Keep Canon 24-70mm f2.8L or sell & buy 35mm f1.4L?

I find myself not using the 24-70mm not that much when I'm out and about because it's a little too big and I would rather have smaller/faster primes like my Canon 50mm f1.4 & Canon 85mm f1.8. When I do use the 24-70mm I am usually taking pictures on the wide end 35mm and less or the tele end at 70mm.

Canon 35mm f1.4L owners and Canon 24-70mm f2.8L owners, I'd like to get your opinion? Would you keep the 24-70mm f2.8L or sell it to fund a 35mm f1.4L?

24-70L is my workhorse when shooting weddings and events (which is occasional at best). But it rarely sees daylight when I am shooting for myself.

The weight becomes an issue only when I am not doing paid work. I prefer primes in those situations: Lighter and sharper, with better colors and contrast.

So, my answer to you depends on your shooting needs.

If you don't find yourself using it then sell it, you even said you find yourself taking more pictures on the wide end... I think you answer you own question. Your not new to primes so you should be more then happy with it =)

get the 35L. sold my 24-70 for it. loving it!

same here... sold my 24-70L for my 35L i have now and i dont regret it at all...

if i ever feel the need to have a practical zoom for just incase purposes, ill get a cheap tamron 28-75mm... no need to have a $1200 zoom that i hardly ever use. $300 zoom that i dont use often i can deal with

I am so close to putting my 24-70mm for sale to buy the 35mm L, but part of me is going to miss the very wide 24mm end and having the convenience of a zoom.

Well, nothing but an upgraded version could get me to sell my 24-70L, but if youre not using it then theres really no reason to keep it. Sell it for the 35L if you think youll get more use out of it.

I tried out the 35L and I really thought it was stellar lens but I don't see how 35 can replace 70 not to mention going into ultra wide territory. I may eventually get one but not to replace my zoom.

Keep and have both.

I traded my 24-70 for a 35L and love it. 24-70 is a little cumbersome to carry around. I might pick up a 24-105 later for general walk-around stuff. For now 35L seems to work pretty well.

Well the justification for me to keep the 24-70mm f2.8 is because there are times that I need to go wide (wider than 35mm) to get group shots. I primarily take pictures of my 1 year old son and some family portraits. Nothing professionally, this is just a hobby and I don't get paid for it.

The zoom is nice, but when I'm indoors I'd rather use a prime and most of the time I find that the 50mm 1.4 is still a little too long for my liking. I don't have a huge house, but it's not all that small either. My thinking is that if I get the 35mm L, it would be on my camera 90% of the time indoors and I could just foot zoom to get closer if I need to. I know the 35mm can't give you the same effect of the 70mm end of the zoom because when you're that close in on a subject, it's going to look distorted.

I may rent the 35mm L this weekend if I can to test it out. I definitely can't keep both the 35mm and 24-70mm, because the 24-70mm would be used to fund the 35mm. I also have another lens upgrade that I didn't mention. I was thinking of selling my 70-200mm f4 IS L & 85mm f1.8 to buy the 70-200mm f2.8 IS II. So my future lens setup could be this: 35mm f1.4L, 50mm f1.4, and 70-200mm f2.8 IS II. Any thoughts?

Alternative, you can sell the 24-70L & 50 f1.4. 5DMK2 & 35L is a deadly combo. With some extra cash, you can look for a used 24L MK I. If not, treat your family to a nice dinner.

I have both, and wouldn't consider selling either unless there was a direct replacement. The 24-70 zoom gives you options that a fixed focal length will not, and the 35L is, well, an outstanding lens in its own right.

sold my 24-70 because i just wasn't using it indoors because it wasn't fast enough, and not taking it out on trips because it was heavy. As a studio lens, it works wonders. I used the funds to grab my 35L which is on my camera most of the time now as a general lens. Yes, of course its not a replacement, but its a lens I'd get more use out of.

Get the 35mm. You'll never look back !