35f2 and 28mm 1.8

skatepreme

skatepreme

Active member
Okay so I'm looking for a standard/wide prime for my t2i. I've been looking at the canon 35 f2 and the canon 28mm 1.8. I was leaning towards the 28 but a lot of people seem to like the 35. Mainly I'm looking for a prime that would be great paired with my 50 1.8. Any help would be great
 
I have a canon 50mm 1.8 and a nikon 35mm f/2. I use the 35mm constantly but it is so close to the 50mm that its really hard to tell which any given shot was on. Given the chance i would pick up something on the wider end, to me even 28mm seems too close and i want the older 20mm
 
I'd get an older Nikon Manual 35/2 AI-S. A friend of mine uses one on his D800 and he absolutely raves about how much he loves it. I use a Nikon 35/2 AF D, which is a bit better in terms of optics, and although the manual focus is possibly better to use than the Canon 35/2, it's not quite as good as a proper manual lens. Canon lenses are great for photography, but old Nikon (and other brands) manual focus lenses are waaaay more useful when it comes to shooting video.
 
skatepreme said:
Okay so I'm looking for a standard/wide prime for my t2i. Any help would be great
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So do you want a standard or a wide? Does it need to be a prime lens?

Have you thought about something along the lines of a 16-50 f2.8 zoom which would cover more bases than just a single 28mm or 35mm?
 
Victor Nhat Nguyen said:
I would say get the 28mm f 1.8. It's faster and is a superb lens. And 35mm is too close to 50mm.
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wow, thats just terrible advice straight up. Dude, I wouldn't not have a 35 and a 50. I use a 19mm, 24, 28, 35,50, 55, 85,100,135, If your not seeing a difference between a 35mm and a 50mm. I would suggest spending much more time behind your camera, because the difference is huge to anyone that shoots for a living. I can easily see the difference between my 24, and 28.
 
Some of the folks giving advice on this board are themselves young students with not much experience. That is the downfall of the Internet, as sometimes it's hard to discern the student from the teacher by reading a couple of posts.
 
David W. Jones said:
Some of the folks giving advice on this board are themselves young students with not much experience. That is the downfall of the Internet, as sometimes it's hard to discern the student from the teacher by reading a couple of posts.
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Not sure if your saying that my advice is off, But I get what you mean.
 
If it helps, the rough picture angle for these lenses (data from Nikon but should be close) is:

50mm 46 deg
35mm 63 deg
28mm 75 deg

Picture angle is a composite of horizontal and vertical angles. There's obviously more to it than this, eg wide angles make close objects appear bigger in relation to the background. I prefer my 35mm over my 50mm. 28mm was my widest, I've only just got a 24mm which I'm loving but it is too early to say whether it will replace my 28mm or be complimentary to it. 85mm always goes in the bag, 105mm and 135mm I prefer to take one but love them both. I usually try to keep myself to 3 or 4 lenses to avoid too much messing around. But the 50mm is the only easy decision to leave behind. Don't know why I don't like it. Actually it's not that I don't like it, probably just because it's a normal and doesn't have any 'effect'.
 
I've only just got a 24mm which I'm loving but it is too early to say whether it will replace my 28mm or be complimentary to it
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I recently did a video shoot in a boat, I started off with my Canon 28, f2.8 The problem was it was a small space I was in while shooting. I threw on my kiron 24mm (which is an amazing lens. much much better than my canon 24mm) anyways, the 24, was a perfect fit. Most would say there's not a discernable difference, but in a situation like that , it was what made the difference between a useable shot and not a useable shot. My advice egg, would be to keep both. you never know when it just might save the day.
 
Oh, I'll be keeping both. Don't worry about that. And I've found the 28mm to be not quite wide enough much as you on many occasions, prompting the 24mm purchase (looking at a 20mm now, just waiting for a bargain). But when I'm outdoors I don't like to take more than I can keep on my person or in a bag hanging from the tripod, even if I have other people with me. I won't even leave anything in the car. All my gear is hard won and I don't think I could handle having anything stolen or left behind right now.
 
