Talk to me about the 20mm 2.8

I am strictly on-location, and I'm thinking ahead to this winter when I'm confined mostly to indoors. I'm trying to upgrade from my Sigma lenses and am interested in getting into primes. Is the 20mm going to be too wide for me indoors for portraits? Too much distortion? Any suggestions?

what types of work are you going to specialize in? Mainly portraits, or are you interested in something else

I shoot portraits all the time with my 35 1.4L on my 5D which would give you a similar FoV with a 20 on your 30D. I really like taking portraits with a wide angle lense. Been even known to do it with a 24...
If your interested I could post some images. ..

Yes, that would be great if you would post some images! ILMC, mostly children, probably some familly stuff. I guess I hesitate to get a 24 where I have a lens that hits that range. I would like to sell one of my Sigmas and get the 24-105L...I rented that lens and love it. But for times when I might need that extra wideness and ap.........decisions decisions!!

For indoor (also outdoor) portraits I always use me Sigma 30/f1.4. It's my most favourite lense and I can highly recommend it to you. It would equal roughly a 50mm on FF.

Heres a couple of recent images with the 35 which would be about the same as a 20 on your 30D. Actually I think you would be about a 30mm But you'll get the idea. I'll also post a couple taken with a 24.

Heres the 35...

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From the 20/2.8, straight from camera JPG. I had this lens and I think it was a good one. Wide but not really wide and USM focus is plenty fast. I sold it due to lack of use and also because I wanted a UWA so I got the Tokina 12-24.

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Thanks everyone! These all look great, just more lenses to think about

so if my main goal was being able to get more of the room in the scene during children's photography in a smaller home/room, not neccesarily close-up shots, would I be okay with the distortion? Would it be that noticeable?

I also wanted to mention that I am hoping to upgrade to the 5D next year. Would the 20 be too wide?

KRM wrote in post #3646700
I am strictly on-location, and I'm thinking ahead to this winter when I'm confined mostly to indoors. I'm trying to upgrade from my Sigma lenses and am interested in getting into primes. Is the 20mm going to be too wide for me indoors for portraits? Too much distortion? Any suggestions?

20mm on APS-C camera has diagonal AOV of 68 degrees (same as 32mm on FF), on FF camera the diagonal AOV is still is only 94 degrees (same as 12.5mm on APS-C).

With decades of wedding experience in a variety of formats, I find that a limit (in any format!) of about 75 degree AOV helps avoid introducing perspective distortion to objectionable levels when shooting groups or when standing close to an individual...28mm for FF, 17mm for APS-C, 45mm for 645 film. 20mm on FF I strongly hesistate to use for shooting people, unless they are standing back far enough that perspective distortion isn't that objectionable, or unless you are deliberating USING perspective distortion!

So it would be decent for my 30D or 10D, but when I move on the 5D it would be too wide....that was one thing I was wondering about. Thanks!

KRM wrote in post #3649978
So it would be decent for my 30D or 10D, but when I move on the 5D it would be too wide....that was one thing I was wondering about. Thanks!

Do you think the B&W stuff I shot with a 24 was to wide? A 20 isn't a whole lot wider. If you can maybe spring for the 24 .4L? Not as much distortion at the edges as the 20 2.8.

No, I thought it looked great. I am not in the market to buy it as an L, I have to see how much I utilize it before I spend that kind of $$. It's not in the budget anyhow.

Your other stuff (doctors) looked great too.

4x4rock wrote in post #3647234
From the 20/2.8, straight from camera JPG. I had this lens and I think it was a good one. Wide but not really wide and USM focus is plenty fast. I sold it due to lack of use and also because I wanted a UWA so I got the Tokina 12-24.

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Did you shoot this with your 5D or 30D?