Canon EF 35 f/1.4L II [CR2]

[wickidwombat]

After months of choosing between the 24 1.4 mkii and 35 1.4 i just bought the 35mm 1.4. Im a bit gutted now because i would have rather had a weather sealed lens. I only paid £750 on ebay though! I wonder if the price of the new lens will increase the value of mine, or if I should consider selling it before it loses too much value.

Ive justified buying L glass to myself that it should hold its value incase I ever need to sell it, but I guess its value really depends on the new price.

Canon glass, especially L glass, holds it's value well. I've actually sold some lenses for more than I paid.

But the new 35L II will be very pricey to be sure.

Yeah i think it will be pricey, and hopefully mean that my copy holds its value. I definately noticed this as I missed out on the chanced to buy the 24-70 mki just before the new version was released, and now the mki costs an extra 30% used easily.

Thanks for easing my mind though!

The 35 1.4 is a pretty safe investment. It costs about $100/week to rent it here. You may own it for two - three years, and get many thousands of shot with it, and then resell it at nearly what you paid. It's a bargain in that light.

Several years ago I bought a 40D on sale for $900 and a 17-55 2.8 IS for $850 (Adorama had a one day sale, and B&H matched it). After about 18 months, and perhaps 40,000 shots, I sold the 40D for $600 and the 17-55 for $950. My net cost was about $200 (all figures approximate). You couldn't by a crappy point and shoot for that.

In my experience, buying good gear is cost effective.

I now have the following lenses:

Canon 16-35 II, 24-105 f4 IS, 70-200 2.8L IS II, 50 1.4, 50 1.8
Tokina 11-16 2.8, 50-135 2.8

On 5DII, and 60D(bought for my son)

If I sold all my lenses, I'd get pretty close to what I paid, so no regrets. BTW ... good sales come up regularly. Take advantage of them and you'll do very well with pro gear.

Tip: look at kits and their discounts. I bought the 60D kit with 55-250 IS, for $59 more than without the zoom. I immediately sold the zoom for about $200 and the kit 18-55 for $95 (net $295) new in boxes on eBay. B&H was also offering the 70-200 at an additional $200 off the existing $200 off sale when paired with the camera. So in the end, my price on a new 70-200 2.8L IS II was $1850!

at risk of of going way off topic how is the tokina 50-135 f2.8 ?

 

[Radiating]

Considering today's 35 f/1.4 is already superlative...what, aside from the price tag, will be different with the new one?

b&

The 35mm 1.4 was spectacular when it was released, now it's just average. It's so average in fact that a third party 35mm 1.4 Canon EF lens you can buy for $350 brand new is much better than Canon's own $1350 35mm 1.4, which is ridiculous:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=771&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=1&LensComp=121&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=2

Just from that comparison I see the following that could be noticably improved:

-Corner sharpness
-Mid frame sharpness
-Severe Color Fringing

Here are some other factors which could be improved:

- Flare resistance (better coatings)
- mid frame and corner sharpness for meridonial detail stopped down
- Color fringing stopped down, it's plainly visible even at f/8.0
- Purple Fringing (I notice this in my copy)

Don't get me wrong even with all these problems the 35mm 1.4L is probably my favorite prime of all time ever, the combination of pleasing quality, focal length and aperture are amazing.

However if it were as good as say this, well... we can only dream.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=121&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=2&LensComp=458&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

 

[Bosman]

The 24LII suits me very well so even as enticing as this lens would be it would be redundant. I am guessing Canon will do all L lenses with circular aperture blades since, what was it the 24LII they started doing it on normal lenses...? I don't recall. Anyway it would be in their interests to do so and they are pretty late in the game to that feature but it would be another perk for up-graders. All the other updates mentioned as well. These newer lenses have to be built to the n'th degree to future proof them at least 6yrs if not longer. The higher resolution sensors coming out will demand it.

 

[Daniel Flather]

How about 9 aperture blades, please?

And here I thought <a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/******-everything-were-doing-five-blades,11056/">five blades</a> was overkill....

b&

+1

 

[Bosman]

How about 9 aperture blades, please?

And here I thought <a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/******-everything-were-doing-five-blades,11056/">five blades</a> was overkill....

b&

LOLOL!

 

[Menace]

I will be getting one of these soon as its released - fortunately I'm not in a desperate need of it right now so I'll hold off keeping my fingers crossed re cost.

 

[Etienne]

at risk of of going way off topic how is the tokina 50-135 f2.8 ?

I didn't sell the Tokina 50-135 2.8 after moving to FF 5DII because it is a great lens. Now my son uses it on his 60D. It is sharp, clear, pretty much right from 2.8 . It's a little slow to focus, but it's light weight for 2.8 tele-zoom.

It has some other rare qualities: it is parfocal, which is not a big deal in photography, but it is awesome for video. It means you can focus at one focal length then zoom in (or out) while recording, and you will maintain focus!

It also does not exhibit much focus breathing, again good for video.

It is discontinued, and I doubt I'll ever sell it.

 

[RLPhoto]

I only purchased the 24L II because the 35L was disappointing in my tests. Its really overdue for an update.

 

[Stone]

The 35L was next on my purchase list as I continue getting rid of all my EF-S lenses for my move to FF. I too was hoping for an upgrade to this lens before I buy but considering the huge delays from Canon lately, I might just get the 35L I and call it a day, at least for now. It's an amazing lens but it could definitely use an update for weather sealing, CA control and corner sharpness.

 

[CJRodgers]

Im really happy with my 35 1.4., really sharp! Not sure if I want something wider though might just be thinking that because ive only had a chance to shoot landscapes so far and not portraits.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Considering today's 35 f/1.4 is already superlative...what, aside from the price tag, will be different with the new one?

b&

The 35mm 1.4 was spectacular when it was released, now it's just average. It's so average in fact that a third party 35mm 1.4 Canon EF lens you can buy for $350 brand new is much better than Canon's own $1350 35mm 1.4, which is ridiculous:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=771&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=1&LensComp=121&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=2

Just from that comparison I see the following that could be noticably improved:

-Corner sharpness
-Mid frame sharpness
-Severe Color Fringing

Here are some other factors which could be improved:

- Flare resistance (better coatings)
- mid frame and corner sharpness for meridonial detail stopped down
- Color fringing stopped down, it's plainly visible even at f/8.0
- Purple Fringing (I notice this in my copy)

Don't get me wrong even with all these problems the 35mm 1.4L is probably my favorite prime of all time ever, the combination of pleasing quality, focal length and aperture are amazing.

However if it were as good as say this, well... we can only dream.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=121&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=2&LensComp=458&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

I bought one of those SammyYang coke bottles you refer to, but the autofocus would not work on any of my cameras.