Lens Suggestion

[spacemonkey1112]

Originally Posted by twinturbo335

I currently have a wide angle. I'm looking into a prime lens for the bokeh. Would a 35 or 50mm be better for my situation?

like what a lot of people are saying, the larger the focal length on the prime, a more pleasing bokeh is produced. This in my opinion is due to the fact that anything wider than 85mm (85mm and up being the sweet spot for proportional images) will give you some barrel distortion. even if you slap on a 50mm on a cropped body like a 7D or such, looking through the view finder it will look more zoomed in (in the view finder it will appear as if you have a 85mm on a Full Frame camera), and a lot of people will think that the the 50mm on a cropped body acts like a 85mm. in a sense that's true on how much it is zoomed in, but the image will still carry the characteristics that of a 50mm lens no matter the body. at the edges of the photo, there a slight pull to the image. You can see in a half body shot or a head shot for someones portrait, if you use a 50mm (again, no matter the camera used), the forehead of the person if near the edge of the frame of the image will be slightly pulled and elongated.

So I'm assuming that you're looking at the L versions of each of these lens.

the bokeh will be magnificent no matter the case. I've worked with both and I do like them both. If bokeh is what you're looking for, I think either lens will provide you outstanding images. as for sharpness, the 50mm is known to be a little soft; probably since the images are so shallow when you shoot wide open (rumors have it that there will be a f/1.2 mk2 for the 50mm sometime soon).

I think it just depends on what you're shooting to either go with the 35 (the widest i'll ever go in my opinion), or to get a little more up close and shoot with the 50mm.

Personally on a full frame camera (and sometimes on cropped body), I like shooting with the 50mm because when I experiment with a 50mm, I like to shoot with both eyes open. When the camera is up in front of my face, my eye sight is continuous from what i see in my viewfinder and what i see with my other eye (i'm a right at shooter; when I'm messing around ill be a left eye shooter hehe). I guess this goes more into the philosophy of shooting but when I shoot with both eyes open and the scene is continuous when my camera is up, i feel like the image I get is pure in the sense that this shot i have is really from my perspective. Call it silly, but that's how I like to draw a connection between my images and me. Besides that, this technique (i adapted it from reading a lot about rangefinder shooting) allows me to see what else is going on outside of my viewfinder so I don't miss a moment at a wedding and such. Thats why I personally chose to get at 50mm first. I do have my eyes on a 35mm f/1.4 soon.

[Weebl]

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=234558

The 17-55 2.8 is not a good lens, it is considerably better than that. It is said it is a L lens without the red ring.
A 10-22 will get very wide but you have to be very careful in using it or the distortion will get you.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...10-22&page=340

[Doctor///M]

If you're into wide angles, the Tokina 11-16mm is probably the best bang for buck. With the f/2.8, the bokeh is quite nice and you'll also be able to take pseudo portraits with some effects. It also does well for auto photography. I've used my Nikon version for many more photo effects than I originally anticipated. Good luck!!

[Inspired]

Spacemonkey: That was a very good review. Thanks a lot. I ended up picking up a 50mm 1.8 for $80 used. Will be getting it sometimes this week.

[Doctor///M]

Canon has a sale today only on their refurbished lenses. See here for details.

[EngineCo52]

Originally Posted by SERI335

Canon has a sale today only on their refurbished lenses. See here for details.

thanks man ill take a look at that!!!

[spacemonkey1112]

Originally Posted by twinturbo335

Spacemonkey: That was a very good review. Thanks a lot. I ended up picking up a 50mm 1.8 for $80 used. Will be getting it sometimes this week.

no problem buddy! enjoy her! her build maybe plastic but if you put enough practice into controlling the focus at f/1.8, you will love your images and convince yourself to move up the ladder to a f/1.4 hahaha but dang 80?! good deal hahaha back in 2007 I remember it being 80 new but the price has raise to i think 130? Im not too sure what lens prices are now, I just know its more sadly

[Inspired]

Originally Posted by spacemonkey1112

no problem buddy! enjoy her! her build maybe plastic but if you put enough practice into controlling the focus at f/1.8, you will love your images and convince yourself to move up the ladder to a f/1.4 hahaha but dang 80?! good deal hahaha back in 2007 I remember it being 80 new but the price has raise to i think 130? Im not too sure what lens prices are now, I just know its more sadly

This will be my first prime lens even though I have been shooting for 5 years. Prime lens just feels like trash. Feels like a huge downgrade to my $1000 wide angle lens but the photos that come out from prime lens is beautiful.

Next on the list would be a 85mm 1.4 if I fall in love with this prime.

[The1]

my experience with the 1.8 is, don't use it for landscape photog. it's soft at a distance, however up close, the images are incredible.

so it's great for portrait work, and traveling about and taking pictures of friends.

then of course, if you want to get closer up to objects and get some bokeh.

[Veritable]

Stretch for the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. You might be able to find a used one within your budget.

With the Canon 50D:





It replaced my beloved Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM. Doesn't lose anything outdoors, and it's a much superior indoor lens due to Image Stabiliser.

[M_Six]

Lots of 24-105mm F4L lenses on the market now. They ship as a kit lens to the 5D MkIII. I think there are 4 or 5 for sale now on POTN.

[The1]

pretty sure it was also the kit lens for the 5DmkII as well, so they shouldn't be hard to find, they just end up saturating the used market place.

[Weebl]

Everyone is waiting for the 24-105 IS F1.8

[Veritable]

Originally Posted by The1

pretty sure it was also the kit lens for the 5DmkII as well, so they shouldn't be hard to find, they just end up saturating the used market place.

That's true, that's what I noticed too when I was selling my 24-70L. Even though MSRP for both lenses were about the same, because of all those people buying the 5D Mk2 kits then selling the 24-105L, the 24-70L was consistently listed for about $200 more.

I decided that the f/4 wasn't bright enough in low-light and indoors, even with IS, so I passed on it. Had the 24-70 for a year and a bit, wanted IS but didn't want to give up f/2.8, gotten the 17-55. Much happier now.

[The1]

Originally Posted by Weebl

Everyone is waiting for the 24-105 IS F1.8

is this a true lens?

I suspect it would be massive...

[The1]

Originally Posted by Veritable

That's true, that's what I noticed too when I was selling my 24-70L. Even though MSRP for both lenses were about the same, because of all those people buying the 5D Mk2 kits then selling the 24-105L, the 24-70L was consistently listed for about $200 more.

I decided that the f/4 wasn't bright enough in low-light and indoors, even with IS, so I passed on it. Had the 24-70 for a year and a bit, wanted IS but didn't want to give up f/2.8, gotten the 17-55. Much happier now.

it's a fantastic lens, it's a shame they didn't make it with an EF mount or I would have purchased it. It literally takes care of all problems.