As I've mentioned in my other thread, I do a LOT of shooting in very poor lighting conditions, indoors. My Canon XSi kit lens only drops to f/3.5 and is pretty much useless unless I use the flash or a very long shutter speed (no good if I'm shooting people). I need a lens with a much wider aperture for indoor shooting that maintains good sharpness wide open. A flash will be forthcoming but either way, a good prime with strong wide-open shooting performance is what I'm looking for.

The Canon 35L f/1.2 is way too much - no way I can spend $1200+ on a lens right now.

I've found a good deal on a Canon EF 50 mm f/1.4 ($260 shipped with UV filter and hood) and was pretty much set to pull the trigger. However, the more I thought about it and the fact that on my 1.6x camera and is effectively an 80mm lens, the less I'm sure it's the proper lens for me. Still, for the money, it's apparently a great lens - 8 blade aperture, USM focusing (quiet and fast), and pretty good build quality. Just maybe too long for some indoor photos? I have a ten week old son that I try and photograph regularly. Will this lens do the job quite nicely or is it still too "long" for nice closeups?

Which lead me to the Canon EF 35 mm f/2.0. It's effectively a 56mm lens on my camera, which means I can get a little closer to my subjects for portrait-style shots. That's handy indoors when you're sometimes limited by things like WALLS and FURNITURE for pictures. It has the same 5-blade aperture as the cheaper Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 so apparently it's not as sharp as I can expect from the f/1.4, plus it's a full stop less so I'll need slower shutter speeds if I don't use a flash. It also is a non-USM lens so noisier to operate (not necessarily a problem) and potentially slower to focus. It's classified as a wide-angle lens and I'm not sure how that will translate to portrait-style shots though it will apparently give some very nice landscape shots.

What says the forum? What would you recommend out of these two? Is there a non-Canon lens you'd recommend over these two? Which would you consider more useful overall (inside and outside the house)? I'm trying to keep my cost under $300.

 

I like the longer and quicker lens. I like to be a little farther from the subjects so you can use the 1.4 and keep the FOV from being razor thin like it would be up close. Of course i'm fairly new at this too so seek other opinions.

 

I have the 35mm f/2.0 & rate it, but acknowledge your aperture & non-USM concerns. Good IQ tho' - mine's sharp - & you can boost the ISO...

I find 50mm too long for indoors on a crop body which overrides the 1.4 aperture advantage for me...

How about a used Sigma 30mm f/1.4? (see this thread: https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=569065)

 

That's a $375 lens, though, which is $75 over my intended budget.

That said, I learned almost immediately that INTENDED budget and final budget are two very different things!

 

The 50 1.4 is known for focus problems. Just consider that in your decision.

 

I read about them so I've talked to the seller about his particular copy. He hasn't had any issues with it yet (he only used it for one wedding)...

 

I bought a 50 1.4 before and I didn't like it at all. Pictures captured were soft and not quite sharp as the 85 1.8 so that's one thing to consider if you're moving toward the 50 1.4

Well the bottom line is it depends on your budget. Canon 50 1.4 is ok, Sigma 50 1.4 is pretty good if you can find an excellent copy. I'm saving up right now for a 35L.

 

Have you owned a Canon 50mm f/1.4 before? Just because you read somewhere on the internet or heard lots of people having focus issues doesn't mean everybody will.

I personally know many people with this lens, including myself, who have never experienced any problems with it before.

It's tack sharp for me and I have no complaints about it. I HAVE heard of focus issues but that's due to people not taking care of their lens properly, treating it like a toy and tossing it around.

When it comes to storage, many people leave it on the minimum focus distance as well (which causes stress on the inner element). Canon have found out that's the main reason where the focus issue is coming from.

Remember always to store your lens with the focus to infinity.

 

^ YES 3 different copies actually.

have you seen my gear list? I own a whole hella lot more than just a 50 1.4

I have sold the 50 1.4 in favor of the 50L

 

The Canon EF 50 1.2 L is a heck of a lot more money, though. You can't even compare when it's $800-$900 more.