2nd glass choice 50mm vs 85mm

Jon wrote in post #2325377
I was looking at what he has now ("just" the 17-40). With a bit more depth to his bag, there'd be no reason not to have both. I have the 85 1.8 and a Tamron 90 macro. But I didn't get the 85 until I'd got my focal lengths covered.

This is probably why I also didn't mind having both as I have the 28-75, 85, and 70-210 now with the 100 macro.

TimothyHughes wrote in post #2322606
Since you are on a 30D I say get the 50 f/1.4. On a full-frame the 85 is awfully nice.

Best advise on this thread. Let me just add, the 85mm is too long on a 1.6 crop format to be used for portrait. It flatens features (nose, mouth, ears, et) too much to seem natural. Full body and 3/4 portrait can be done very nicely with something in the 30-35mm range (which you already have, I use my 24-70L here). Head and shoulder shots of adults would be idealy shot with 60mm on a 30D. 50mm ain't too bad and 70mm is just a bit of a streach. Let me suggest a thought. You have the 17-40L, plan to get the 70-200L, you "...want to learn about landscapes/flowers/por​traits/architect/anyth​ing and everything...". Why not consider the 60mm macro? f/2.8 ain't a speed demon but is usually plenty fast enough, the focal length for head and shoulder shots is ideal, and it gives you macro capabilities.

Just look how horrible shooting with an 85mm lens on a Cropped DSLR makes the subject appear.
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Mcary wrote in post #2325632
Just look how horrible shooting with an 85mm lens on a Cropped DSLR makes the subject appear.

Historically the 85mm, 105mm, and 135mm lens have all been consider excellent focal lengths when shooting portriats with 35mm.
Mike

Yeah Mike, those look real bad. You should pick up a decent lens next time.

50 f1.4 /60 f2.8 /85 f1.8 ... i'm right back to where i've started -.- lol, another note i wont be buying the 70-200 for at least 6 month-1 year, so i'm basically going w/ 17-40, + whichever one of the 3 i choose for the next year.

great pictures btw

well, after sleeping on it for a night i'm pretty much decided on the 85 1.8.. but then this morning i thought, maybe i should get the 70-200m f4 now.. its not that much more expensive -.- bad idea?

imitations wrote in post #2328897
well, after sleeping on it for a night i'm pretty much decided on the 85 1.8.. but then this morning i thought, maybe i should get the 70-200m f4 now.. its not that much more expensive -.- bad idea?

I don't think the 70-200 f/4 could ever be classified as a bad idea. The better question is does it suit your needs. For outdoor portraits it would work fine but you will have to use it a f/4 or higher. Here are 2 shots from a cheaper 70-210 lens:

f/3.5

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imitations wrote in post #2322262
hi guys, i am new to this forum as well as photography in general and i wanted to ask a question i could not find or get enough opinions on searching through the web and this forum.

i recently bought a 30d w/ a 17-40mm f/4 (first camera). I am thinking about acquiring a secondary lense. I do have the 70-200m planned in the future, but as of now i was thinking about getting a 50mm f1.4/1.8, or a 85mm f1.8. Since i am just starting to learn photography, I am not focused on anything, I want to learn about landscapes/flowers/por​traits/architect/anyth​ing and everything, but eventually i would like to focus on to fullbody/half body portraits, perhaps 75% outdoors, 25% indoors. I would also like to buy a lense i don't need to upgrade in the near future. Which one is better suited as a secondary prime lense? the 50mm or the 85mm? any other suggestions would be appreciated as well. Thanks guys!!

Well, with the 70-200 and the 17-40, I don't see anything in your list of interests that you can't do that you would be able to do with the 85, except maybe for natural light indoor shots. In addition, you gain (obviously) much more reach than you'd have with the 85.

imitations wrote in post #2328897
well, after sleeping on it for a night i'm pretty much decided on the 85 1.8.. but then this morning i thought, maybe i should get the 70-200m f4 now.. its not that much more expensive -.- bad idea?

It really depends on what you want to shoot.

The 70-200 F-4 does give you more options; with it you have a 200mm focal length if you feel you need a medium telephoto lens, while still having the 70-100mm focal lengths to use for shooting portaits.

The 85mm doesn't give you these options but that low DOF can be very nice for portaits.

If you're not sure my vote would be to get the zoom now and then after using it for a year or so decide which fixed lens meets your shooting style and needs best.

Mike

imitations wrote in post #2328897
well, after sleeping on it for a night i'm pretty much decided on the 85 1.8.. but then this morning i thought, maybe i should get the 70-200m f4 now.. its not that much more expensive -.- bad idea?

Another thing I just thought of is that if you go with both lenses at f/4 you have no low light lens. A flash for indoor shots will almost be mandatory (I would recommend one anyway). Even at f/2.8 I still had to bump the ISO to 800 and even 1600 before my flash purchase.

i qualify for the double canon rebate so both the 85mm (sub 300 $) and the 70-200 (sub 500 $) brand new seem to be really good values, being a student i don't have the kind of budget that can justify a 70-200 f/2.8 IS. that being said, i do need something for low-light (indoor/night), not often but it will come up, and i wont always have a tripod around, as wonderful as the 70-200 f/4 is, im not steady enough to shoot close objects at night w/o flash w/ the 17-40, so i'm assuming it will be even worse zoomed in w/ the 70-200. so in the end i think I'll be ordering the 85 f1.8 today.. hopefully.. before i change my mind again

If you're like me, no matter what you buy now you'll wish you had gone with the other!! These are all good lenses. The lower apertures will be good in low light, but you're giving up the range of a zoom. If you go with the zoom, you'll end up with the f/4 or 2.8. I don't own any primes right now, and portraits and weddings is what I do for a living. The lenses I own have been very good to me. If I'm indoors, I use a flash, or turn on a few lights and shoot with the lowest aperture. There's a fashion photographer that shoots fora modelling agency and magazine adds. I don't know him, but he's a friend of a friends. He uses a Rebel with a 28 - 135 f/3.5-5.6? and his shots will blow you away. If I can find his name, I'll send you a link to his website. I don't know why he does this, but it comes down to working with what you have. I guess he's confident in his skill as a photograpgher, and his skill at CS2, I'm sure! I love my equipment, but I always want more.. ALWAYS! Buy what feels right. What are you going to school for?

business finance/ise double major w/ biochem minor, i dont know what feels right, the 85 or the 70-200, but i cant get both of them, how limited would you say the f/4 is compared to the f/1.8, well f/2.0-2.5 for best quality, from what i understand i'd have to shoot w/ iso 200-400 instead of iso 100 everything else being the same? the 300 vs 500 price isnt that much of a problem, just, not sure which one will suit me the best for the next 1/2-1year, as well as which one is more likely a keeper

You seem to be planning almost the same as what I am.

Later today I'll be picking up the 400D XTi, along with the 17-40 f/4L and 50 f/1.4 (Since I'm getting a $250 discount on the camera body from sombody I know, and $90 double rebate off the lenses, I chose to buy both)

And then some time in the future, I plan on buying the 70-200 f/4L. That should do me over for quite a while, before I can afford to upgrade.

And maybe once the 40D comes out I'll sell the 400D for about the same as I bought it (since the cam retains its value well and I got it for such a great price) and spend a few hundred extra for the upgrade.

bought the 85 f/1.8, gonna sit tight and start learning my 30d w/ the 2 lenses, wish me luck, thanks for all the input guys