"Walkaround" prime for FF?

[lexonio]

I'm upgrading to the 5dmkIII soon, and I have never used any FF cameras before. I already have the 24-105mm for general walkaround stuff, but I sure do need some prime for more creative shots with shallower DoF and a nice bokeh, not to mention low light situations. Which fixed lens would you recommend for walkaround purposes? I have heard that 50mm lenses fill that niche, but I'm interested in the opinion of CR's community.

Thank you!

 

[Tijn]

50mm is great and versatile on full-frame. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 is a very good value lens. Build quality is decent enough, full-time manual focus adjustments are enabled... Very sharp from f/2 onwards, and gives a slightly "dreamy" look at its widest aperture. It may actually appeal to you!

 

[Jim K]

Ask some old person (like me) what lens did they want/buy when they got a new 35mm film body (that's Full Frame)?

Probably 49 out of 50 will say the 50mm f/1.4. It was considered to be the "Normal" lens focal length and everyone wanted the 1.4 rather than the 1.8/1.9/2.0 that was offered at a lower price.

It's still the best "walk around" "prime."

 

[pz-photography]

I'd go for the Sigma 1.4 rather than the canon 1.4. Its clearly better in terms of sharpness and bokeh! I have also now the 50 1.2, but its not as sharp as the sigma. The reason why I bought it is the even better bokeh and the weather sealing. so my personal rating for good walkaround primes is: 50 1.8, 50 1.4 canon, 50 1.4 sigma, (35 1.4, both on crop or full frame if you like a wider angle) and last the 50 1.2, I have the 3 last I meantioned and I'm really happy, although my sigma has to go now....

 

[elflord]

I'm upgrading to the 5dmkIII soon, and I have never used any FF cameras before. I already have the 24-105mm for general walkaround stuff, but I sure do need some prime for more creative shots with shallower DoF and a nice bokeh, not to mention low light situations. Which fixed lens would you recommend for walkaround purposes? I have heard that 50mm lenses fill that niche, but I'm interested in the opinion of CR's community.

Thank you!

The 50mm focal length is very versatile -- so if you want to glue a prime to your camera and photograph several different types of subject matter, that's a nice go-to lens. I'd recommend getting a 50mm f/1.4. Besides being very versatile, it's great in low light because being a shorter lens it only needs about 1/50s shutter speed, and at f/1.4 it usually can get it (especially on a full frame body which can handle high ISOs gracefully)

You could also consider 35mm or 85mm lenses. If you're always using the 24-105 lens at 24mm on your APS-C, then 35mm might be a good fit. If it looks like you're using the mid to long part of the range (50-105mm), an 85mm might be a better fit.

 

[ew20]

I used the 50/1.4 for a long time, it's a great lens and for the price you can't go wrong with it. I'm finding my ZE 35/2.0 is ending up on my body most of the time now, It's a lot more versatile. It costs more than the 50, but is razor sharp with nice bokeh and a unique draw style. I prefer it to the 35L, and it's quite a bit cheaper than that one to boot.

 

[chito]

I used the 50/1.4 for a long time, it's a great lens and for the price you can't go wrong with it. I'm finding my ZE 35/2.0 is ending up on my body most of the time now, It's a lot more versatile. It costs more than the 50, but is razor sharp with nice bokeh and a unique draw style. I prefer it to the 35L, and it's quite a bit cheaper than that one to boot.

Yeah, except it is manual focus only, and the 5D3 doesn't have interchangable focus screens.

 

[dr croubie]

I'd suggest the FL 55 f/1.2 with an EdMika adapter, probably $3-400 all up, but it doesn't work on a 5D2, but does work on the 1Ds-series. Remains to be seen if it'll work on the 5D3 or 1DX.

My Asahi Pentax Takumar 50 f/1.4 is also a great fast normal prime, $100 or less shipped, they're fairly common. Great colours and sharp as all hell after f/2.

But both of them are MF-only, and the 5D3 doesn't have changeable focussing screens. If you're shooting street you can always f/8 and Hyperfocal, set it to M on 1/100 or so and auto-iso, the 5D3 looks clean up to iso 6k or so, you should get great images that way.


Or with Autofocuses, it's the Nifty Fifty f/1.8 II or 50 f/1.4, the 1.8 is sharp stopped down but built like a toy, the 1.4 is badly in need of an upgrade which should happen this year (which we've all been saying for the last 5 years). Never used the Sigmas, from what I hear they're sharper than the canons, but the autofocus is iffy...

