Prime Lineup for mixed system - FF & 1.6 crop [Poll]

I am looking to compliment my zooms with some faster primes, however I am having a difficult time figuring out which set to go with. I am working with a 5D classic and a 30D, so I have both sensor formats to work with.

It seems to me there are really two camps when it comes to prime lineups that we see quite often, and I'm curious who prefers what and why.

1. The classic trinity - 35mm, 85mm, 135mm
2. 24mm, 50mm, 135mm
3. Something completely different.

Which do you prefer and why?

My answer - #2 - 50 and 135 are two of my favorite focal lengths on FF. The 24 is in there as I feel 35/50 would be too close together.

Cheers!

love my 35L and 135L...

but for jumping between a crop and FF, 85 may be a bit too long considering youd already have the 135 which will cover most long lengths youd need on a crop...

though i dont own them, and im closer to owning the first option, and its what i voted for, the 24L and 50L will both be really nice on both FF and crop..with the first option on 1.6x you have standard and two tele's, with the 2nd, you have a standard-wide, short tele, and long tele...

i think if i had a crop camera my 'three' id prefer would more be 24L, 50L, and 85L..

135L was my favourite lens on my 1.6x camera and now with a 1D it's even better. I don't think you could go wrong with 35,85,135.

I vote #3, something completely different. 24, 50, 85. Combined with your two cameras it would make for a wide and consistent range.

I think you will be missing the reach of the 135 however, but 50-135 is a large gap in FL. I suppose it depends on what your needs are, ie. what do you shoot?

Today I prefer a 35, 50, 85 set - Tomorrow might be a 50, 85, 135 kinda day

24mm / 60mm / 100mm.... and then a 200mm 2.8 L

I have FF and crop, the 85 is good on a FF for portraints but the 50 is fantastic for all around use. That is my opinion obviously.

Here is my "trinity" I have a 40D and shoot fashion/glamour. The 135 is too long on a crop body for what I shoot. I use the 35 for full body and shots where I need more backgrounds like a model with a car or something. The 50 is for three quarter and waist up shots. The 85 is for waist up, headshots and three quarter shots outside where I have lots of room.

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I'd have to have a 35 and a 50 for my standards and either the 85 or 135 or both for portrait.....But, ...I'm an amateur, so all my "needs" are just "wants"....

If I was all prime I'd have:
35L
ex50/1.4
85/1.8
135L
300/4L
Only about 4K

I'm personally fond of 35, 50, 85, and a wide like the 17-40.

I vote for 35, 85, 135. The reason being, is that my fav walk around prime on a crop camera was the 35 - the 135 and 100m was a bit too long for me as a travel walk-around. The 85 would be perfect on the crop camera as a more versatile tele for people, and you've got the 135 as a longer tele for the crop as well.

Then you can use the 35 as a not-too distorted wide on the FF, 85 as a not-in-your face portrait lens, and the 135 as a stand-out-of-the-way portrait (just the right length for me as a travel lens) and other lens.

There is a big visual difference between 35 & 50mm, one has a bit of wide-angle bending, the other takes exactly what you see. If those are your favourite focal lengths, there's nothing wrong with having both.

But the choice of 24 or 35mm depends on if you are a wide or less-wide angle person. I'm a as-is (50mm) to short tele person, except for some landscapes. You've already got 24mm-ish covered with two of your zooms anyhow, same as the 35 I guess too.

Well, I think you should add a 3rd option. For me, with a FF and 1.6x Crop camera, I would prefer the following combo

24mm (24mm on FF, 38mm on 1.6 crop)
85L (85mm on FF, 136mm on 1.6x crop)
200L 2.8 (200mm on FF, 320mm on 1.6x crop)

With this kit I have great reach going from an effective FOV of 24mm to 320mm, all at 2.8 or faster, with a FF and 1.6x camera.

Personally, I like a little distance in between my primes. I like it where it's pretty evident what prime lens you need to do the job. Don't put your self in a situations where you can't decide between two of your primes because they are so close (do I take portraits with my 50L or my 85L, or if I want to walk around lens do I take my 24L or my 35L). With my proposed combo, it's clear where each lens performs. You need wide, you take the 24L. You need medium, then you take the 85L. You need long, take the 200L

BigBlueDodge wrote in post #8249276
Well, I think you should add a 3rd option. For me, with a FF and 1.6x Crop camera, I would prefer the following combo

24mm (24mm on FF, 38mm on 1.6 crop)
85L (85mm on FF, 136mm on 1.6x crop)
200L 2.8 (200mm on FF, 320mm on 1.6x crop)

With this kit I have great reach going from an effective FOV of 24mm to 320mm, all at 2.8 or faster, with a FF and 1.6x camera.

Personally, I like a little distance in between my primes. I like it where it's pretty evident what prime lens you need to do the job. Don't put your self in a situations where you can't decide between two of your primes because they are so close (do I take portraits with my 50L or my 85L, or if I want to walk around lens do I take my 24L or my 35L). With my proposed combo, it's clear where each lens performs. You need wide, you take the 24L. You need medium, then you take the 85L. You need long, take the 200L

The difference between 50 and 85 might not be as big on FF but on a crop, the difference between 80 and 135 is quite significant

i definitely notice a difference between 50 and 85 on FF....i used my 50mm on my old 50D a lot, now if when i go to chose a lens its usually between the 35L and 85/1.8...or 135L for specific daytime outdoor kind of things..since getting those three lenses i actually dont think ive even put my 50 on..

I'm a 24, 50, 135 guy myself. 135 is my favorite focal length on FF and 24 is my favorite focal length on crop. 50 works well on both.