Recommend Me A Low Light Lens For My 5D

68lbs

68lbs

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April 2008
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I could do with a lens for use in low light without flash. I have a couple that are f/2.8 but this isn't really a large enough aperture. Has anyone got any recommendations?

My lenses are listed below, and I think my longer term goal is to replace the Sigma with a 24/105 L as a walkabout. Maybe just replace it with a Canon 24/70, but I think I'd probably prefer the extra length and then one or more primes for low light.

I was thinking Canon 50mm f/1.4

Any thoughts?
 
68lbs said:
I could do with a lens for use in low light without flash. I have a couple that are f/2.8 but this isn't really a large enough aperture. Has anyone got any recommendations?

My lenses are listed below, and I think my longer term goal is to replace the Sigma with a 24/105 L as a walkabout. Maybe just replace it with a Canon 24/70, but I think I'd probably prefer the extra length and then one or more primes for low light.

I was thinking Canon 50mm f/1.4

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think every 5D deserves an 85L. You might just manage to pick one up for the price of a new 24-70.

Bob
 
Canon Bob said:
I think every 5D deserves an 85L.
Click to expand...

Hmm, not sure that's financially possible. Ok, holy carp! Definitelly not possible! Didn't realise they were that expensive. I was thinking more like 50mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.8 teritory. I wouldn't be using it super loads and can't justify anything too pricey.
 
I was advised by a friend that said he only ever often went out with one lens. the 35mm L f1.4. I bought it, lots of money but just amazing. I do think this is the one and better flexibility than the 50, but we are all individual.....
 
Another vote for the 85mm f1.2 but the 35mm f1.4 is also good and 135mm f2 is less expensive and also a cracker.
 
The 50 1.4 is my low light lens for the 5D. Often surprises me how well it will focus in very little light.
 
Another vote here for the 50/1.4 which is what I use. However if you want something a little wider the Sigma 30/1.4 is supposed to be a cracking lens and not too expensive.
 
Canon Bob said:
I think every 5D deserves an 85L. You might just manage to pick one up for the price of a new 24-70.

Bob
Click to expand...
Either that or the 50L. As nice as the 85L is it just doesn't make me feel that I need to have one.

Where as with the 50L I'm reluctant to put them back in their boxes...
 
snowy said:
Another vote here for the 50/1.4 which is what I use. However if you want something a little wider the Sigma 30/1.4 is supposed to be a cracking lens and not too expensive.
Click to expand...


Tried the 30mm Sigma.....very disappointed but may have been a bad copy. Vignetting on my 1d mkII was very noticable.
 
All this talk of L's is great, but my wallet won't cope. Gonna have to be a 50 1.4 unless someone has a SIMILAR PRICED alternative?
 
Hi

I decide that the 50L or 85L were just too expensive. I looked around and decided to buy some olympus Zuikos, yes manual focus but i managed to get this little lot - 24/f2, 28/f2, 35/f2, 50/f1.2, 85/f2 and 100/f2 for the same price as the 50L at its current price. I bought a AF confirm adapter of ebay for a tenner. I am having a great time and my keeper rate has gone through the roof. I just seem to take better images than just for taking sake.



HTH

Lee
 
corny said:
Tried the 30mm Sigma.....very disappointed but may have been a bad copy. Vignetting on my 1d mkII was very noticable.
Click to expand...

That is because you are using a lens designed for 1.5 crop or more - your 1D3 is a 1.3 crop so the sensor is larger than the image circle the 30mm F1.4 produces.
 
In the walkabout range, it's going to be 28/35mm, 50mm or 85mm on full frame.

Nifty fifty 1.8 is optically reasonable and quite a good focal length on full frame, but it's such a cheap thing it's not nice to use. F/1.4 is much nicer, and I believe the Sigma 50/1.4 is better still. I have its twin sister for crop format, 30/1.4, which is very good for the speed, but obviously no use to you.

With budget in mind, I would say Canon 28/1.8, 50/1.4 or 85/1.8 depending on what subjects you really need the big aperture for. They all have decent build and USM.
 
For Portraits and nice looking pictures:
a cheap one and very good 50mm 1.8
a better one 50mm 1.4
for Video a 50mm m42 Super Takumar 1.4 with Eos Adapter.
 
what do you want to shoot?


re replacing the sigma with 24-105 - you'll hate the lack of f2.8 TBH
 
Any lens with a 5D.

My 24-105 f4 still surprises me. With f2.8 lenses in low light, accurate focus becomes more critical and more of a problem.

Push the ISO up - that's what the 5D is especially good at.
 
85mm f1.8 gets my vote (along with the 35mm f1.4 which is yummy but the price is just wrong, all wrong!! :))

The 85mm f1.8 is a lovely lens for the money, the 24-105mm f4 is my walk about lens but it's hopeless indoors. Unless you want an expensive doorstop. It's not that it won't focus just that at f4 the shutter speeds are just too slow even at high ISO. I'd much rather use the 85mm f1.8 and drop the ISO a fair bit.
 
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