prime 35mm or 50mm for dslr?


Status
Not open for further replies.

firstmoon

Member
Dec 9, 2003
50
0
6
i m using 300d and m thinking of getting a fast lens. choose prime instead of zoom, for optical quality.

shld i get 35mm f/2 or 50mm f/1.8? fyi, i typically shoot photos of my family at home and their activities (eg annual concert, in the park, etc.)

with 1.6x, 35mm becomes 56mm (like normal lens), but the price is rather steep (3 times) compared to the cheap venerable 50mm.

w the 50mm (or 80mm w dslr), i am afraid to be rather limited (especially when i shoot photos at home, as need to take photos from a distance).

28mm f/2.8 is cheaper, but it is 1 stop higher and i find it not much different from my existing kit zoom, so i think it is not here not there.

appreciate your comment.
 

If you're thinking between the two lenses 35/2 and 50/1.8, I'd suggest the 50/1.8, a very fast lens for candids, portraits and image quality is superb.

I've shot activities and candids + streets using the 50/1.8 (although different camera system...). Great lens to kick off.

The only issue as stated is the 1.6x crop factor. But it shouldn't be an issue. Go try it out in the shops before you decide. I know somebody else here prefers 35/2 :)
 

I would choose the 50/1.8

But if given another choice, I'll go for the 85/1.8

I have the 50/1.8, I find that I have to go quite near to take portraits... Which some people don't like.
 

i dont find the 50mm very usable with the 1.5x cropping factor. i use the nikkor 50mm f1.8 lens. bright, sharp, excellent bokeh and lightweight... but not versatile... the picture angle too narrow for normal use... i would go for a 28mm or a 35mm if a fixed lens is a must...
 

espn said:
If you're thinking between the two lenses 35/2 and 50/1.8, I'd suggest the 50/1.8, a very fast lens for candids, portraits and image quality is superb.

I've shot activities and candids + streets using the 50/1.8 (although different camera system...). Great lens to kick off.

The only issue as stated is the 1.6x crop factor. But it shouldn't be an issue. Go try it out in the shops before you decide. I know somebody else here prefers 35/2 :)

eeeh, I dont want to reply but since espn brought it up so......

Last month I bought the 35mm f2 (Nikon one). And boy it was light, fast and convenient to carry around. I also use it to shoot my own family activities, like home photos, going restaurant, family gathering.....etc. You can always squeeze many people and background into this.

Of course it is more expensive than than 50mm f1.8, but I think the 35mm is more useful in your intended applications.
 

The 35mm f/2 is excellent lens on 10D because of the 1.6 Cropping Factor.

If you are using a file SLR, then I would say 50mm f/1.8. Because of the cropping factor, I got rid of my 50mm and replaced it with a 35mm.

Though the 35mm is half stop slower than the 50mm, but the min focus distance is 25cm compare to the 50mm of 45cm.

And to shoot portrait, as some of the guys mentioned, just take a step, the 35mm is easily gives you a '80mm' view.

That's just my 2 cents worth.

firstmoon said:
shld i get 35mm f/2 or 50mm f/1.8? fyi, i typically shoot photos of my family at home and their activities (eg annual concert, in the park, etc.)
 

I like my 35mm f2 :D

see sample shot

took my friend's 1 month old son few months back ...

it is smaller , lighter and better build than 50mm f1.8. Of course it is more expensive lah
 

I like the 35mm f2 too!!! :) It also has a metal lens mount (in contrast to the plastic mount on 50mm f1.8 MK II) :)

I also have a 50mm.... not the f1.8 one but the f2.5 macro version. dunno what got into me when i sold off the f1.8 for the more expensive f2.5.
 

Astin said:
CP equote is $460 plus GST.
You interested in model shoot? :D

for that price, do you think i shld just buy 3rd party (tamron) 28-75mm f/2.8. get all the focal range, but perhaps at the expense of optical quality?
 

firstmoon said:
for that price, do you think i shld just buy 3rd party (tamron) 28-75mm f/2.8. get all the focal range, but perhaps at the expense of optical quality?

Ok mine is a Nikon one, not sure about the Canon price.
A zoom is bigger and heavier than prime, that I am very sure.
The other problem is, a zoom at wide angle will most likely give distortion, much more than a prime.
 

Note that the perspective of the lens is still the same no matter whether it's a f-SLR or DSLR. For example, a 35mm lens may multiple to 50+mm on a DSLR, but it still retard the perspective of an 35mm lens on a f-SLR.
 

e_liau said:
Note that the perspective of the lens is still the same no matter whether it's a f-SLR or DSLR. For example, a 35mm lens may multiple to 50+mm on a DSLR, but it still retard the perspective of an 35mm lens on a f-SLR.

Have two questions:

1. assume the subject is framed similarly (i.e. the DSLR is further away from the subject due to the smaller angle of view), would the pic look exactly the same?

2. assume a 50mm lens used on a DSLR with 1.5x cropping factor and a 75mm lens used on a f-SLR and both are the same distance from the same subject. Would the pics from both look exactly the same?
 

mpenza said:
Have two questions:

1. assume the subject is framed similarly (i.e. the DSLR is further away from the subject due to the smaller angle of view), would the pic look exactly the same?

2. assume a 50mm lens used on a DSLR with 1.5x cropping factor and a 75mm lens used on a f-SLR and both are the same distance from the same subject. Would the pics from both look exactly the same?

perspective is determined by the distance betw camera and object.

1 => no, the picture is different. the picture will be the same when it is taken with the same distance, then the photo printed from the fslr is cropped and enlarged to the same size of that from the dslr.

2 => yes, i believe it will be the same picture.

to e_liao: to get a similarly framed photo, a dslr user will have to step back and therefore compensate the perspective. this is a similar situation as no 2 above.
 

agree with firstmoon:

case 1=> start 1st with the dslr same distance from subject as slr. subject will look "bigger" in dslr's viewfinder. pull back the dslr until subject appears as same size as in slr's viewfinder. the 2 images will appear to look the same but now the perspective is different: because dslr with same lens standing further back gives same effect as using slr with a longer focal length lense standing equally further back => ie 2 factors are now different: (i) effective angle of view and (ii) subject distance. so both (i) and (ii) have changed =>perspective has changed eventhough subject size is made the same size

case 2=> this time distance is same. combo on dslr and combo on slr give same effective angle of view. the 2 factors remain unchanged. implies=> picture will look the same

errors pls correct. cheers
 

Let's say a dSLR uses 1.5x, shot at 50mm @f2. The film SLR uses a 75mm, also shot at f2. The dSLR steps back to get the same framing. The picture perspective is the same, but the 75mm will have less DOF, bcoz the actual aperture used is bigger.

You're essentially comparing two different size formats, not two focal lengths of the 35mm format.
 

Oops, forgot about the original question.

i'd prefer the 50/1.4 over the two lenses, despite the steeper price, bcoz of the extra speed and much better build quality.

Of the two you mentioned, i prefer the 35/2, but for your specified purpose, i think the 50/1.8 would be a better choice.
 

first moon , clive and ST1100: Thanks for the answers :) They definitely helped to clarify my doubts :)
 

Status
Not open for further replies.