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dudeman44's picture
Submitted By: dudeman44
Location: Arizona, USA
Joined: Mar 7 2006
Posts:
Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8?
Posted: March 19, 2006 - 7:07pm

My wife and I have recently invested in a Canon EOS-20D as my first dSLR from a Canon Rebel. We are amateurs seeking to do more with our love of photography (mainly scenic, landmark, and just starting to try out portrait style). We currently have several zoom lens, but are looking into getting our first prime lens. The two we are looking at are the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM or the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. Anyone have any advice or preferences?

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tbarry's picture
Submitted By: tbarry
Joined: Mar 2 2006
Posts:
#1
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1
Posted: March 20, 2006 - 2:01pm

The choice depends a great deal on what use you primarily intend. With the APS-size cropping factor, the 50mm f1.4 becomes effectively a short telephoto. I use it a lot for portraits with a bit more space around the figure than head-and-shoulders. Wide open, you get a nice effect,(see attached file) and when you need f1.4, nothing else will do.

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EdCard's picture
Submitted By: EdCard
Location: New Jersey
Joined: Mar 4 2006
Posts:
#2
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8?
Posted: March 22, 2006 - 8:33pm

Don't forget the conversion on the lens.
With the Canon 20D it's X 1.6
50mm = 80 mm
85mm = 136 mm

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andylaiphoto's picture
Submitted By: andylaiphoto
Location: Dallas
Joined: Feb 23 2006
Posts:
#3
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8?
Posted: April 2, 2006 - 1:55am

given the subject matter that you stated I would probably lean more towards the 50. But you're proabably going to end up with both once you start shooting a lot of portraits...that 85 is a really nice lens for portrait.

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tpfcanonxt's picture
Submitted By: tpfcanonxt
Location: nottingham, maryland
Joined: Jan 27 2006
Posts:
#4
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8?
Posted: April 2, 2006 - 5:53am

i am looking for a good either Canon or off market manufacture for my dslr rebel, macro that can get down to see the face of a bug(lol) and a good fisheye...any help, without spending an arm and a leg for the lenses....i tried the 52mm macro screw on but you have to get the lense too close to the subject, and the screw on attachment for the fisheye is actually a wide angle that is not very wide angle..

thanks,
tom

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dudeman44's picture
Submitted By: dudeman44
Location: Arizona, USA
Joined: Mar 7 2006
Posts:
#5
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8?
Posted: April 2, 2006 - 8:47am

Andy,

Thanks for the input...I think that you're right. My wife and I will be going to a lot of family gatherings this year due to a lot of anniversaries and new births in the family. I think the 50mm will be perfect in this environment.

Thanks again for all of the replies from everyone.
dudeman44

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overclock's picture
Submitted By: overclock
Joined: Apr 20 2006
Posts:
#6
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8?
Posted: April 20, 2006 - 1:24pm

If you will be taking pictures of groups you'll need something wider than 50mm to get eveyone in. Also consider the 28 2.8.

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Tumak's picture
Submitted By: Tumak
Joined: Nov 30 2006
Posts:
#7
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8?
Posted: November 30, 2006 - 1:17pm

I never leave home without it (50 1.4) My other choice was the 100 2.8 macro so it is less likely I will get the 85 1.8, but I would grab it in a minute if I could.

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20droger's picture
Submitted By: 20droger
Joined: Dec 18 2006
Posts:
#8
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1
Posted: December 18, 2006 - 1:45pm

That is one beautiful cat! Very good composition.

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20droger's picture
Submitted By: 20droger
Joined: Dec 18 2006
Posts:
#9
Re: Good first prime lens...50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8?
Posted: December 18, 2006 - 2:03pm

If you really want to get down to the bug-face level, nothing does it like the Canon MP-E 65mm 2.8 MACRO, with its 5:1 magnification! That's 5:1, not 1:5! You can more than fill the sensor with a ladybug!

For more conventional macro work, the Tamron SP AF180mm F/3.5 MACRO or Sigma 180mm F3.5 EX IF HSM APO MACRO are both excellent and a significat savings over the equivalent Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM. These lenses all give 1:1 magnification at 18-19" focus, giving some distance between you and the bug.

For a fisheye, I'd suggest the new Tokina AT-X 107 DX Fish Eye (10-17mm F-f/3.5-4.5 fisheye zoom). Because of the 1.6 angle-of-view correction factor, it's really hard to get a true 180

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