Next lens purchase

E

eco_bach

Well-known member
Hi
Would appreciate advice on a next lens purchase, if I have a maximum $1000 budget
Currently have 2 Tamron zooms, 17-50 and 28-75, along with a Takumar 50 1.5.

Am considering these 2

1-Sigma 30mm 1.4 (wonder how it stacks up with Canon 35mm f/1.4L at 2.5X the price?)

2-Tokina 11-16

Any other suggestions, advice?
 
Lots of people love the sigma 30 1.4 here, J Davis et al. 30mm is a `standard` lens on an APS-C camera.

Same for the Tokina 11-16. In fact, a company called Duclos takes the Tokina 11-16, modifies it with new mechanicals (focus and iris gears), and resells it for a princely sum ($3,500). (http://ducloslenses.com/Duclos_Lenses/PL116.html). Lots of people buy the PL-mount Duclos version and use it with the Red camera and other high-end cinema cameras, and it still has the original Tokina optics which you can get for $600-700. So you can`t get a much better endorsement than that! And the Tokina body isn`t chopped liver! It`s a tough lens.

So both of those are excellent picks, if you can afford them both !
 
Thanks!
Going to rent the Canon 35 f1.4L this weekend and shoot some tests. But a bit out of my price range!
Will see how it compares to the Sigma.
Also on my list is the Canon 17-55 IS...expensive (for me at least), but heard the optics were as good as (or in some cases better) than most L glass. If I do opt for it, will sell my Tammy 17-55 non VC.


BTW, nice effort into the lens tests(re One Dollar Reslution chart). My 2 cents worth though, if you were using autofocus at all, these tests don't really prove anything. The better resolution as the fstop increases is mostly due to the fact that more of the images are in focus because of deeper DOF. I've done repeated tests for days on end with autofocus on the 17-50, 28-75 Tamrons since the microadjustments were off on my 7D, and came to the conclusion that adding microadjustments to improve autofocus will only guarantee that a greater percentage of your shots(more than 70??) will be in perfect focus if you shoot wide open.
If you want PERFECT focus when shooting wide open, either use the LCD screen, magnify, and focus manually, OR, stop down.
For any zoom lens test, I think taking 4 shots is sufficient
1Closest zoom wide open
2Closest zoom 1 stop down
3Furthest zoom wide open
4Furthest zoom 1 stop down
Also ensure you are
1-using a tripod, preferably with mirror lock up and timer
2-using manual focus only

And I would take several shots at each of the settings, picking the sharpest of the bunch


Digital-picture.com lens tests seem like a fantastic resource, but, have a hard time believing specifically the Canon 17-55 vs Tamron 17-50 comparison. Is the Canon really that soft by comparsion??? I've only heard great things about it elsewhere.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/...LensComp=400&CameraComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

I would cross check any online lens review in at least 3 places. Photozone.de is supposed to be good. DXO optics another one.

Just my 2 cents. YMMV
 
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of course I don't use autofocus, I can consistently beat that by focusing manually in live view with 10x magnification and my nice LCD loupe, so that's what I do! plus, I use a tripod, but not mirror-lock up, and timer only on long lenses; I take a bunch of pictures and select the best, and actually do that separately focusing at center and corner, because on most lenses those two won't be in focus at the same time but that doesn't mean the lens is not sharp (it's just that the focusing plane does not coincide with the flat shape of my chart)

so that loss of corner sharpness is not because of autofocus or DoF, it's just that lenses are sharper, especially at the corners, when stopped down a little

on the zooms, I take as many pictures I need in order to compare them with my primes; taking a picture on each end won't be enough, as some zooms are great in the middle and horrible at the ends, or great at the ends and horrible at the middle (not any of mine, but I've seen that on the-digital-picture)

and while dxo and photozone are great sites, and dpreview has a few lens tests too, I prefer the-digital-picture because it has so much info on so many lenses, and it's not just a number summarizing things, but an actual picture that I can see and evaluate myself; in any case, I would visit them all before buying a new lens

plus: thanks a lot for visiting my site and taking the time to deliver such detailed feedback! greatly appreciated!
 
Good call, the rental on the 35mm f1.4. What better way to see if you like a lens than shoot a few hours of footage with it. Let us know what you think, I haven't heard too much about that lens (probably 'cause it costs $1,500!) I bet you'll love it though, it's a great length for an APS-C.
 
No reason to get a 35L for APS-C the sigma is just fine for that (especially for video). The 35L is amazing because it covers full frame and has awesome AF. I have one and love it on my 5Dii for stills, but it is total overkill for APS-C, especially for video which doesn't resolve 1/10th of what the lens can do. FYI, if you shoot a lot of stills with AF, I can see using a 35L as the AF accuracy blows away the sigma for sure.
 
I have a 35L on a rental myself right now and it's completely awesome, of course. The bokeh is incredible. It's great for artistic shots where you come in real close at a low f-stop. It's a pretty heavy lens, too.
 
It is an amazing lens (have one), but I wouldn't reccomend it unless they have enough budget to get all the other stuff they want too.
 
Saw a Zeiss 35mm f2 for around $1200 at my local camera store.
Though definitely want the extra fstop of the Sigma or possibly Canon 35 1.4L.

Also have read that the Canon 241.4L is a sharper lens than the 35 1.4L, but 24 is getting a bit wide on my 7D for what I want...
 
The 24 F1.4L II is awesome on APS-C (38mm equiv). I doubt you would notice any sharpness difference between these two (I have both and they appear equally sharp). You will notice the wide open vignetting on the 24L.. It is something like 4 stops at the corners on full frame wide open.

I still say plan the kit as a whole and get the best balance to cover everything you need... Unless you just want one killer lens instead. If that is the case the 24L and 35L would be my first choice (I went 24 since fast 35mm lenses are easier to find). I would suggest renting first to make sure that is the FL you want most. You can get lots of cheap fast 50s so that is a place you can save in your kit
 
The Zeiss would be great, but for similar dollars, it would be the Canon for me. It's not just the extra light with f1.4, but the extra creativity with such a wide open lens.
 
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