Querying additional lenses

Bluesmachine

Bluesmachine

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Niall
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I'm looking to try my hand at different ways of taking photos from a focal length point of view. Posting in someone elses thread today, I'm more aware than ever that I am perhaps too rigid in my ways when it comes to the lens I use. I always use my Sigma 50mm1.4, mainly because it's an absolutely fantastic lens, but also because I generally 'see' everything in that focal range. It occurs to me that this may have been accidental and as I started out some years ago with the nifty fifty, and may have inadvertently trained myself to 'see' images in this way.

I entered the photo52 to try and expand on how I take photos. I generally like to take a photo the way I mention above. Even when using the 70-200 I have a tendency to take a photo that looks to have a similar framed size. Although, I seem to have reverted pretty much all the time to the safety of my 50mm. I have noticed that more people are commenting on my photos stating that I seem to have developed a style, which I wasn't really aware of, but looking through the more recent shots, it does seem to be the case.

I suppose it'd be beneficial for me to purchase a 35mm prime, or maybe even the 24-70. I definitely need more lenses before I buy the full frame camera. I just stopped myself buying the 5DmkII a minute ago actually, well the lack of stock did :D

I think I'll seriously look at ordering a new lens today, but I'm unsure which. The Sigma 50mm1.4 is so good, anything I add will have to be an L quality lens. The 85mm 1.8 despite being great would be too long, plus I want the L when I go FF. The 100mm macro seems more of a side step from my Sigma 105 (for the price), and having the 105 sort of pushes the 85mm aside for the moment.

Are there any lenses that I haven't considered that I should consider purchasing, that could help me further extend my eye for a scene, other than the 35mm or the 24-70? I'm a little wary of purchasing the 24-70 as it overlaps my Sigma, which I love using.

Sorry for the wall of text. I'm not sure if I'm in a rut, or letting other peoples opinions seed doubt in my mind. Oh, I'm currently using a Canon 30D, which incidentally is starting to irritate me more and more with the noise levels.
 
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Well, it depends what you want to shoot!
 
A list of what lenses you already have may help people reply.

If you have developed a style why try to force yourself away from it?
 
I was worrying that I hadn't explained myself properly, Jim!

I don't want to shoot anything specific, I want to get a new lens to encourage me to shoot different things. As it is, I have no specific subjects that I take photos of anyway. If I see something I like, I'll take a photo of it; I'm a simple bunny (for better or worse :D)

I'm not trying to get away from a style, just more trying to incorporate other things into that style. I'm just at a loss as to which way to go with what I'm doing really.
 
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Ah I see! Well a 35mm prime will have you shooting in the same style as the 50, I have both as well and I use them very similarly!

How about a UWA, such as the canon 10-22, sigma 10-20 or the tokina 11-16, thus will dramatically alter your style and technique? I still think I'm just getting to grips with my canon 10-22 after 3 years of ownership! Great lens too! You can still import aspects of your current style an give you massively different results.
 
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if you want to broaden your range you can force yourself away from it without buying more kit

for example you say you have the 105mm macro - try going walk about with just that lens, but no macro shots (you'll find that its also an excellent potrait lens, but you'll have to frame differently to how you are used to make it work for you)

of course buying a FF camera will also change how your lenses behave - on a crop a 50mm actually frames about like an 80mm on full frame , so using your 50 on a ff will be roughly like using a 35mm on crop
 
Bluesmachine said:
Yeah, that's why I was leaning towards shelling out for the 35mmL and get myself on the trinity train :D
Click to expand...

But then your 35mm shots will look just like your 50mm shots just taken a few metres further back, lol!
 
Haha, that's why I'm having trouble :D

I've only come across two attempted photos lately that stopped me using the 50mm. Ho hum.

I've got a 12-24, a 50mm, a 105 and the 70-200 F4. I have gaps to plug :D

I suppose, if I just use common sense, the 24-70 would actually be the lens to get, as it covers the gaps. I shall go and investigate this lens. Although a mkII should be out soonish. ARGH!

{edit} Hmm, there seems to be a lot of mentions of it being soft going down to 24mm. That's not good.
 
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There's always a new version about to come out! The new 24-70 with IS has been talked about for years, so has a 35L 1.4 II, updated 100-400L etc. The only lenses that don't seem to get flagged up are the ones Canon actually introduces. I don't think any of their recent announcements were predicted.

Don't take this the wrong way, but when you say you have developed a style, another way of saying that is all your pictures look the same and you're in a rut :D Which is not surprising if you use a 50mm for everything. I did that for a very long time, on a film SLR, because that was the only lens I had. I can't tell you how liberating my first zoom was! Primes make you think, and if you want very low f/numbers that's the way to go, but a zoom enhances composition in that you can not only frame things you way you want, you can also position yourself for optimum perspective, and them zoom the focal length to get the best framing. I think that if you got that 24-70L, your 50mm wouldn't see much use.

But don't do that until you have made up your mind about camera format. Going full frame will change everything and you'll just have to start all over again. If a 5D2 is on the cards, get that first and use it for a bit with the lenses you have before getting anything else.
 
I decided that rather than get a new lens, I'd upgrade the camera. As it's cheaper to get a newer version of the camera I have now (with added features I arguably may or may not use - HD video), which will alleviate some of my issues I currently have.

I thought about getting the 7D, but despite the nice AF I thought it'd just be going down the wrong road for me. The 5dmkII is just out of my price range without saving about £700 first. Still, I've got two guitars and a 30D to sell now, that should start the fund off :D
 
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