35mm prime: Get the L or the non-L?

I'm considering buying a fast wide angle prime. I shoot at concerts in dark cafés / clubs sometimes, and the 17-40 f/4 L is often too slow at f/4.

Now there's the Canon EF 35mm f/2 (non-L) and the EF 35mm f/1.4 L. The second one is ofcourse much nicer and faster because it's an L, but there's a huge price difference between the non-L and the L - the L is about 5 times the price!

Has anyone compared the two? Is the L really so great that you'd want to pay 5 times as much for it?

Unfortunately I have never tried the F2 version; I own the 35L and it is worth the cost! A very very special optic and seems to be my most used lens lately. The colours and contrast are very good......along with all the other typical L niceties. I have read so many people who first bought the F2 and then eventually moved 'up' to the L; save yourself the extra step.......just get the 35L!!

It's not really wide angle though. Might you not be better with the 16-35?

Graham

Maybe the Sigma 30 f1.4? [If on a crop body]

It is wide angle on my 5D...

Anybody here who can say something more about the difference between the L and the non-L?

Jesper wrote:
It is wide angle on my 5D...

Anybody here who can say something more about the difference between the L and the non-L?

You got me

To make up - this link refers to the f2 in comparison.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com ….4-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

Given the massive price difference and that it's only a one stop difference i'd go for the F2.0 myself. Both review well. I've not tried either myself.

http://www.fredmiranda​.com …ct=24&sort=7&ca​t=2&page=1
http://www.fredmiranda​.com …ct=25&sort=7&ca​t=2&page=1

For what you mention, and if that's the majority of the work, on a 5d, the 35 1.4 sounds like the better choice.

From what test I have seen on a crop camera you won't see much difference as the f2 only falls off on the corners of full frame. You might miss the USM and FTMF more.

don't fool your self guys.....I still have both lenses and there's a world of difference....on either the 20D or the 5D........the 1.4 blows the 2.0 away......there ain't such a price difference for no reason.......don

It took me a while to decide to get the L version after owning the non-L one for a year, but I have finally done it although I really could not justify it in terms of "bang/$". I have not done a controlled target test comparison between the two, and I doubt that I ever will. However, a few comparative issues are rather obvious:

(1) The L renders somewhat better colours and significantly nicer bokeh.
(2) The L may be somewhat sharper, but not by much.
(3) Obviously, the L has a "prettier" build, larger nominal aperture, finer focus drive, but it is much bulkier.

I think for many of us the EF 35 f/1.4 L USM is a luxury item.....guilding the lilly, so to speak, considering that one can get about 90% of the job done with the EF 35 f/2.0 at less than 1/3 of the cost.

This may help;

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=125095

Excuse me while i do my Forrest Gump impression, but photography to me is like a road trip, it's not just about the destination its also how you get there. I just have to say that the 35 1.4 is a great companion. A years research in to lenses brought me to the 35 1.4. Well worth the time i have to say

I think its all relative to how often you use the lens. If the 35 1.4 is going to be used as the primary lens, then the price gap lessens, relatively speaking.

Thanks for the info and the links everybody!

Ok, you got me convinced, especially by roanjohn's post that the f/1.4 L is really a lot better than the f/2.

I went to some local shops this weekend, but none of them had either the f/2 or the f/1.4 L. One guy in a shop asked me on which camera I was going to use it, and then he told me that the 35 f/2 used to be a good lens on film cameras, but that it isn't "optimized for digital" so that it wouldn't be as good on the 5D. I don't know if I should believe that...

Anyway, the 35 f/1.4 L looks like a great lens, and I'll keep it on my wish list, but I'm not going to buy it real soon (I have to pay my expensive holiday to Laos and Cambodia next month first...).