50L or 50/85/100 non-L..?

Hi All,

OK, so this Sydneysider is heading to the USA in 2 weeks time and am planning on taking advantage of the current fantastic exchange rate, combined with paying off my personal loan last month and bonus leave loading for the month off work

For the information of you nice American folk, you'll be pleased to know that the Aussie dollar now buys around US 99c (and rising) and this is kind of a big deal to us in Australia who are used to paying AUD$2100 for a lens that would normally cost around US$1500 in the States such as the 50L.

I'm keen to get a couple of decently fast primes and need some advice in terms of which is a better option.

My options are: I could get one L - either a 35, 50 or 135. Focal length wise, the 50 would be perfect for my purposes - being portraits and live music. Or, I could get several non-L lenses, being: 50 f1.4, 85 f1.8, and 100 f2.8 Macro for roughly the same price. Or the 15 Fisheye instead of the 100 Macro.

I guess the big question is whether one L is worth 3 lesser lenses of varying versatility and purpose?

Or are there other non-L lenses that would be better for the money?

(Ideally I want to spend less than US$1500 and I use a 1D3 body 99% of the time.)

Thanks for your assistance!

For US$1500 you could easily get 135L and 50 F/1.4, Canon or Sigma.

jkokbaker wrote in post #11167203
For US$1500 you could easily get 135L and 50 F/1.4, Canon or Sigma.

+1 on that!

If you think you could get the most use out of a 50L, go for it. It's the best 50mm.
If you want more than one lens, you'll have to decide which combo you want to get.

niqqunos wrote in post #11166711
Hi All....I'm keen to get a couple of decently fast primes and need some advice in terms of which is a better option.

Just took a look at your links...are those your pics on "Cities of the Red Night"? If so, yeah, primes is the way to improve what I can see...

If those are your shots, I'd suggest the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 for slightly wider shots but in available light...then "yes" to the 85mm non-L. But it's too close to the 100, so I'd say consider the EF200mm f/2.8L instead.
At the very least, try one - I've "borrowed" one for an extended period and loved it...it's still one I'm pondering on adding to my lenses.
Then, you'll still get an L, but for a lot less than the 50L, which is pretty "specialist" really.

Much more versatile, lighter, cheaper, easier to cope with than a big, fat, super-expensive L.
As to 50mm, I've got the Canon, but the Sigma 50 does seem to have the edge on colour and contrast....maybe....
Have a think, matey!
Regards,
Simon

Thanks for the advice everyone!

@Skygod: no, none of the photos on that site are mine. I'm the Bassplayer in the band... I hope you enjoyed the music on the site more than the photos!

I hadn't thought of the Sigma 30 1.4... I've also heard good things about it. I'm worried now that I'lend up with only Sigma lenses (look at my gear list)!

I've thought about it a bit more and I have always wanted a fisheye lens, and since they can be de-fished in post I think I'll get a 15mm 2.8 fisheye. Then, as for fast(er) primes, I've been impressed with what I've seen with the 85mm 1.8 and would work for both portraits and live music.

That should leave around $600 to spend - any suggestions on what I'm lacking and what would be a good addition?

niqqunos wrote in post #11169523
Thanks for the advice everyone!

@Skygod: no, none of the photos on that site are mine. I'm the Bassplayer in the band... I hope you enjoyed the music on the site more than the photos!

I hadn't thought of the Sigma 30 1.4... I've also heard good things about it. I'm worried now that I'lend up with only Sigma lenses (look at my gear list)!

I've thought about it a bit more and I have always wanted a fisheye lens, and since they can be de-fished in post I think I'll get a 15mm 2.8 fisheye. Then, as for fast(er) primes, I've been impressed with what I've seen with the 85mm 1.8 and would work for both portraits and live music.

That should leave around $600 to spend - any suggestions on what I'm lacking and what would be a good addition?

In that case, if you are really convinced about the above options, get a Canon or Sigma 50 F/1.4 in addition. That'll still give you a good fifty for portraits, with better build and bokeh than the nifty.

BTW, 85 mm is a great FL on the 1D Mk III. Ideal for portraits, if you'd ask me.

BTW2: since you are considering a fisheye, the EF 15 F/2.8 is not very fishy on either 50D or 1D Mk III, as it is a 180 degree diagonal fisheye on FF only. Did you consider a Tokina 10-17 fisheye zoom? That'll double up as a fisheye on both (diagonal 180 degrees around 12 mm with 1D Mk III), and even on FF (around 15 mm), plus it looks almost like an UWA at 14-17 mm on APS-C, and costs about the same.