David W. Jones said:
No it wasn't your advice I was commenting about.
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If you're commenting about me, why don't you just say it out loud? Just write about your opinions so the OP can see different view points. Describe when you are shooting that you need the extra 4mm from 24mm to 28mm and not having that 4mm just ruin your whole shot. This seems like a passive aggressive jab, but I mean no negative intention. I really want to know. Roger Deakins would agree with you. I think I saw him say somewhere that if it's possible for him to get every mm, he would.

I am a student, and not a professional however. I only shot 3 weddings and 2 quince. I have only begun shooting since June of this year. The lenses I have own include Tokina 11mm-16mm ( sold, maybe Samyang 14mm to replace), Nikkor 24mm ais, Rokinon 35mm f 1.4, Canon 50mm f 1.8 ( sold), Nikkor 55mm f 2.8 micro 1:2, Rokinon 85mm f 1.4, Kiron 105mm f2.8 1:1 macro, Pentacon 135 f 2.8, and finally Contax Zeiss 180 f 2.8.

My opinions are base on the few time I have shot weddings, and my lenses need for it. My ultra wide angle is for slider shot and maybe Glidecam. My 24mm is use on my Glidecam. My Rokinon 35mm and 85mm are my fastest lenses so I use them during the reception. 35mm for wide and 85mm for portrait. Whatever else I can use my leg. That is why I don't have a need for a 50mm. The nikkor 55mm is use for macro slider shot, I don't use it for anything else. My 135mm and 185mm is use for ceremony where there should be more light. I have 2 cameras and I usually go tight while there are 2 other shooters for the wide. 135mm purpose is to see both the bride and the groom. 185mm is to focus on one of them or on something they're doing. The kiron 105 was an impulse buy hehe. As you can see on my shooting style I don't use a 50mm. Now can you please tell me YOUR shooting style and why you need your focal length.

In an ideal world, we can have all the focal length there is. But there are budget reason, and I believe that is the reason why the OP can only choose 35mm or 28mm. The question is which one should he choose, not if he should get both. In my opinion he need to get 28mm because it's a little wider and he can be more versatile. He have nothing wider than that and if he get the 35mm, there is only so much that he can move back while he can always move closer or switch to the 50mm if he want to. Remember, the question is whether he should get 35mm or 28mm not can he get every lens there are vs. only getting a few lens.

In all honesty, the reason I'm on this board is just to learn. I will always be a student on this forum. If you disagree with me, please let me know. It just mean that I'm learning something new. If you think I am ranting or giving false information, please let me know and I will edit my post. Waiting to hear your professional opinion on this topic. :Drogar-Happy(DBG):
 
In case you missed it, I already posted my lens recommendation, not knowing what the OP's intended use for said lens was. Since the OP was wanting a standard / wide lens but only really with a budget for a single lens, I suggested a fast zoom Like a 16-50mm which would give him a standard focal length, a wide focal length, and every focal length in between. This lens would provide a solid base to work from, and then when the OP has more of a budget and a better idea of which focal lengths he is using the most he can then purchase the needed primes. For you to suggest the OP get a 28mm lens without knowing the OP's intentions, because you feel a 35mm is too close to a 50mm based on a total of 4 months experience shooting goes without saying. Not trying to be mean, just trying to keep things real. Hey, even someone who has been shooting for 40 years and owns 70 lenses is still learning.

All the best!

Dave
 
I began shooting for little money 4 month ago. I have been shooting with DSLR since Summer of last year. I agree with you though, it would be best if the OP would get a zoom lens. He'll just miss out on fast prime though. 70 lenses...my goodness. You have a list of what lens you have somewhere? manual or auto?
 
I'm probably down to around 50, I'd have to check as I don't shoot with all of them all that much anymore. I have my base kit of primes & zooms, and then assorted lenses I keep for specialty shots or different looks.
 
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