Lens recommendation for taking photos of food? Canon 28mm f1.8 or Sigma 30mm f1.4


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maestrokk

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Jun 3, 2008
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Guys,

I have being taking lotsa photos of good food these days.
Using my 50mm f1.8, i realised i have to focus very far (50cm) away from the food and often getting myself in an awkard position in the restuarant taking these photos. Using the 18-55mm i feel it is a bit not sharp to my liking.

I have been researching for a wider prime lens for me to carry everyday, esp good for me to shoot food. Considering i do not like to use flash when i shoot (some people around might feel disturbed), i guess a wide ampreture is important. Hence this two lens. Slightly within my budget.

I would like to know wat u all feel.

Please share your experiences and opinions.

Thanks:)
 

i'm also lookin for a len for food photography...
personally, i feel that those 2 lens u mention r not suitable...

i hv in mind the new tamron 60mm f/2.8 or the nikon 60mm f/2.8.

not sure if the tamron sp 90 f/2.8 is suitable or not...
 

Hi,

Please enlighten me.
I have tried to use the 50mm F1.8 to take my photos.
However i feel i have to sit away from the food to take a good picture.
Even though the food looks small, after i crop it, it is still ok.
It is the convenience that is bothering me...

I always tot a wider lens, but with a short focus length. I will be able to take the photo more comfortably.

Please correct me if i am wrong as i nvr use a wider prime lens before.

Thanks
 

Hi,

However i feel i have to sit away from the food to take a good picture.
Even though the food looks small, after i crop it, it is still ok.
It is the convenience that is bothering me...

Thanks

Is it because when you shoot near, the focus is off or you are trying to get the whole plate of food taht's why you need to sit further away?
 

consider the tamron 90mm since its cheaper than the EF28mm which is not meant for macro photography. personally i wouldnt use wide angles unless the whole setting was done up for a proper food shoot.
 

Mmm...
Galdor, i am not encountering that problem.
the problem i have is the focus distance.
Like when u are eating in a resturant, u tend to have the food right in front of u.
so when i whip out my 50mm 1.8, i cant squeeze the whole plate in the screen, so i have to pull back. Untill i can see the whole plate already. However, at this position, i still can focus. coz the distance is too short. So i hve to pull out abit. leaving a smaller picture in the lens. But i am able to achieve a good focus, then snap. Return home to crop before i post in blog.

So i was thinking if i am to use a wider lens, i am able to get the majority of the picture willed with the plate without leaning back.
With the short focus length, i am still able to focus at this position.

I am able to do it with the kit lens. 18-55 at the 20-30mm range and about 30-40cm away from the food.
However, coz the apreture is 3.5, i cant get a good shot at a high speed and the quality is not there.

Flipfreak, usually i do not have the setting for a proper food shoot. I not like those famous food blog where they are requested to the restuarant to blog about their food...
 

If you intend to capture the whole plate and space is a constraint, a wide angle lens will help. Maybe you want to consider using a PnS instead.
 

Well... actually i was using a PNS before la.
Macro mode is really quite good.
But tot since i have the DSLR now, looks more pro ma.
So a wide angle, short focus lens is a correct search right?
 

Well... actually i was using a PNS before la.
Macro mode is really quite good.
But tot since i have the DSLR now, looks more pro ma.
So a wide angle, short focus lens is a correct search right?

Have to check the minimum focusing distance of the wide angle lens too.
 

Yup, so far the 28mm f1.8 is 25cm and the sigma 30mm f1.4 is 40cm.

I am actually leaning more to the 28mm f1.8 since i dun really take the photos are such large ampreture.
Most prob will be 2-4 range only.

I read up and says the 28mm is actually pretty sharp even at the edges.
Anyone can comment about this?

Also a number of reviews are saying the sigma 30mm fa.4 is a great value for $$ lens.
However, i didnt see many commenting the IQ is great.
 

sigma 30mm f/1.4 is not suitable because it has really long minimum focus distance.. get 28mm f1.8 or u can consider 35mm f2 too
 

why dun u get the tamron 17-50 if u wanna use a wide angle that can focus close. it can af nearer than those 2 lenses.
 

Actually got considered it before ba.
But the prime IQ is definately better then the tammy right?
I am also considering to wait for the VC version to be out in the market and reviewed by fellow CSers
 

Actually got considered it before ba.
But the prime IQ is definately better then the tammy right?
I am also considering to wait for the VC version to be out in the market and reviewed by fellow CSers

probably better but if its just for hobby purpose and web size viewing, it shldnt be a big difference in terms of sharpness.
 

I'm not into food photography but have tried some.
I think that the macro lenses would be just right for food. You can focus near or far from the object (correct me if I'm wrong). :embrass:
 

50mm/1.8 has a pretty far minimum focusing distance. From what I remember, the sigma 30/1.4 is not really much better in mfd, but the IQ is very good.

To be very honest, if you want to sit at the table and take photo of you food, I find pns in macro mode much easier because of the "more developed" liveview. With dslr, I often find myself leaving my seat to take photo of my food at certain angle(due to using viewfinder) because the liveview af with bigger aperture like not very easy to hold steady and keep focus point. Might not matter for you though, but just a suggestion.

BTW, you know sigma has other lens like 20/1.8 and 28/1.8 which have much shorter mfd than the 30/1.4?
 

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