 

[dr croubie]

Yeah, except it is manual focus only, and the 5D3 doesn't have interchangable focus screens.

There's always live-view, 5x or 10x focussing if your subject is still enough.
f/8 hyperfocal for street doesn't need a focussing screen, or even a viewfinder.
Or just wait until KatzEye makes a split-prism screen for it, won't be too many months after release.

All depends on shooting style, MF is good for street, kids running around you'll need the best AF you can get...

 

[codewizpt]

I use the 35mm f2 sometimes as walkaround. Very small. The 50mm f1.4 has better quality, but in small arresta isn't wide enough

 

[Michael_pfh]

I recommend the Canon 50mm f1.2L.

 

[00Q]

The 50 1.4 as people have said. The sigma is a better lens than the canon equivalent.

 

[Leopard Lupus]

For FF I (as many others do) prefer the 50mm focal length. For me, it's the "classical" choice because it is so versatile and what was attached to my first 35mm film setup. It gives a very natural view which is just a tad longer than what the human eye sees. The Canon 50mm f/1.4 is great, but because I wanted a unique 50 and didn't mind manually focusing, I bought the Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 and fell in love with the beast. Solid and killer IQ. My 50s remain on my bodies 90% of the time.
Another walk-around option would be a 35mm lens. I love the Canon 35mm f/1.4 L, even though it's a little large. It gives just a bit wider of a view but still allows versatility.

 

[Caps18]

If I only had 1 prime lens, it would be the 24mm.

 

[Michael_pfh]

If I only had 1 prime lens, it would be the 24mm.

Why would you pick the 24mm?

 

[CanineCandidsByL]

50's are good lens from starter to expert. f1.8 are cheap, f1.4 very reasonable.

If you can take a survey of your existing photos and can figure out what focal length you normally shoot at, it might help you determine where the best area to look at a prime. I did this and found that on my 7D, I tended to shoot about 25% between 24 and 28, 60% between 65 and 70, and the remaining 15% in the middle. So doing this exercise, and accounting for the crop factor, I'd be better off with an 85mm.

If you do the same kind of check, you may find your similar or tend to shoot wide or do go right in the middle.

Hope it helps.

 

[Dave T]

As far back as the 1970s, with 35mm, I preferred a 35mm as my "normal" lens to any 50mm. Today that would mean the 35/1.4 or wait for later in the year when CR says the 35/1.4L II will be introduced. That's what I'm waiting for.

Dave

 

[dbduchene]

As to my prime I tend you use my 85 F1.2 the most. That said it is heavy. Most of the time I do not use a prime as a walk around. depending on what I am doing most of the time it is the 28-300 L.

 

[drmikeinpdx]

I love using my 50mm lens or even the 85 on my 5D for portraits, but for walking around, I think a wider lens would be better. With modern full frame DSLRs, you can do so much cropping that is is almost like having a zoom lens.

The combat photographer Michael Yon used a wide prime on his 1Ds instead of a zoom, because he found that he could crop down to the image he wanted. It saved him from carrying the extra weight and bulk of an L series zoom.

A 28mm lens seems a bit wide to me, since the perspective is so easily distorted. 35mm would be good.

I've been reading reports that Canon is coming out with a low priced 40mm prime soon. I believe it is supposed to be an F2.8 pancake (flat/short) lens that would be very lightweight and easy to carry around at Disneyland.

One thing I laugh at are the tourists who carry their full size DSLRs with huge zoom lenses as they walk around at theme parks and other touristy places. I know how much that combination weighs and it doesn't get any lighter after a couple of hours of walking around. A pancake lens might help you have more fun at the park instead of feeling like a beast of burden.

Mike

 

[DJL329]

I'm upgrading to the 5dmkIII soon, and I have never used any FF cameras before. I already have the 24-105mm for general walkaround stuff, but I sure do need some prime for more creative shots with shallower DoF and a nice bokeh, not to mention low light situations. Which fixed lens would you recommend for walkaround purposes? I have heard that 50mm lenses fill that niche, but I'm interested in the opinion of CR's community.

Thank you!

Why not review some of your own favorite shots to see approximately which focal length (within 10-15mm or so) you use most and then choose a lens in that range? Just remember to convert the focal length to account for the 1.6x crop factor for shots taken with an EF lens (not EF-S ones), such as your EF 24-105mm.

For example, when using your crop body and your EF 24-105mm lens, let's say a lot of your best shots are around 50mm (45mm to 55mm). This would mean they were actually around 80mm (50mm x 1.6 = 80mm). So in this example, an 85mm lens on a FF body might suit you best.