Prime lens for my upcoming body purchase

[HedgehogFromHell]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking about getting a prime lens to go with my upcoming body purchase (Sony A37/57/65) and start experimenting/branching out. I've been looking at the 50mm f1.8 SAM Portrait lens, the 30mm f2.8 Macro lens and the 35mm SAM f1.8 lens.

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/pro...

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/pro...

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/pro...

What do you guys recommend?

[richwig83]

If thats a crop sensor i would recommend the 35mm.

[HedgehogFromHell]

Yes, they're APS-C sensors so are cropped.

This being my first prime buy, can i ask for the reasoning?

[richwig83]

Because 35mm on a crop equates to 50mm on a Full Frame, and a 50mm lens is where your prime lens experience/learning curve should start. You will learn more from that lens than any other.

[DibblyDobbler]

richwig83 said:

If thats a crop sensor i would recommend the 35mm.

+1 I found the 50mm too tight on a crop body

[HedgehogFromHell]

Epic! Cheers guys! Its on the list

Thanks!

[Simpo Two]

richwig83 said:

Because 35mm on a crop equates to 50mm on a Full Frame, and a 50mm lens is where your prime lens experience/learning curve should start. You will learn more from that lens than any other.

Or to put it another way, it reflects roughly the same angle of view as your eye.

[andy-xr]

I've got right into my 35mm 1.8 recently, I'd had a 28-300 pretty much glued to the body for about a year and a half. Going back to primes is always fun, I've got the 35mm, 50mm and 85mm in a variety of 1.4 and 1.8 forms. Prefer the 50/85 for people shots, though the distortion correction in LR is good with the 35mm

[Kermit power]

andy-xr said:

I've got right into my 35mm 1.8 recently, I'd had a 28-300 pretty much glued to the body for about a year and a half. Going back to primes is always fun, I've got the 35mm, 50mm and 85mm in a variety of 1.4 and 1.8 forms. Prefer the 50/85 for people shots, though the distortion correction in LR is good with the 35mm

I've been thinking about an 85mm too, but at the moment I'm getting far more use out of my 28mm than I do out of my 50!

[RobbieKB]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but can I ask?:

I have a crop sensor and for portraits I would ordinarily use 100mm f/2.8. However, I am on the verge of buying the epic 135mm F/2 L and this thread has got me asking questions. Will that not be the godlike portrait lens on a crop body?

[richwig83]

It will be a fantastic lens on a crop.... but better on a FF.

[andy-xr]

Robbie, I shoot headshots around 135-200mm, depending on what I feel like. Ypu're generally going to need upwards of F11 for that lens you're thinking of, unless you want the far side of the face to be out of focus. Straight on might have the same consequences, or you might find the nose soft if the eyes are sharp. It's definitely a good lens, but looking at it for it's aperture ability for something like portraits has a flip side as well

[RobbieKB]

Cheers guys. Yeah that's exactly what I needed to know. My 100mm 2.8 is great for portraits and I wonder if perhaps it's similar to what the 35mm to the 50mm is on crop to FF.

I'm considering just selling my 550D and using my money for the 135mm L for a second hand 5D II.

[DibblyDobbler]

RobbieKB said:

Cheers guys. Yeah that's exactly what I needed to know. My 100mm 2.8 is great for portraits and I wonder if perhaps it's similar to what the 35mm to the 50mm is on crop to FF.

I'm considering just selling my 550D and using my money for the 135mm L for a second hand 5D II.

Good plan!

[flat-planedCrank]

RobbieKB said:

I don't mean to hijack the thread but can I ask?:

I have a crop sensor and for portraits I would ordinarily use 100mm f/2.8. However, I am on the verge of buying the epic 135mm F/2 L and this thread has got me asking questions. Will that not be the godlike portrait lens on a crop body?

Would say that I do sometimes find 135mm only just wide enough on a FF - might be pretty cramped on a crop body, I've not tried it much.

Would probably look at (or at least consider) the 85mm f1.8 (or f1.2 ) & 100mm f2 for a portrait crop body lens...

[RobbieKB]

flat-planedCrank said:

RobbieKB said:

I don't mean to hijack the thread but can I ask?:

I have a crop sensor and for portraits I would ordinarily use 100mm f/2.8. However, I am on the verge of buying the epic 135mm F/2 L and this thread has got me asking questions. Will that not be the godlike portrait lens on a crop body?

Would say that I do sometimes find 135mm only just wide enough on a FF - might be pretty cramped on a crop body, I've not tried it much.

Would probably look at (or at least consider) the 85mm f1.8 (or f1.2 ) & 100mm f2 for a portrait crop body lens...

I just wonder if I'm delaying the inevitable when I don't upgrade to a FF body.

(Sorry OP, this is a proper hijacking. If this isn't useful to you (as it only vaguely relates) I'll happily start a new thread - just say the word.)

[HedgehogFromHell]

Every day is a school day keep going

[DibblyDobbler]

RobbieKB said:

I just wonder if I'm delaying the inevitable when I don't upgrade to a FF body.

(Sorry OP, this is a proper hijacking. If this isn't useful to you (as it only vaguely relates) I'll happily start a new thread - just say the word.)

Get a 6D and have done with Rob - we can compare notes

[RobbieKB]

DibblyDobbler said:

RobbieKB said:

I just wonder if I'm delaying the inevitable when I don't upgrade to a FF body.

(Sorry OP, this is a proper hijacking. If this isn't useful to you (as it only vaguely relates) I'll happily start a new thread - just say the word.)

Get a 6D and have done with Rob - we can compare notes

You can't even really get those 2nd hand from trust-worthy sources yet. I would love a 6D, I would just be about £700 short after selling my camera etc. My birthday is in January, Mike, would like my account number and sort code?

[RobbieKB]

This thread has accidentally put me through a loop. I now feel like I need a full frame body in my life!