Kind regards, Wim

As I said in the other thread you posted this in, given you'll be in the US, I'd have a look at the new Sigma 85/1.4, and also look at the Sigma 50/1.4 and the 30/1.4. All really nice lenses. (The 85 is new, but getting really good reviews from users.)

Can you use a Sigma 30 1.4 on a Canon 1D3? I thought these were only APS-C crop compatible. Didn't know you can use it on APS-H such as the 1D3.

s2kennyc wrote in post #11170307
Can you use a Sigma 30 1.4 on a Canon 1D3? I thought these were only APS-C crop compatible. Didn't know you can use it on APS-H such as the 1D3.

Yeah, the vignetting is really minimal.

I would get the 50L. Get a good start to a really premium glass collection.

I own 50,85,135 .... 85L is definitely my only real used lens on FF .. so for a crop I would take a 50L ..

niqqunos wrote in post #11169523
Thanks for the advice everyone!
@Skygod: no, none of the photos on that site are mine. I'm the Bassplayer in the band... I hope you enjoyed the music on the site more than the photos!

Glad you said that, otherwise I was going to recommend you send all your gear to me for a 50,000 actuation, long-term check-up!

I'm constantly impressed with what I'm getting from my Sigma 30...and on a 1.6x or 1.3x crop, it gives a really comfortable working range - and f/1.4 really is plenty for anything but the most specialist shot....and leaves you, as you're already aware, plenty of US dollars to get another lens or two.

Good thoughts....I'll leave it with you, and have a great trip, with plenty of Aussie dollars buying even more US dollars than usual!!!

niqqunos wrote in post #11169523
Thanks for the advice everyone!
I hadn't thought of the Sigma 30 1.4... I've also heard good things about it. I'm worried now that I'lend up with only Sigma lenses (look at my gear list)!

I had AF issues with the Sigma 30mm and 50mm. Couldn't get it to reliably AF in LL and couldn't get reliable AF on distance subjects. The number of keepers was very low. I ultimately sold them and am starting all over again. The build quality of the Sigmas are great, but I'm sad to admit that my Nifty Fifty actually focuses more reliably than the Sigma 30 or 50 ever did. Bright sunny conditions with close subjects was the only time I found those lenses usable. As with all things, YMMV.

realmike15 wrote in post #11173566
I had AF issues with the Sigma 30mm and 50mm. Couldn't get it to reliably AF in LL and couldn't get reliable AF on distance subjects. The number of keepers was very low. I ultimately sold them and am starting all over again. The build quality of the Sigmas are great, but I'm sad to admit that my Nifty Fifty actually focuses more reliably than the Sigma 30 or 50 ever did. Bright sunny conditions with close subjects was the only time I found those lenses usable. As with all things, YMMV.

I'm intrigued to read that, Mike, as my Siggy 30 seems to have no problems in low light when stuck on the front of my 7D. Here are two shots in the same restaurant with hideous lighting. No flash was 'allowed' (ie, it would have been rude, I think) and the first shot was taken using my fiancée's perfectly capable P&S, which shows how crappy the lighting was.
Second shot, 7D, Siggy 30.
I'll let you (and the OP) decide if perhaps you had a bit of bad luck with your lens(es) body-combo.

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skygod44 wrote in post #11173619
I'm intrigued to read that, Mike, as my Siggy 30 seems to have no problems in low light when stuck on the front of my 7D. Here are two shots in the same restaurant with hideous lighting. No flash was 'allowed' (ie, it would have been rude, I think) and the first shot was taken using my fiancée's perfectly capable P&S, which shows how crappy the lighting was.
Second shot, 7D, Siggy 30.
I'll let you (and the OP) decide if perhaps you had a bit of bad luck with your lens(es) body-combo.

My combo was a T2i and Sigma 30mm & 50mm, admittedly your cameras AF system is far superior to that of the T2i. But, please keep in mind... I'm not saying I never got a sharp picture, I'm saying my keeper rate was drastically low. I owned both of these lenses for about a year (bought at different times, from different places), and both gave me the same problem.

Also Sigma does have a reputation for having inconsistent focusing systems, as seen in reviews like these:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com …X-DG-HSM-Lens-Review.aspx
http://www.dpreview.co​m/lensreviews/sigma_50​_1p4_c16/

Anyway, I'm glad the lens works for you. Perhaps the 7D AF is so good, that it's able to better assist the Sigma AF system. For me, trying it on every Rebel from the XS to the T2i... it was just simply unreliable.

Cheers