How often do you use 35L @1.4

[mirekti]

I bought this lens a year ago and realized that I've been using it mostly at f/2.8 and it is because I started with f/1.4, but the sharpness wasn't as expected. I mean, when I put focus on some people who are in centre or next to it and everything else is behind it looks gorgeous, but if I'm to take a photo of a building or some big object than...

I guess I didn't get this tool well. What do you think this lens is most useful for and what styles should be avoided when using this lens?

Now I'm even considering selling it and getting 24-70 II, but I might miss the bokeh of 35L. :-\

...it'll end up with having both on my table, together with the filled divorce papers

 

[Loswr]

For me, the strength of the 35L is indoor ambient light shooting and as a nighttime walkaround lens. I do shoot in the f/1.4-f/2 range for creative use, but also at narrower apertures (depending on subject and as ISO permits).

For shooting close subjects wide open, AFMA is critical.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I use the lens for low light photography, and its usually at the wider apertures. Its currently my third most used lens (my 135mm L is first by a large margin.)

 

[RobertG.]

I use the lens mainly for street photography. I like it much more than a 50mm one. Normally I use f4.5 till f11 for this purpose. F1.4 is only used if I need some noticeable background blur (spontaneous cat or dog portraits for example). But even then I prefer f1.6, which is sharper.

The attached picture was taken with f1.4 two weeks ago in Marrakech, Morocco.

 

[mirekti]

Nice pic, I guess I'll have to put this lens on my camera and not take it off until I master it.
Otherwise it might end up sitting in the bag once I get 24-70II which would be a waist of the lens I've heard so many good things about.

 

[dirtcastle]

This lens is near the top of my want list. I have also found 50mm a bit too long to be a dedicated walkabout prime.

 

[philsv77]

If i shoot portrait for a single person like my son, I shoot mostly at 2.0->2.5 and still get super sharpness that zoom lens like 24-70mm f/2.8 cannot at f2.8.

35mm certainly is my walkaround lens. However, I still prefer wide-angle lens for environmental portrait like this one, shot with 17-14mm f/4.0, which shows lots of distortion. I've been waiting for sth like 12-24mm that Nikon gang has .

or

the attached photo

 

[philsv77]

This lens is near the top of my want list. I have also found 50mm a bit too long to be a dedicated walkabout prime.

Agreed, I bought 50mm f/1.4 and shot only few times. 85mm is better fit for portrait.

 

[dirtcastle]

This lens is near the top of my want list. I have also found 50mm a bit too long to be a dedicated walkabout prime.

Agreed, I bought 50mm f/1.4 and shot only few times. 85mm is better fit for portrait.

I don't mind using a 50mm for solo portraits. But when I'm walking around, I don't want to change lenses unless I'm going LONG (i.e., to 135mm). A 22MP image means I can crop a 35mm shot when appropriate. Once I get a 35mm, I'll might then be tempted to trade the 16-35mm for a 14mm.

With regard to aperture, as long as I can get the subject in focus... I'll go as low as possible. Likewise, I also set my fast glass to f/2 when DOF is an issue. I tend to be an angular shooter and shallow DOF tends to favor dead-on perpendicular shots.

 

[RLPhoto]

I use all my primes close to there max Aperture.

 

[Menace]

I currently do not own this lens but it is on my wish list. When I have shot with this in past, it's been mostly wide open, indoor portraits - happy with the outcome.

As I don't need it urgently, I'll wait for the version II . In the mean time, if a job requires I'll just rent it.

Cheers

 

[EOBeav]

That's odd that you bring this up. Just the other night I was thinking that many of my recent portraits on my 50mm f/1.4 were done at f/2.8. For some reason, I've dialed that in as the right amount of sharpness with the right amount of background blur.

 

[mirekti]

I just didn't have a lot of sucess with 35@ 1.4 especially due to the high CA.
On the other hand I've read that Lightroom 4.1 correct this issue with ease nowdays.

All this ideas of changing 35L came up after 24-70 II came and everybody talked about it's sharpness.

I mostly do street photography, but there are some ocasions when I'm indor and the lightning is bad.
However, 5dIII and 6d will tolerate high ISO so I don't see much of advantage of keeping 35L except for BOKEH

Has anybody a good reason to keep it and not change it for 24-70II?

 

[Loswr]

Has anybody a good reason to keep it and not change it for 24-70II?

Sure. The 24-70 II is f/2.8, not f/1.4.

 

[keithinmelbourne]

I have looked over many of my shots taken with the 35mm, and find that f1.4 is my most popular setting. Anywhere in the f1.4-2.0 range seems to deliver that special 3D look that the 35 renowned for. I wouldn't part with mine for a zoom.

 

[wayno]

I use mine between 1.4-2.0 90% of the time. I find even at 1.4, it's very sharp (better than I thought it would be, to be honest). As most of it's for portraiture, this works well for me.

 

[Tabor Warren Photography]

What do you think this lens is most useful for and what styles should be avoided when using this lens?

Now I'm even considering selling it and getting 24-70 II, but I might miss the bokeh of 35L. :-\

I shoot indoor portraits with ambient light at whatever f/ is needed to keep iso down. I absolutely love the versatility/availability of going to f/1.4 when needed and would never trade this one in for the 24-70 II. It might as well be glued to the 60D since it rarely comes off, though my wife and I took only our 35L and 5Dii on vacation and had no regrets. With that, I can't think of any "styles" that are outside of the reach of this lens apart from its physical limitations (i.e. fixed at 35mm) I hope that helps, but personally, I think this lens is pretty awesome.

-Tabor

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I took some photos of a friend driving his monster truck last summer (2011), and ended up having to use the 35mmL and cropping the images severely. Even wide open and severely cropped, I can print large prints.
f/1.4

f/2.8

Before cropping: