Best 24-35mm prime for 7D under $500?

Title says it all, i'm trying to help out a friend with his next purchase. He has a 7D and 85 1.8 (which is an amazing lens for the price) and i'm trying to help him find a wider lens in that same price range. Is there a consensus best buy in that price range for an environmental portrait/walk around type lens for a 7D?

I think the Sigma 30mm F/1.4 is your best option unless he's willing to go fully manual (i.e. Rokinon 35mm).

Rokinon 35mm 1.4 is a no brainer!

definitely needs to be autofocus..this wont be a landscape lens..indoor portraits and walk around type shots.

So the Sigma 30 over the Canon 28 1.8?

tnis0612 wrote in post #15214765
So the Sigma 30 over the Canon 28 1.8?

Usually.

It's 2/3 a stop faster and sharper faster than f2.2 or so.

Is one of them noticably sharper in the 2.5-3.5 range? I'd imagine that's where it will get most of its use.

tnis0612 wrote in post #15214765
definitely needs to be autofocus..this wont be a landscape lens..indoor portraits and walk around type shots.

So the Sigma 30 over the Canon 28 1.8?

I walked into the shop to buy a Canon 28 f/1.8 a couple of years ago and was shown both it and the Sigma 30 f/1.4. I walked out with the Sigma. It is very well built and delivers terrific images. It very quickly became my favourite lens on my crop body. I used to walk out the door with just that lens only.

I use the EF 28mm f/2.8. Razor sharp wide open on my 60D. Inexpensive, too!

TSchrief wrote in post #15216060
I use the EF 28mm f/2.8. Razor sharp wide open on my 60D. Inexpensive, too!

I had that one before the 30mm f1.4. It was a great lens, but of course you are giving up two stops.

The only thing I regret about buying the Sigma 30 1.4 is waiting so long to buy one.

Heres my opinion, I've had the Canon 35mm f/2, Canon 28mm f/1.8 and Sigma 30mm f/1.4, of the three the one i use is the Canon 28mm f/1.8

The 35mm f/2 is the cheapest, its pretty sharp, and doesnt flare easily or anything, However the Bokeh can get very weird, especially close to the MFD, it takes on a very "double visioned" quality that is VERY distracting to your image, if you work at a distance, it doesnt tend to crop up very frequently, but it ruined quite a lot of food shots i did, Still have it but am planning to sell it soon

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 was really nice, Really well built, and the optics are jaw dropping on it, the bokeh is also amazing on it, However I didnt like the long MFD of the lens which I felt was very limiting for the stuff I use it for, I also got a bum copy that had unusable AF (But such a thing i could easily fix, I cant magically make the MFD shorter)

The Canon 28mm f/1.8 I found to be the best compromise, the sharpness is pretty good, the bokeh is pretty good, the AF is holy crap fast on it, and it focuses close so you can get up close to your subjects, it does tend to flare badly if you get the slightest bit of sunlight anywhere near the front of it, and the CA can be horrid on it, but these dont affect my shooting very often.... its also got a unique "look" to it i guess...

Here, have some 28mm f/1.8 samples

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …unetsukiphoto/8​055149744/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …unetsukiphoto/8​055149227/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …unetsukiphoto/8​055149587/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …unetsukiphoto/7​333111368/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …unetsukiphoto/7​333110660/

I agree Kenji...Bulletproof AF, Solid build and optics..I love the bokeh too...It has character...

I like the 30/1.4 too, if you love sharp centers and smooth bokeh I could see why you'd like this lens...But to me that super smooth bokeh is boring at that focal length and the AF isn't as spot on as the OEM USM...Just a personal preference.

Sigma 30 wins hands down

Interesting point Kenji, but I have to say if I am looking to shoot flowers, a normal prime is about the last lens in my bag that I think to use. I personally want as much background separation I can get while keeping the whole subject in focus. To me that means longer focal lengths.

I have only used the Sigma 30 of the usual standard crop prime options, and if my budget was limited to $500, I would definitely buy it again. Having said that, if the new 35/2 IS is as good as the other two IS 2.8 primes in IQ, I think it will be great too. Canon has the $850 24/2.8 IS rebated down $150. If they offer the same rebate for the 35/2 IS during the inevitable Xmas rebates in December, it could bring the price of the 35/2 IS down to $700 which is only $200 over budget. Anyhow something to think about.

L.J.G. wrote in post #15214854
I walked into the shop to buy a Canon 28 f/1.8 a couple of years ago and was shown both it and the Sigma 30 f/1.4. I walked out with the Sigma.

ditto!