Which prime on a tight budget?

I'm looking for a prime lens both my 13 year old daughter and I can share and have a bit of fun with. Both into landscape and people shooting with some fun stuff thrown in although I shoot a lot of wildlife as well.

Budget is tight (£100 max) so a 50mm f1.4 is out of the question .

She has a 400D and has the 18-55 & 70-300 kit lenses, my kit is in my sig.

Looking at a used 30mm-50mm lens or do you have a better suggestion for crop sensor bodies?

maybe a second handed 40mm pancake?

cheap lens, but not so cheap quality
especially the IQ is astonishing!

I can't think of any prime, other than the 50mm f/1.8, that costs less than £100.

If your budget can't manage a 50mm f/1.4 then I agree a used 40mm pancake may be a good option, or a 50mm f/1.8.

However, if you can save up a little longer, for about the same price as the 50mm f/1.4 you can get an 85mm f/1.8 which is an excellent portrait lens that many pros still swear by. It may be a stretch for your budget but worth it, if possible.

I use a 28mm f2.8 that I bought used for $125. The focal length is close to what used to be called a "normal" lens (50mm on a 35mm camera.) I like the lens a lot.

A lot of people would probably suggest the 50mm f1.8, which you can get for less money. I had one and never liked it - focal length too long me, focusing was erratic, and the build quality isn't very good.

Canon 50mm 1.8 new mk2 is under £100 and great results for such a cheap lens - the mk1 is better made with metal mount / distance gauge etc but are hard to find and usually come in at just over the £125 mark.

Seriously mate, if it's for you and your daughter to share and have some fun with then you really can't go wrong with one.

.DAVID.

The only EF primes in that budget I know of would be a new 50mm f/1.8. Used (if you can find) would be the 40mm f/2.8 or possibly if you find a good deal the 28mm f/2.8. Other than that unless you get real lucky with a good used prime that someone really wants to get rid of (even the 28mm might be a little high). Increase to about £230 and more possibilities open up.

50f1.8 obviously...

Nifty all the way, very fun lens.

A nice choice would be the 50mm 2.5 macro. This is not a full 1:1 macro, but a 1:2. But this lens gives you far greater close up ability than the 50mm 1.8. This lens has great edge to edge sharpness and flatness of field. Used it can be had for about $175.00. That said, the new 40mm pancake is also a great deal.

If you can't afford the 50 1.4 then you should probably save more money.

I just posted a similar question this morning; you might have a look at the answers; good inputs:

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1253738

If your budget is 100 pounds ($160 USD?) you can get a new pancake for $150. I may be going that direction.

Mmmmmm......

35mm on a crop =56mm
40 = 64mm
50 = 80mm

I think I'll try and find a used 35mm Sigma or Canon and failing that, pick up a pancake off eBay or in the local shops.

Thanks for your input guys. I have the option of using however much I get from selling my Sigma 28-70 f2.8 to put towards it so that's always an option. I also have a couple of SSD's I'm trying to shift as I'm not going to use them now so the budget may well rise a bit.

Lowest current UK price for a new 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens is £159. Our prices are higher than in US.

35mm is my favorite focal length, it's just magical. The good this is that on a crop it doesn't change so it's still 35mm, even with the narrower field of view it's still pretty wide.