EF50mm 1.4 USM -VS.- EF85 1.8 USM

hey guys... its either one or the other... they're in similar price ranges.... I have an XT but will eventually upgrade to something nicer.

which should i go for with for portraits (and why)? I'll probably be shooting in small spaces... probably max of 8 feet away from subject when shooting indoors.

How much of the person are you trying to shoot. You won't get a full body shot from eight feet away with the 85mm lens on a 1.6 camera. Also, you should consider how many feet you need between the subject and the background. The 85mm is great for head and shoulder shots on a 1.6x .

so for full body shots, go for the 50?

Heist wrote in post #6306685
so for full body shots, go for the 50?

Not indoors from 8 ' away. You'll need something wider like a 28mm or 35mm.

the best suggestion i can give you is to use your current 18-55 kit lens to find the focal length that would be most appropriate for the location you are shooting in.

if you find out you need something wider than 50mm, sigma has a 30mm f/1.4 that could fit the bill (only works on crop bodies though, won't work on full frame)

You can get an idea of focal lengths from your 18-55 lens.

hrmmm, what lens will give me a wider angle and still give me a large aperture then?

and NO, i'm not interested in L lenses just yet

I looked through my camera... think you guys are right! HA!

Sigma 30mm f/1.4. Add the 85mm f/1.8 and you have the ULTIMATE crop-sensor Portrait prime combo (for under $1K )

egordon99 wrote in post #6307103
Sigma 30mm f/1.4. Add the 85mm f/1.8 and you have the ULTIMATE crop-sensor Portrait prime combo (for under $1K )

will that work just fine on my XT? and potentially a 50d in the future?

im new to this SLR biz

I find myself using the 50 more for portraits than my 85.

I don't see why it wouldn't. It works fine on my 40D, as long as you get the Canon mount, it should work on any Rebel or XXD model.

Heist wrote in post #6307127
will that work just fine on my XT? and potentially a 50d in the future?

im new to this SLR biz

The Sigma 30mm 1.4 is a crop lens only and will not work on a 5D. It is a great lens though, and you could always sell it when you move up to full frame...

OR... Get the Canon 35mm f/2.0 (works on full frame also) Only $240 at B&H http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …2_Wide_Angle_EF​_35mm.html

It gets pretty good reviews from most people... https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=141317

I've got EF 85/1.8 and I find it useless for indoor portrait unless you want to shot just face. Even for full body outdoor portraits you need much space. For nice portraits you should use minimum 50 mm with crop, but I saw very interesting portraits made with very wide lens.