Best prime lens for Asia?

[djentley]

I am thinking about picking up another prime lens to counter the 24-105mm L I just bought. Personally I would like to have gone all prime, but logistically that would be a pain. However I absolutely love the shallow DOF of a prime, I grew on the camera with a nifty fifty, but that was at an awkward focal length; neither wide nor tele.

I'd like to take one good prime and two lenses to alternate as I feel on the (soon to be) 7D.

[Hurock]

I was actually going to ask the same question... I currently have a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 and a 50mm f/1.8. The Tamron is always mounted, but I really think I'll need some more reach in Asia, because I'm really interested in doing street photography (candid shots) of the amazing people over there.

I think the 17-50 will do great as a wide angle for sceneries on my APS-C (Rebel XS or maybe T2i) and I can't decide between a 85mm f/1.8 or a 135mm f/2.8 SF or the two together.

[mangkukhayun]

200 f2.8L maybe? or a less-expensive sigma 150mm?

[arcticfox3]

35/1.4L is a sweet focal length on the 7D. You may consider the cheaper option too, Sigma 30.

[roosterslayer]

while i was in japan i rarely needed a longer focal length. i would bring a 35 or somewhere around that range. i was pretty happy with 50mm on cropped body.

[jeyaganesh]

I am using EOS 400D+35L in India. 35L is good to take picture in crowded place like in India. :D

[sbballer33]

Really depends on your shooting style, I've been traveling in Asia for nearly 4 years now. I love my 100 f2. Its great for street shooting because on a 50d its a pretty good telephoto plus its small and doesn't look like a telephoto, so its great for candid people shots without getting in someone's face and intimidating the subject or pointing some massive lens at them. Plus its tack sharp and you can really make your subjects pop with the shallow depth of field when you open it up. 85 f1.8 is also a good lens basically the same but I wanted a little more length. I'm generally happy with my zooms at the wider end since if I'm shooting a wide angle I'm generally going to want to stop down anyway because there is likely to be more in the shot that I want in focus and I usually don't want a shallow depth of field. Where primes really shine over zooms is at the fast end opened up.