Prime Lens for 6D

[Rmafive]

Hi Guys,

I just got my first full frame camera for Christmas, a 6D. I am so excited and I am starting to look into buying a new lens for it. I currently have a 24-105 f/4L, which is an awesome lens I use everyday, along with an older 17-85 f/4-5.6 I had before I got the L lens. My next lenses down the road will be the new 24-70 and 70-200, but I don't want to spend 2000+ right now!

I am starting to look into getting my first prime lens and I am having a hard time making a decision. My friend has a 35 mm f/1.4L lens, which I found quite amazing, though I didn't use it for long. I also am looking into a 50 mm f/1.4. I know these lenses have huge price differences, and I am also concerned about the looming update for the 35 mm lens. My main question is, what do you guys find the best focal length for an everyday prime lens? I feel kind of restricted at 50 mm, but I wonder if 35 mm is too wide for an everyday walk-around lens.

 

[Haydn1971]

Have you tried the 50mm on your 6D, mine feels very usuable now compared to on my previous crop camera. Alternatively, you could try a cheap and cheerful. f2 35mm or the 40mm pancake ?

 

[Rmafive]

Have you tried the 50mm on your 6D, mine feels very usuable now compared to on my previous crop camera. Alternatively, you could try a cheap and cheerful. f2 35mm or the 40mm pancake ?

I haven't tried a 50 yet, but I plan on trying one soon. I had thought about the 40 mm; it's so small I could carry it in my pocket when shooting!

 

[pdirestajr]

I love the 40mm pancake on FF. And it's mad cheap!

 

[gasherbrum]

I have bought a 6D and my prime lens will be the Voigtländer 40 2.0 . A beautiful pancace lens, build in metal and with manual focusing. So I don't care about bad focusing points. It will be a pleasure to use it.

 

[phixional ninja]

Have you tried the 50mm on your 6D, mine feels very usuable now compared to on my previous crop camera.

I strongly second this. My 50mm f1.4 never got a ton of use on my 7D because I only really wanted it in dim lighting, generally indoors, but indoors on a crop sensor it always felt cramped. Moving to the 5D3 has totally revitalized that lens for me. Beautiful wide aperture, and a field of view that is workable indoors.

 

[RustyTheGeek]

Ditto on the 40mm/2.8 pancake and the 50mm/1.4. However, my first prime way back was the 28mm/1.8 USM and I still like using that lens on both crop and FF. It's a great lens you should also consider. All of these lenses are in the same sub $500 price range, esp if you buy one used.

 

[Rmafive]

Now I am leaning towards the 50 mm f/1.4! I will definitely try to test one out before I decide.

 

[brad-man]

The pancake is an excellent suggestion. If you need faster, than the EF50 f/1.4 or the new sigma 35 f/1.4 DG would serve you well. All three are great lenses, though the sigma is my favorite.

 

[dickgrafixstop]

buy the 35mm f2.0 and the 50mm f1.8 - great prime lenses with minimal expense.

 

[sdsr]

Hi Guys,

I just got my first full frame camera for Christmas, a 6D. I am so excited and I am starting to look into buying a new lens for it. I currently have a 24-105 f/4L, which is an awesome lens I use everyday, along with an older 17-85 f/4-5.6 I had before I got the L lens. My next lenses down the road will be the new 24-70 and 70-200, but I don't want to spend 2000+ right now!

I am starting to look into getting my first prime lens and I am having a hard time making a decision. My friend has a 35 mm f/1.4L lens, which I found quite amazing, though I didn't use it for long. I also am looking into a 50 mm f/1.4. I know these lenses have huge price differences, and I am also concerned about the looming update for the 35 mm lens. My main question is, what do you guys find the best focal length for an everyday prime lens? I feel kind of restricted at 50 mm, but I wonder if 35 mm is too wide for an everyday walk-around lens.

Wouldn't it be more useful to find out what's best for you? You already have 35 and 50 (and 24 and 85 and 40) on your 24-105, so why not set it at the various prime lengths that occur on your 24-105 and see which ones suit most? (It's not quite the same as using a prime, but it's better than reading about them.) Or try something different - since the 24-105 is actually rather good (and very versatile; an ideal everyday walkaround lens, frankly), you might want to consider a prime outside that range such as the amazing 135L.

 

[tiger82]

Save your $ and go for an original 70-200 IS f/2.8L or the 70-200 f/4l. Great new and used copies are still available.

 

[bdunbar79]

buy the 35mm f2.0 and the 50mm f1.8 - great prime lenses with minimal expense.

I would strongly suggest against the 35 f/2 on a FF body.

 

[Rmafive]

Save your $ and go for an original 70-200 IS f/2.8L or the 70-200 f/4l. Great new and used copies are still available.

I plan on buying the new 70-200 down the road, but I really think I would get more use out of a prime right now. I have used the 70-200 f/2.8L and I most definitely see the value in it.

buy the 35mm f2.0 and the 50mm f1.8 - great prime lenses with minimal expense.

I would strongly suggest against the 35 f/2 on a FF body.

Are you against the lens itself or the focal length on a FF body?

 

[bdunbar79]

I'm against the lens itself, on a FF body. It works well on crop sensor, but the edges are way too soft, beginning rather earlier toward the center than I would normally like. If you use it, you'll want to crop a bit, or just get a 28 and 50 prime.

 

[tiger82]

I think it is better to first cover the entire focal range from 24 to 200mm then determine which focal length is best for you. I ended up with a 50 1.4 and the 100 IS macro within my 24-70 and 70-200 options. I got the 40mm pancake for when I want to walk around lightly.

 

[DanielW]

You might be interested in what Kai has to say about it (50 and 35 mm, resp):

http://www.digitalrev.com/article/5-reasons-why-you-need/MzI1Mjg0MA_A_A

http://www.digitalrev.com/article/5-reasons-you-need-a/MzQ2MjUzNzk_A

Best of luck!
Daniel

 

[infared]

How about the 35mm f/1.4 Sigma...? That looks like a killer lens. I own the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 and LOVE it. Low depth of field and incredible bokeh with fast focus. All my other lenses are Canon "L" glass (and one Zeiss) but I broke protocol with the Sigma because I just believe it offers more than Canon in that area at the right price. I do not own the Sigma 35mm ...but again, I think Sigma has trumped Canon once again with quality, style and price.
Either one of those lenses would be a great cost-effective way to get your feet wet with a fast bokeh-licious prime in the normal or slightly wide lens range.

 

[Zlatko]

My main question is, what do you guys find the best focal length for an everyday prime lens? I feel kind of restricted at 50 mm, but I wonder if 35 mm is too wide for an everyday walk-around lens.

35, 40 and 50mm are all great everyday walk-around lenses. Only you can decide which focal length you prefer. When I don't want to carry too much, I choose either the 50/1.4 or the 40/2.8 pancake. The new 35/2 IS looks like an ideal walk-around lens, but maybe wait till the price comes down. The Sigma 35/1.4 looks lovely, but is too big & heavy to be the ideal everyday walk-around lens.

 

[TrumpetPower!]

If nothing else, the Shorty McForty is an awesome body cap.

Pro tip: mount the Shorty McForty, take off the grip (if you have one), turn on Live View, and you've now got the ultimate party camera. Not many people will realize it's the IQ / low light monster it is, and just think you've got a high-end point-and-shoot. Put it in green square mode and hand it off to people and they're still not likely to realize it.

Of course, there's also an awful lot to be said for the 400 f/2.8, as well....

b&