16-35 f/4L IS with EF 35 f/2 IS

[siegsAR]

For those who have owned both lenses, what can you say about the pair, specially the FL overlap, etc.?
Do you still keep both? Or did you sell one and kept the other?

I'm going FF sometime next month, so I'm selling the 70D and 10-22mm to fund a 6D and the excellent 16-35mm f/4 IS UWA.
I also wanted to sell the 35mm f/2 IS (to fund an 85mm, or a 50mm) since I'd have that FL covered by the UWA, but I haven't convinced myself yet as they're totally different lens with different purpose.

I wannna end up with a 6D; 16-35mm f/4L IS; either a 50mm or an 85mm -leaning towards the latter since I want to wait for the 50mm STM version. And of-course I'll retain the 70-200mm f/4L IS.

What do you guys think? Maybe I should also sell the 35mm now?


Archie-

 

[candyman]

It totally depends on your needs.
I used the 35 f/2 IS for indoor photography of ice sculptures at 800 ISO. With the 16-35 the ISO would be higher though it is not really a big issue for a 6D but if you like to keep ISO low...

 

[gqllc007]

I have both and I use the 35 f/2 on crop for indoor flash pictures. I use the 16-35 outside for landscapes on a FF

 

[Random Orbits]

Wait until you move to the 6D and get used to the lenses you will have (16-35, 35 f/2, 70-200). Your 35 f/2 is two stops faster than your zooms and will have a definite edge indoors. You might find that you will add another fast prime rather than trading in the 35.

 

[chas1113]

Like others have said, I use the 35 IS for low-light indoors and when I want a light, fast, stabilized walk-around lens outdoors. The 16-35 IS is used mainly outdoors in good light for scenic shots. Personally, I like 35mm perspective on FF better than 50mm. I'd keep the 35 IS for a bit...on the 6D it would be a very light, grab-and-go package. You may find that by adding an 85 you'll see why so many people build the classic 35-85-135 prime triad (because it's so flexible/functional).

 

[siegsAR]

Thank you all for the response.

I guess I'll keep the 35 IS for now, and see how it is on the 6D.

Also, I find the 35 on my 70D a little bit tight. Its supposedly near 50mm equivalent FL on FF, but I might be one of those that doesn't dig the 50mm FL, all the more reason to keep the 35mm lens.

 

[privatebydesign]

The difference in aperture is two stops, the difference between FF and crop is 1.6 stops.

For example, on the 70D with a 1/30 sec at f2 and 1600iso, the same shot can be taken at 1/30 sec f4 and 4000iso, the image will basically have the same dof and the noise from the ff camera will be slightly less.

In your specific use case, ff f4 vs crop camera f2, I can't see the point of keeping the f2.

 

[siegsAR]

^ Thanks for pointing out the f-stop and ISO difference pbd.

I'm still thinking of selling the 35mm due to the 35mm overlap, I guess my concern is more on the FL.
But I'm not selling it right now after reading various thoughts on this, not until I've tested it w/ the 6D anyway.

If I like it on the 6D, I'll surely keep this. I can borrow a thrifty fifty from a friend to test that FL too. Its either a 35 and a 50 as my walkaround lens, one lens, atleast for now.

Now that I'm thinking a lot about it, 22mm on the 70D is roughly 35mm on FF, it can feel a bit too wide as a walkaround lens for me; otoh, 35mm is 56mm and very near to the 50mm on FF and feels a bit too tight also.
Think I'm also gonna take the 40mm pancake into consideration. ???

 

[jd7]

Thank you all for the response.

I guess I'll keep the 35 IS for now, and see how it is on the 6D.

Also, I find the 35 on my 70D a little bit tight. Its supposedly near 50mm equivalent FL on FF, but I might be one of those that doesn't dig the 50mm FL, all the more reason to keep the 35mm lens.

I don't have the 16-35 so I can't answer your questions directly, but as someone who moved from crop to FF not that long ago, I think you're making the right choice waiting to try out the lenses on your 6D before deciding what you want to sell and what you want to keep. I was quite surprised by just how different my lenses feel on FF compared with crop. Perhaps I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was, but I was! Anyway, I'm sure your 35 IS will feel like a different lens on the 6D compared with how you are used to it feeling on your crop body - the situations in which you would want to use the lens will be noticeably different.

Once you've played around with your 6D, I'm sure it won't take you very long to work out whether you like 35mm enough to want to keep a (fairly) fast prime of that focal length desipte having the f/4 zoom, or whether you would rather rather sell the prime and put the money towards something else.

 

[Etienne]

I have 35mm covered in the 16-35 f/2.8L II, the 24-105 f/4L IS, and the 35 f/2 IS, and I use them all regularly.

The 35 f/2 IS is one the nicest little primes to use, I would never sell it. It's small and light, does a great job in low light, decent shallow DOF, great for video, and makes an excellent walk around lens.

EDIT: I also have the 40mm f/2.8 STM, and I rarely use it, don't like it. Manual focus is impossible, aperture is only 2.8 (compared to 2), and it has no IS.

 

[Foxdude]

I have both 16-35 IS and 35mm IS and I use them on 6D. I'm not even thinking selling either one.
I use the zoom mostly for landscapes, and 35IS prime for walk-around, indoors, people and almost for everything. 35mm is definetely my favourite FL, I'm not concerned about the FL overlapping. 35mm F2 lens with IS on 6D gives you Very capable low light combo, and I love that.

EDIT: I had Sigma 35 art before I sold it and replaced it with EF35 IS. No regrets at all. I like this Canon prime even more overall, it does everything as good as Sigma IMO. (well of course it doesn't F1.4)

 

[siegsAR]

Ok, that makes it easier for me. I'm solid on keeping the lens now.
Tbh, I was serious letting it go outright before I've asked, glad I did.

Thank you all.

 

[bholliman]

I own both for use on my 6D and plan to keep both. f/2 vs. f/4 is a huge difference. I use the 16-35 for landscapes, buildings and kids playing outdoors. I use the 35/2 indoors and outdoors as a general purpose lens. I like the primes small size and weight. I often take it paired with my 70-200, 100 macro or 135/2 as a versatile 2-lens combination.