Canon 50mm F/1.2 or Canon 35mm F/2.4

Hey guys, someones making me an offer for my canon 70-200mm F2.8L IS Version 1 for his canon 50 mm f1.2L or his canon 35mm f1.4L. I want to get into the primes with the exception of the 24-70mm mark II maybe down the line. To give you guys more information, I'm a wedding type of guy so I'm trying to get the lens with the highest image quality. If you guys had the choice, which ones a better trade for? Also, which one do you guys think has the higher value?

forgot to say, they will be used for video and photo.

I would take the 50mm 1.2. Worth about $200 more (used), and there's something about a 1.2....

To me those are 'apple to oranges' and they are completely different tools.
If you need that reach, you need that lens __ 70-200 IS
If you want a fast prime, go for the 50L for it's thin DOF more so than the 35L, I love mine.
THe 35 Sigma is a great lens if later you decide you need that FL

PS: If oyu click edit on your first post and then go advanced, you can edit the title to read 35mm f1.4

Thanks for the reply guys. And yes thank you. I changed the title!

if anything get the rock solid performing 35L. Buying a mystery 50L is just asking for a world of hurt.

I bought the old generation sigma 50mm and gave up trying to find a perfect copy. I bought a 50L and tested in store. Seemed to be a acceptable copy but then after working with it..........I bought a 35L.

I continued to look for a 50L.........still don't own one!

AlanU wrote in post #17012950
if anything get the rock solid performing 35L. Buying a mystery 50L is just asking for a world of hurt.

I bought the old generation sigma 50mm and gave up trying to find a perfect copy. I bought a 50L and tested in store. Seemed to be a acceptable copy but then after working with it..........I bought a 35L.

I continued to look for a 50L.........still don't own one!

Still looking, Alan?

I think you may be a 35 mm guy rather than a 50 mm guy .

Regardless, for weddings, a 50L is great, because of the "mystery" - it gives great results if you are willing to learn how to handle one, and prepared to possibly have to send it to Canon for (re)calibration.

I use it as my go-to lens, and shoot anything with it, including (semi-)macro. Despite it being a very large aperture lens, it does extremely well in the close-focus area, with very beautiful rendering. Landscapes, portraits, general use, low light, it does all very well, and focuses very quickly.

The 35 F/1.4L never impressed me, but I have to admit I am not a 35mm focal length person. I have owned several 35 mm lenses over my years as a photographer, and none have impressed me. I just don't see in 35 mm AoV, and in case of the 35L the rendering didn't impress me either (24L Mk I and 24L Mk II did and do however).

Kind regards, Wim

^ I loved my 24L II on my crop as a 38mm lens, so much so that I bought the 40mm stm for my 6D
I love 50L for its thin DOF wide open, but the 40mm stm has kept me from buying a 35L or 35A

wimg wrote in post #17013280
Still looking, Alan?

I think you may be a 35 mm guy rather than a 50 mm guy .

Regardless, for weddings, a 50L is great, because of the "mystery" - it gives great results if you are willing to learn how to handle one, and prepared to possibly have to send it to Canon for (re)calibration.

I use it as my go-to lens, and shoot anything with it, including (semi-)macro. Despite it being a very large aperture lens, it does extremely well in the close-focus area, with very beautiful rendering. Landscapes, portraits, general use, low light, it does all very well, and focuses very quickly.

The 35 F/1.4L never impressed me, but I have to admit I am not a 35mm focal length person. I have owned several 35 mm lenses over my years as a photographer, and none have impressed me. I just don't see in 35 mm AoV, and in case of the 35L the rendering didn't impress me either (24L Mk I and 24L Mk II did and do however).

Kind regards, Wim

Hi Wim,

I haven't posted on the POTN for a while.....been busy with other things

I haven't been actively looking for a 50mm....maybe I'm not a 50mm

Even though I dislike Sigma I am curious about the ART 50mm.

Go for the 50L. Its worth more than the 35L plus the 50mm is a better FOV for a cinematic look when paired with f/1.2.

Thanks everyone for the great replies, much help!!

I personally like the 50mm focal length more for wedding videos. However I would go for the Sigma 50 art - better color, sharpness, and price is slightly less.

The 50L for me just feels like home. With that said, if you're shooting a copy body the 35mm might be a better focal length for weddings.

I agree the 50L is my most used and often mounted lens of my trio out of habit.
Probably because I can easily foot zoom in one direction or the other with my middle FL lens.
However it feels brand new all over again each time I mount the 24L II and walk around.
Same goes for the 100L, although that is automatically true with its macro use.