length on the 1.6 crop but I must be doing something wrong as I find it tricky to nail the focus. My favourite portrait prime by far on my 500D is the 50mm f2.5 - it's priced inbetween the 1.8 and 1.4 at around the £235 mark and you get the added macro feature to boost - it handles many situations very well and I find it considerably sharper than the 35mm
 
I find the 50 is a bit too long on a crop. I've tried it indoors on my 7D and couldn't get on with it. Same situation with my 5D2 and it's perfect though. For the price it costs for a second hand one it would be worth buying one just to find out. If it's not right you could always sell it on again.
 
I'd buy a Samyang 35mm f/1.4 (£339 & postage) for your Canon. Manual focus lens with excellent build quality and a fast lens, I bought one last month for my 5D/1, superb results!


'UK Digital' stock/sell Samyang, great to deal with.
 
lucky_13 said:
Does any one have any experience with the pricier sigma 30mm f1.4?
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Yes. Beauatiful lens, use it for 90%+ of my digital photography. Pretty much perfect on a crop sensor as an everyday lens, and excels for low light.
 
Canon 35mm F.2

It'll be perfect for what you want it for, it's wide enough on a crop for nice results.

Also consider the Canon 24mm or 28mm prime. Both very good.
 
I'd shoot for the 50mm f1.4 (especially over the 1.8). insane depth of field will give you some solid portraits! the extra ££ is worth the 0.4 F stop!
 
I loved my 30 f1.4 It really is as good as the reviews say, you wont be disapointed!
 
I see from your camera bag you have a fair bit of focal length covered.

As you mentioned portraiture, Canon 85 f/1.8 is a cracking lens and ideal for portraits.

Its pretty long on a crop so you need a bit of space but it always impresses me when I use it, 50mm is good but 85mm is better, for me anyway.
 
Personally I'd go with the 50mm f/1.4 on a crop body out of those if you're looking to do mostly portraits ~ you can get in close on the details & the low aperture creates wonderful narrow depth of field & of course, allows a lot of light for those night-time exposures.
 
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Hello thank you for your coments, it looks like i will be going for the SIGMA 30mm F/1.4 HSM
 
Ive been thinking to get a prime lens so this is helpful, not fully sure yet which im going to get,

I was looking at the Canon 50mm F1.8, with the price been so low to see if I liked it,
 
Houston1863 said:
If you want low light, quality and since you shoot portraits with a 1.6x, I would recommend the 50/1.4 as other have.
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Yeah I set my zoom on 50 and left it on there for a day and to be honest I found it a bit too long for in house stuff, thanks for the advice but I think I'm gonna go for the Sigma 30mm f1.4
 
lucky_13 said:
Yeah I set my zoom on 50 and left it on there for a day and to be honest I found it a bit too long for in house stuff, thanks for the advice but I think I'm gonna go for the Sigma 30mm f1.4
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That was my reasoning as well for choosing the 30mm over a 50mm. If I can save my pennies, the perfect pairing with a crop sensor would seem to be the 30mm f/1.4 and the 85mm f/1.4. Missing out the 50mm altogether.
 
lucky_13 said:
Yeah I set my zoom on 50 and left it on there for a day and to be honest I found it a bit too long for in house stuff, thanks for the advice but I think I'm gonna go for the Sigma 30mm f1.4
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I agree on that too, i find my 50mm a bit restrictive indoors. Will have to save up for a 30mm myself after the great feedback here :)
 
Thank you for all your comments. You have all been helpful ;-)
 
I was looking @ the-digital-picture.com and the sigma 30mm f/1.4 din't seem to be near as sharp as the sigma 50mm f/1.4...
 
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