quickest AF ~50mm lens

[Sibil]

What's the quickest AF ~50mm (or close to it) lens that keeps up well with AI-Servo, keeping image quality out of the equation for now?

Criteria:
50mm or a bit shorter
Canon or 3rd party
prime or zoom
2.8 or wider (I much prefer wider but include 2.8 in case a zoom is the answer)
under $500

This is for shooting basketball and other indoor sports from close proximity.

Thanks

[cdifoto]

Maybe the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 HSM since it has a ring motor.

[Sibil]

Hardly any feedback.

Should I have posted this question in the lens subforum?

Can it be moved? I don't want to double post. Help :confused:

[Big Hands]

EF-S 17-55 f/2.8is?

I don't know for sure, but I would guess it's at least a contender.

[Huskers69]

Ok, I know this isn't under 50mm, but the 85mm 1.8 is an amazing lens for basketball.

[Sibil]

Ok, I know this isn't under 50mm, but the 85mm 1.8 is an amazing lens for basketball.

I agree and I do have the 85/1.8; however, it is too long for a 1.6 crop camera if you are shooting from near the court.

[Perry Ge]

Maybe the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 HSM since it has a ring motor.

Nope. Owned that one, tried three copies, it's quite slow to focus and believe me you don't buy that lens for Servo, it's a joke :lol:. You buy it for the bokeh I guess. And to have a 50 1.4 lens with a fatter front element than the 85L.

$500 or under...f/2.8 or faster...fast focus? Jeez...there's not a lot out there. Sigma 30 1.4 is a good choice...

[Sibil]

...there's not a lot out there. Sigma 30 1.4 is a good choice...

Thanks. That's probably why I am having a hard time finding a fast AF one. I'll take a look at the Sigma 30 and see what kind of reviews I can turn up.

[rdompor]

I'd say that if focus is important, the 17-55 is your best bet.

[Sibil]

update;

I shot 3 games last weekend and tried my 85 at 2.8. If the gym was well lit, it could get me fast enough shutter speeds, but in poorly lit gyms (which happens to me more often than not) I found myself in the 2.0 or 2.2 range. So, although I was close to pulling the trigger on the Canon 17-55, or possibly the Tamron 17-50, I slapped myself out of it.

Just to manage the itch, I ordered the 50 f/1.8, and also bought a used Sigma 28-70 just for the hell of it. I am shooting about 7-8 games this weekend and have borrowed a Canon 50/1.4 to see what it can do as far AF is concerned.

After reading a lot of related threads, I think I have narrowed down my options to Canon 28/1.8. It is faster than 2.8 and apprently with a pretty good AF speed; faster than the Sigma 30 from all I have read. On my cropped 40D, it should do fine for close range bball shots. But it costs $$$s :(

[nphsbuckeye]

EF-S 17-55 f/2.8is?

I don't know for sure, but I would guess it's at least a contender.
under $500
Nope.