Sigma 50mm+30mm Vs Canon 17-50mm

Gerrard

Gerrard

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Paul
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Looking to get lens for walkabout shots and I was interested in the Sigma 30mm f 1.4 HSM and the 50mm f1.4 HSM both come in at about £720 for the pair.
But having looked at many threads on here the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM is very well praised.. this comes in only a little bit more at £760..

So how does the two stack up against the one, are they just about the same in IQ etc..
My thoughts are.. The Canon has good reviews as does the Sigma 50mm but not sure on the Sigma 30mm as I have read a few douting posts..

PS.. The heading should read.. 17-55 not 17-50.. sorry.

Cheers..
 
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I have a Siggy 50mm f1.4 and I used to have the 30mm f1.4, I soild it when my 20D went into retirement after I bought a 5D.

In my experience the 30mm is sharper than the 50mm wide open. The only critisism I have of the 30mm is that the focus ring feels a bit gritty when focusing manually. I did try another and it felt just the same so I suppose it's not a fault and just how they are.

I'd take the primes every time as primes are what I mostly use and I don't have a "standard" DSLR zoom anyway. What you'll have to decide is wll primes be enough and can you do without the zoom?

Good luck choosing.
 
woof woof said:
I have a Siggy 50mm f1.4 and I used to have the 30mm f1.4, I soild it when my 20D went into retirement after I bought a 5D.

In my experience the 30mm is sharper than the 50mm wide open. The only critisism I have of the 30mm is that the focus ring feels a bit gritty when focusing manually. I did try another and it felt just the same so I suppose it's not a fault and just how they are.

I'd take the primes every time as primes are what I mostly use and I don't have a "standard" DSLR zoom anyway. What you'll have to decide is wll primes be enough and can you do without the zoom?

Good luck choosing.[/QUOTE

Can I do without a zoom, thats a good question and one I can't answer just yet.
Got a new 60D with a kit lens which I hate and primes seemed to be the way to go to upgrade, the better quality 17-55 would mean just one lens but in truth I dont know. Thats give me something to think about.. ;)
Thanks for the reply.
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I know what I'd chose for a crop - a nice used 17-55 with IS and well below £760. You'd be lucky to get equivalent performance from the 2 sigma lenses at comparable apertures. It's just not worth it playing the game with statistics when the odds are against you.
 
daugirdas said:
I know what I'd chose for a crop - a nice used 17-55 with IS and well below £760. You'd be lucky to get equivalent performance from the 2 sigma lenses at comparable apertures. It's just not worth it playing the game with statistics when the odds are against you.
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Hi daugirdas..

I was thinking along them lines but I wasn't sure, are there many that come up second hand?. :)
 
A zoom match a prime? :D Heresy! :D

Wide open the zoom will not be at it's best and by f2.8 both primes will be well into their stride and there's not much chance that the zoom will match them until stopped down even further. Of course with the zoom you have IS but IS is not f1.4 and will not give you the DoF or shooting speed of the sub f2.8 prime lenses.

I know which I'd choose every day of the week :D In fact I did, but it's up to each to choose and although there are advantages in having nice sharp wide aperture primes zooms have the advantage of .... zooming.

One thing that would put me off that Canon lens is the reliability worry, it being reported to be the most troublesome lens of any brand one hire company carries, if that's still an issue. I doubt I'd buy that lens used though just in case or at least not without doing some research first.
 
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Woof Woof..

Great post mate, and I still havn't made my mind up yet, so is there an alternitive to the 30mm Sigma? perhap the Canon 28mm f2.8 (Cheap but might be a naff lens)
This is the more important lens as I want to do street photos and thats the one I have douts with but then I've read a bit about lenes and little knowledge is a bit dangerous.. :D
I will be going to Gibralta on Thursday to the camera shop as they are a bit cheaper there so I will have a look.

Thanks again for your post..

Paul.
 
Read these with interest. I'm in a similar situation, but I already own the Canon 17-55. I often find myself reaching for my little 50mm 1.8 over the 17-55, as I love the images it produces and its considerably lighter. My only issue with it is its sometimes too long on the crop 60D. So I always thought the Sigma 30mm 1.4 would be my next lens addition, but now I'm considering maybe it'll replace the 17-55, rather than be in addition to it. The 2nd hand value of my 17-55 would allow me to buy both a Sigma 30mm and a Sigma 10-20 to cover the wide end and landscapes.

Not sure which is best. Hmmm...
 
The wide angle is a must Morph for landscapes, but I'm still not sure on the prime lens.
My lastest thoughts are I might get a Canon 28mm as they are only £170 new and see how I get on, I only say this as some people cant get on with primes and if I'm the same I dont want to spend loads straight away on primes.
So I'm thinking... get a 10-20 and the 28mm and wait a month and see how I get on,then take it from there, but I do think a zoom and a prime is a good set up, the best of both worlds and I do like the Canon 17-55.
PS. Perhaps not a 50mm prime as its a tad too long.

Cheers :)
 
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