I’m in the market for a low cost (sub €/$350) prime and am a bit unsure of what to go for. My current gear is in my sig but I’ve come to terms with the fact (or maybe my wallet has) that I will be purchasing a 1DXII in the next few months. Ideal combined photo and video camera for my needs in one package that works with native lenses that I already own but maybe that’s another thread entirely…
The prime I buy will be a general purpose lens. For my current work I mainly use my 24-70, 100 macro and 70-200 so the prime is just for when I want to grab some family snaps or take a camera out with me without a load of lenses. I do want to go faster than f2 though.
My current 50 1.8 is leaving me cold. It’s not been treated well and has softened quite a bit since new thanks to not being babied. I’m tempted to just get the newer 50 1.8 STM and be done with it, especially considering the STM will be great with the video autofocus on the 1DXII. Another part of me wants to go up to the 50 1.4 but I can’t help but think a replacement will be rumoured/announced soon and reports of its fragility are putting me off a bit as I generally don’t baby my stuff. I’m also curious to try the 85 1.8 but I wonder if it’ll be too long for general walking around and again, it’s a pretty old lens now with reportedly slow AF not ideal for chasing an active toddler around with.
My budget doesn’t stretch to the Sigma, Zeiss or Tamron 50’s around the €/$500 mark so they’re all out. The pre-owned market in Germany is a bit bizarre in my experience. Prices for pre-owned stuff is generally close enough to new prices to just pay the little extra and go new anyway so barring a stroke of luck, scouring the pre-owned market for a deal is out too. There’s also a cashback deal on both the 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 at the moment which doubly negates the second hand market for these lenses.
I guess this is just a long winded way of asking if in my position you’d buy a new Canon 50 1.4/85 1.8 today or just buy the 50 1.8 STM and sell it when the eventual successor to the current 50 1.4 is released. I know I’m splitting hairs over a couple of hundred euros in comparison to the cost of the 1DXII but it’s precisely the purchase of the 1DXII that is prompting the penny pinching here!
The prime I buy will be a general purpose lens. For my current work I mainly use my 24-70, 100 macro and 70-200 so the prime is just for when I want to grab some family snaps or take a camera out with me without a load of lenses. I do want to go faster than f2 though.
My current 50 1.8 is leaving me cold. It’s not been treated well and has softened quite a bit since new thanks to not being babied. I’m tempted to just get the newer 50 1.8 STM and be done with it, especially considering the STM will be great with the video autofocus on the 1DXII. Another part of me wants to go up to the 50 1.4 but I can’t help but think a replacement will be rumoured/announced soon and reports of its fragility are putting me off a bit as I generally don’t baby my stuff. I’m also curious to try the 85 1.8 but I wonder if it’ll be too long for general walking around and again, it’s a pretty old lens now with reportedly slow AF not ideal for chasing an active toddler around with.
My budget doesn’t stretch to the Sigma, Zeiss or Tamron 50’s around the €/$500 mark so they’re all out. The pre-owned market in Germany is a bit bizarre in my experience. Prices for pre-owned stuff is generally close enough to new prices to just pay the little extra and go new anyway so barring a stroke of luck, scouring the pre-owned market for a deal is out too. There’s also a cashback deal on both the 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 at the moment which doubly negates the second hand market for these lenses.
I guess this is just a long winded way of asking if in my position you’d buy a new Canon 50 1.4/85 1.8 today or just buy the 50 1.8 STM and sell it when the eventual successor to the current 50 1.4 is released. I know I’m splitting hairs over a couple of hundred euros in comparison to the cost of the 1DXII but it’s precisely the purchase of the 1DXII that is prompting the penny pinching here!