Deciding on a street photog lense(considering 40mm 2.8)

rantercsr wrote in post #16758273
It really is perfect..range and quality..it would be a funny answer when asked why I decided to start working out

Have you looked into using a camera sling along the lines of the ones from Black Rapid?
You seem to be really digging the Sigma and the only drawback is the weight. The slings take the weight off your neck and you actually have quicker access to your camera as it hangs down by your side. http://www.blackrapid.​com/products/straps

Thanks for the link to the cam sling..i think I maybe getting that regardless of what I do ..

At first I thought he said 400mm 2.8

One hell of a street lens!

I am liking the 16-35 for street at the moment

there are different schools of thought on street photography. Stopped down vs wide open. wide/normal/telephoto.

Anyhow, for you, 35F2 sounds like what you want (non IS version is really light, close to the weight of the pancake). If you can live with 30mm, sigma has a 30mm F1.4.

On a crop camera I would choose a 24mm giving a 38mm FOV, it is perfect.
I now use my 40 stm lens for street on my 6D.
The Canon 10-22mm is also a great street lens and my copy has brighter colors than the kit lens.

For street photography you generally want a slightly wide to moderately wide lens that's small and unobtrusive.

Using a crop camera (or FF, I'd recommend an EF 28/1.8 as a good possibility. It's got a reasonably large aperture, USM focus, and is quite compact, even with its matching lens hood. The 24/2.8 (non-IS/USM) would be another possibility, except it's f2.8 and doesn't have USM. 24/2.8 IS USM is a lot more expensive and a bit larger than the non-IS/USM version.

There aren't any particularly small/compact 21 or 20mm lenses, unless you consider something vintage with manual focus and exposure control only. Then you might look for some older Olympus OM or Nikkor AI-S/F, which are easily adapted for use on Canon. There are some f2.8 versions and they can be reasonably compact, but aren't cheap.

Part of what's complicating this is also wanting to later use the lens on FF camera. A vintage 17mm (Tamron or Tokina), or a modern Rokinon/Samyang/Bower 14mm might serve for street photography on a crop camera, and are usable on a FF camera, but there they would be ultrawides and wouldn't serve the same purpose.

Thanks again everyone for all the input.
I decided not to get the 40mm and get a canon 35mm since thats what i mostly use the sigma at, but i've been out on the streets quite a few more times and have found myself enjoying the wide end of 18mm on the sigma as well for example when i see a really nice wall filled with grafitti art...
I've decided for now to stick with what ive been doing ,,enjoy using the sigma mostly(and just deal with its weight and size which i notice people notice more as opposed to when i have the 50mm on) and bringing along the canon 50mm.

The only other lens for crop sensor that i may get is the tokina 11-16 f2.8.. and even that i'm not sure about..

i'm pretty sure i'll be going FF with a 6d some time later(i want the better low light capabilites) this year and the 50mm will give me on a FF about what the 35mm is giving me on the crop sensor(correct me if i'm wrong)... so i figured to get a 35mm being so close to a 50mm doenst seem to make sense.. if anything i think a 24mm would be better for when i want to use some thing wider.

i'll keep the t4i as a secondory?, or i may give it to my son who has also taken an interest in photography as a H.S. graduation present so the sigma (and tokina if i get it) wont go to waste....

for a minute i was even considering the fuji x1oo(s) for a dedicated street cam , i've been seeing good reviews on it ,, its light weight and small...
but then that would put my Full Frame dreams on hold for another year ,, and while i do enjoy street photography the most i am also trying to learn doing portraits and landscape

My friend, pro Charlie Harbutt, long time Pres. of Magnum always used a 50mm on his 35mm film camera. He shot everything with it and wasn't afraid to move around a little. I even went up several floors in a building once in London with him while he got the shot he wanted. Of course, we were youths in our 40 s then. <g>

wyntastr wrote in post #16758500
Have you looked into using a camera sling along the lines of the ones from Black Rapid?
You seem to be really digging the Sigma and the only drawback is the weight. The slings take the weight off your neck and you actually have quicker access to your camera as it hangs down by your side. http://www.blackrapid.​com/products/straps

I travel to Europe often and spend hours walking on the streets. Until I got the BlackRapid strap, it was a torture to carry the camera hanging on my neck even with a smallish Sigma 17-70. I sometimes even asked my wife to help me carry the camera. And forget about going into the woods for shooting birds with a large lens. Now with the BR strap it is no longer an issue. I have a camera with a heavy Sigma 120-400 lens hanging off my shoulder, and I can walk for hours without getting tired. The best $60 that I spent on photo equipment ever!

Never been in a gym in my life!

it partially depends on how comfortable you are to be up close to your subjects. If you are, maybe an equivalent of 28mm is for you. If you're shooting with an APS-C camera, then 24L could be a good equivalent to 35mm.

ternaround wrote in post #16757260
What exactly is a 'photog lense'?

Wow, a member for almost 5 years and this is only your 5th post?

You waste your single post for the year making a sarcastic comment on the way somebody spells "lens"? Or was it the abbreviation of "photography" that so confused you?

It is clear to everybody else that the OP is wanting a lens for street photography, and they have pitched in with some useful replies. Perhaps your post next year could be a little more constructive.

22mm is the best for street, unfortunately canon doesn't make that lens for their DSLR, I'd look into a 24-28mm prime.


My crop DSLR +28mm was my go to setup when I started, now it's either my tiny M and it's 22 or my MJU(35mm FF) or Canonet(40mm FF).

And MY post was sarcastic Sandpiper?