Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site

New Feature: SMS Notification alert

New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist

FM Forums | Canon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

Archive 2014 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

mhp_sd
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

Thanks in advance for reading.

Just upgraded my 20D to an SL1 and finding my lenses need a similar upgrade. Currently have the nifty fifty, the 18-55 IS and the 70-200 f4IS. I have borrowed a 24-70L but didn't find the combination of f2.8 and the weight to serve my purposes.

I would like to find a fast "normal" lens. My goal is just for hobbyist photos of my very young kids. The fifty is a bit too long for me and the 18-55 is too slow. Price is an issue, but not the greatest issue as I hold on to my lenses forever and the rebates help right now.

Is there an advantage to the Sigma/Canon 1.4 lenses over the Canon 2.0IS when shooting moving kids or is the depth of field so narrow at 1.4 that is only useful for staged portraits, still lives and the like?

Am I missing a better option? Any other thoughts/advice?

Thanks!

Mar 08, 2014 at 01:23 PM

Ian.Dobinson
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

The canon 2.0is is a great looking lens . The full stop difference between the f2 and f1.4 is more than made up by the is in the canon 35 2.0 . But obviously that only applies if your subject is not moving

a.if you shoot moving things the the faster lens will be the one to go for .
Same applies to DOF (but then if shallow dof is your goal the ff and a fast 50

).

Of course if your shooting crop only then don't discount the sigma 30 . Its 1.4 and a very good lens . Its also been redone as an Art range lens . Really worth a look

Mar 08, 2014 at 01:34 PM

jeraldcook
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

Since you asked about other options, I pretty much keep my Canon 24mm 2.8 IS on my SL1 all the time. Yes, it's only a f/2.8 lens but it's a small lens and I find I can shoot it wide open and still have sufficient DOF for my constantly moving 3 year old. I prefer 35mm to 50mm focal length or else I definitely would have gone for the 35mm f/2 IS. Anything larger than the 35mm f/2 IS and the small size of the SL1 is pretty much gone.

I also have the 35L, 50L, and 85L and I find that using the viewfinder the focus is off. Using live view the focus is dead-on bit focusing is so much slower and I rarely need f1.2-2.8 when I have my SL1 with me. I have my 5D3 for those needs.

Mar 08, 2014 at 01:44 PM

timbop
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

Welcome to the world of too many choices :-)

F/1.4 gets you twice the shutter speed over the f/2, so the kneejerk reaction is to get the wider aperture f/1.4 for shooting moving subjects. HOWEVER, available light is often not the most flattering/best direction. IMHO you should also consider creating your own light by adding a flash - which levels the playing field between the f/2 and f/1.4. As Ian suggested, you might look at the sigma 30 to get the wider aperture and afford a 430EX used. I recommend at least a 430ex so you can tilt/swivel the flashhead to get redirected/diffused light instead of head-on light.

Mar 08, 2014 at 01:45 PM

mhp_sd
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

Thanks!
I do have a 580ex, but find that I don't carry it with me as much as I should--and you're right about too many options!

JeraldCook-so would you use a 40 stm 2.8, it seems to get good reviews and is nice and small? I had discounted it because of the speed.

Mar 08, 2014 at 01:54 PM

jeraldcook
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

It just so happens I also have the 40mm STM.

Like:
really small
great image quality at 2.8
stm

Dislike:
40mm is to tight for how I prefer to shoot.

Still a great lens and worth the $130.

While I prefer f/2 or faster lenses, f/2.8 really is fast enough 95% of the time. Sensor are so good these days I'll just bump up the ISO. Plus, the SL1 has a built in flash if I'm really hurting for light. Canon Rumors says Canon is supposedly coming out with a ef-s mount fast prime very soon which may be my new go-to lens for the SL1.

Mar 08, 2014 at 02:22 PM

gse53
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

Take a look at the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8. Amazing lens. Upside: Fast and a zoom in the range that you want. Sharp-blows away my Tamron 18-50mm F2.8 which is a sharp lens. Downside: A bit heavy for an SL1, $800

Mar 08, 2014 at 02:51 PM

Mpking
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

If price or size/weight are a consideration, you might also consider the original Canon 35mm f/2. I used it on my XSi before I went to full frame and it really was wonderful. It's main shortcoming is weak corners which is not relevant on a crop camera. It's also the smallest choice aside from the 40mm - about the same size as a 50mm f/1.8. Some people don't care for the noise of the AF motor but I've never found it objectionable and it's plenty fast. Pretty sure you could pick one up for around $200 here or on the canon refurbished site. It really is an underrated lens, especially on crop frame cameras.

