Help and advice on a Canon prime lens.

skotbites

skotbites

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Scott
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Hi, I've been searching and reading as much as I can on these lenses I have a small budget of up to £200 ($285USD) and am looking at something small and fast for travel on my 5D3, I currently have the 24-105 f5 L lens.

I've been looking at Canon 50mm 1.8 STM, Canon 50mm 1.4, Canon 40mm 2.8 pancake, and Canon 85mm 1.8.

I'm tying myself in knots. I used to have the old 50mm 1.8 mk2 but sold it with my old camera body as the AF was terrible.

What are your thoughts? should there be any others I should consider within my budget?

Thanks
Scott
 
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35mm Focal length?
 
Hi Scott,

(I happen to be selling some of the lenses I'll talk about, please don't get me wrong. These would be my same thoughts if I wasn't selling them.)

I have a 5D and have all the lenses you refer, except my 50mm 1.8 is the mkI and not the STM.
I have to say I love all of them.

- 40mm pancake - I have absolutely no complaints on this. Beautiful colors and resolution, very sharp from corner to corner even wide open. Extremely small and light!
- 50mm mkI - beautiful old lens. Had 3 or 4 mkII (plastic ones) but this is just better. Same glass (or so it seems) but better construction and, most important for me, reliable AF (the mkII is very hit and miss, since all those gears inside are plastic and are very tolerant to errors). The mkI (like the mkII) can be very sharp!
- 50mm 1.4 - more challenging to focus wide open than the 50mm, but a different (better?) image quality. Also crazy sharp just after f/2.8.
- 85mm 1.8 - incredible lens for the money. Very sharp starting at f/2.0, wonderful colors, good AF. Excellent for the price.

This is just my opinion.
Now consider your budget and what focal lens you will use more. ;)

Cheers,
Luis
 
In regards to focussing the 50mm STM is a joy to use. Focussing is extremely swift and is very quiet. Build quality is very good and manual focus is quick and smooth.
 
skotbites said:
Hi, I've been searching and reading as much as I can on these lenses I have a small budget of up to £200 ($285USD) and am looking at something small and fast for travel on my 5D3, I currently have the 24-105 f5 L lens.

I've been looking at Canon 50mm 1.8 STM, Canon 50mm 1.4, Canon 40mm 2.8 pancake, and Canon 85mm 1.8.

I'm tying myself in knots. I used to have the old 50mm 1.8 mk2 but sold it with my old camera body as the AF was terrible.

What are your thoughts? should there be any others I should consider within my budget?

Thanks
Scott
Click to expand...

Your 24-105 is an f/4 :)

How about a used Canon 35mm f/2 mk1? Small, light, fast with lovely IQ even at f/2. Noisy AF motor but with images as good as it produces it's easily forgiven!
 
redsnappa said:
In regards to focussing the 50mm STM is a joy to use. Focussing is extremely swift and is very quiet. Build quality is very good and manual focus is quick and smooth.
Click to expand...

odd jim said:
Your 24-105 is an f/4 :)

How about a used Canon 35mm f/2 mk1? Small, light, fast with lovely IQ even at f/2. Noisy AF motor but with images as good as it produces it's easily forgiven!
Click to expand...

This is what's tying me in knots.
I've got my eye on both of these at the minute.

Scratched the 50mm 1.4 from the list.

In terms of IQ is there much between the 35 f2 and 50 1.8 @ f2?

Thanks guys it's starting to get at least a little clearer.
 
Yes, I find the 35mm to be much sharper. The 35mm is sharp from the word go but the 50mm is a bit soft up until f/2.8.
 
I prefer the 35mm focal length and had a 35mm f2 for years it is a lovely lens if you can put up with the noisy af! In the end I sold it and the 50mm f1.4 (pointless lens in my opinion the f1.8's are a much better buy) and got the 35mm f2 is which is a beautiful lens!
 
a1ex2001 said:
I prefer the 35mm focal length and had a 35mm f2 for years it is a lovely lens if you can put up with the noisy af! In the end I sold it and the 50mm f1.4 (pointless lens in my opinion the f1.8's are a much better buy) and got the 35mm f2 is which is a beautiful lens!
Click to expand...
You mean you sold both and bought the 35mm IS?
 
odd jim said:
You mean you sold both and bought the 35mm IS?
Click to expand...
Yes I sold my 50mm f1.4 and 35mm f2 to buy a 35mm f2 IS and I don't regret it the f2 was a great lens but the scratch af annoyed me and I was using it a lot so I decided to invest in something better I looked at the f1.4 options (the sigma art was very tempting) but they were too big and heavy to match my one lens light weight setup requirements. I don't regret the decision but I might get a 50mm STM at some point in the future as occasionally I do miss the focal length!
 
Out of interest how much better is the IQ on the IS? I've read that the bokeh is nicer as its got more, rounded blades?
 
I've been selling off my Canon gear.
But still have the Canon 85mm USM f1.8 and a Sigma HSM 50mm f1.4 left prime wise.
I'm sure if you went for either you wasn't be disappointed.
Just like to point out this is not a sales pitch but both would be inside your budget used.
I have other gear to move before I let primes go.:)
 
odd jim said:
Out of interest how much better is the IQ on the IS? I've read that the bokeh is nicer as its got more, rounded blades?
Click to expand...
The out of focus areas are much nicer it has a nicer character I'm not a pixel peeper but from my experience it is more than sharp enough! Don't get me wrong the non is is a lovely little lens and it I wasn't using it as much I would have kept it.
 
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