35 f/2 vs. 35 f/2 IS
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=122&Camera=736&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=824&Sample=0&CameraComp=736&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

Hey, look! Another option to consider!

Mar 09, 2014 at 04:11 AM

jj_glos
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

... See below!...

Edited on Mar 09, 2014 at 01:27 PM · View previous versions

Mar 09, 2014 at 04:45 AM

jj_glos
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

I really liked the old Sigma 30mm when I was shooting crop only. I'd go as far to say it was my favourite lens for capturing shots of my daughter. I've also used the old Canon 35mm f2 on my 7D since I went all EF lenses. It's a good little size and cheap so worth a look?

I really like shooting wide open and using Windows as a light source, so I prefer faster apertures. Even when I have to break out the flash I like to shoot wide open as I don't like the clutter of our house in the background! I also try to balance the ambient with flash so still end up with a moderate to high ISO setting, so wide open helps limit that. I use off centre AF points in AI Servo a lot, and you will get out of focus shots but that's just the nature of the beast. Kids just move unpredictably and only have to move an inch or so to throw the focus off when shooting wide open and at relatively close distance.

Sigma 30:

Jennie by jj_glos, on Flickr

Canon 35mm f2:

Jennie by jj_glos, on Flickr

Mar 09, 2014 at 04:45 AM

splathrop
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

Here's an unorthodox solution. Take a look around for a used Canon 24mm f1.4 L. The original version, not the upgraded one. The price shouldn't be any higher than a new 35mm f/2.0 IS. Might be less. It's a superb lens in the middle of the frame, and on a crop camera that makes it superb everywhere. Great sharpness, color, contrast. Excellent autofocus. And because it's a bit wider, your wide-open depth of field is a little more. Mostly, you would probably shoot around f/2.0 or higher, but the wider aperture is there for when the light is really low, or when you want to soften a background.

Mar 09, 2014 at 12:09 PM

mhp_sd
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

Wonderful pictures JJ_gloss. Any focus issues with the sigma - it seems like the ideal solution if I can get a good copy.

Splathrop - I'm intrigued. Am I going to run into significant face deformity with that wide a lens?

Thanks

Mar 10, 2014 at 10:33 AM

Gunzorro
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

For people shots and subject isolation, you'll be better off with a 35mm lens than a 24mm on crop. Group shots or mid-range distances, the 24 would probably be better.

The 24/1.4L (either version) is a fairly bulky lens, especially with the hood on, and compared to the original 35/2, a pretty hefty lens too.

Mar 10, 2014 at 11:27 AM

jj_glos
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

mhp_sd wrote:
Wonderful pictures JJ_gloss. Any focus issues with the sigma - it seems like the ideal solution if I can get a good copy.

Splathrop - I'm intrigued. Am I going to run into significant face deformity with that wide a lens?

Thanks

No focus issues. The biggest issue you will have when shooting wide open is working with the narrow depth of field. The slightest movement of the subject and/or photographer will easily throw the focus off. You just have to accept that you will have out of focus shots. I use AI servo a lot, so a body that has half decent AF performance does help. The more you shoot, the more your timing will improve as well which helps with the keeper rate

Mar 10, 2014 at 11:36 AM

bboule
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Canon/Sigma 35mm lens options

The 35/2 IS works great for kids, that is my primary use of it these days. It's AF is great for Servo AF, which is important when you're dealing with subjects that move erratically and won't sit still...

It's AF is accurate & quick enough I've gotten shots sharp enough to pick out eyelashes in situations where ISO 6400 is needed. It is also very sharp at f/2.0.

Sometimes a faster lens with less DoF is not the right thing.. I just rented a 50/1.2 over the weekend.. I could not get as many keepers with it as I can with the 35/2 IS because the AF is slower and if you're actually using it at f/1.2-f/2.0 the AF has to be dead on as there is less DoF. A lot of lenses faster than f/2 are not super sharp when near wide open. Not really a problem with the 50/1.2 but for most lenses it is.

Mar 10, 2014 at 12:26 PM


FM Forums \| Canon Forum \| Join Upload & Sell

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.