Canon EF 50mm f1.8 or 40mm f/2.8?

[Imp]

Think I'm going to get my first DSLR soon, and it's probably going to be a Canon SL1. Night or low-light photography interests me the most.

Apparently, the EF 50mm f/1.8 is great for that at a low price, but it has some issues. And the EF 40mm f/2.8 is slower and higher build quality.

Anyone have some thoughts or ideas?

 

[corkyg]

It is really hard to beat the 50mm f/1.8 for value. I had one and had no issues. What are they?

 

[TerryMathews]

Think I'm going to get my first DSLR soon, and it's probably going to be a Canon SL1. Night or low-light photography interests me the most.

Apparently, the EF 50mm f/1.8 is great for that at a low price, but it has some issues. And the EF 40mm f/2.8 is slower and higher build quality.

Anyone have some thoughts or ideas?

What issues with the nifty fifty? Mine is fine on a 50D.

 

[iGas]

If you go with Canon, then the SL1 is an excelent choice because it is relatively small and light weight for a APS-C (Nikon & Sony cameras are a bit bigger and heavier but their modern sensor is a bit better than Canon current sensor). I would go with a used 50mm that can be had for $100 that just as sharp and is 1 1/3 stop faster as well as better suited as a portrait lens on APS-C format. While the 40mm may have new STM motor but isn't any faster or better at focusing than the old USM.

I do not have any issue with the original 50mm f/1.8 that have metal mount instead of the version II plastic mount, and it still function perfectly after 22 years of use & abuse on 4 different camera bodies.

 

[blastingcap]

Think I'm going to get my first DSLR soon, and it's probably going to be a Canon SL1. Night or low-light photography interests me the most.

Apparently, the EF 50mm f/1.8 is great for that at a low price, but it has some issues. And the EF 40mm f/2.8 is slower and higher build quality.

Anyone have some thoughts or ideas?

You say night and low light, but what kind? 50mm on a Canon Sl1 is like 80mm on full frame, i.e., it's a short-telephoto/portrait lens and not a normal lens.

What you want for more general purpose low light is a shorter focal length, like 30 ideally. Even 40mm is kinda longer than you probably want.

But if you are ok with the focal lengths of those lenses, go for it. I'd get the 50/1.8 because even if you realize later that you made a mistake, it'll be easy to resell.

 

[Imp]

It is really hard to beat the 50mm f/1.8 for value. I had one and had no issues. What are they?

I'm assuming you mean the make: they're Canon.

What issues with the nifty fifty? Mine is fine on a 50D.

Ones I've heard are that it "feels" cheaply made and it's not sharp under f/2.8. But everyone seems happy with it for the price.

Thanks to others for info.

I'll have to look into 30mm lens options. Will probably stick with the kit first to see what I want.

 

[iGas]

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens Image Quality

At f2.8 the 50mm f/1.8 II image quality is a bit sharper than the 24-70L f/2.8, and isn't that far off the the 24-70L II f/2.8 or the 40mm STM.

The original 50mm f/1.8 II is a bit sharper than the first version. Both are a bit soft wide open if you are a pixel peeper, but they are sharp enough to win 3 photo contests for me.

50mm f/1.8 II @ f/1.8

Full-size sample photos from Canon 50mm F/1.8

 

[Imp]

Nice shot. For about $100, it sounds like a lens easy to take a chance on.

On another note, I was recording with my SX50 earlier and found the tilt LCD pretty useful. Now I'm wondering if I should go with the T5i.

 

[TerryMathews]

Ones I've heard are that it "feels" cheaply made and it's not sharp under f/2.8. But everyone seems happy with it for the price.

The price is the problem. Fit and finish is no worse than any other comparable lens at the price point. IQ is through the roof, comparably. The lens gets compared to other lenses with twice the MSRP and FMV and no the fit isn't as good there especially on the plastic mkii.

It's like Chevy crammed a 350SBC in a Sonic and people are knocking it because the fit and finish isn't as nice as the Camaro because its comparable in performance.

I have three Canon lenses: nifty fifty, 18-55 IS, and 55-250 IS. The nifty fifty spends >75% of the time on my 50D and effectively is on for all video recording the body does.

 

[iGas]

Nice shot. For about $100, it sounds like a lens easy to take a chance on.

On another note, I was recording with my SX50 earlier and found the tilt LCD pretty useful. Now I'm wondering if I should go with the T5i.

I'm sorry it is not my picture, but one that I found at Pixel Peeper.

[add]

IMHO, 40mm on a APS-C body is a step child focal lenght because it is not a useful focal lenght as a standard or wide angle, or it is long enought for a compressed view to use as a short telephoto for portraits. It would make more sense to get a 30mm or wider focal length such as a 24mm or 20mm as a standar/wide lens and the 50mm for portraits.

 

[Scooby Doo]

Think I've used my thrifty fifty only once or twice since I bought the pancake 40. My 50 is sharp at about 2.5 and smaller, whereas the 40 is sharp right from the get-go.

 

[HendrixFan]

If you can swing the price, I'd go for the 28mm 1.8. The focal length on a crop is 45mm, so right about what you would want for "normal" picture taking. It is a very good lens, and rates very well at center sharpness. It apparently has considerable vignetting and edge softness, but on a crop sensor like the SL1, that means absolutely nothing.

I have the t2i and the 28 gets use more than any of my lenses, especially for low light situations. I rented an SL1 before and found that it was very convenient in both size and picture quality when paired with the 28. It was only marginally heavier and larger than the 40mm 2.8 on the SL1.

I picked my 28mm 1.8 refurbed from Canon for around $400, and you can find it for as low as $300 used.

 

[NAC]

You can't go wrong with either, but I'd lean towards the 50mm. It depends on how you want to use it, and what other lenses you have / will get.

The 50mm 1.8 is super sharp at 2.8, I usually shoot with it at that aperture. It is great for portaits, general outdoors use, and I use it at dance performances when sitting in the front row. I rarely use it when indoors my house anymore because I got a wider high aperture lens.

The 40mm will be a bit more useful in your house and for candid type photographs. But it will be less useful in performances, and is a bit short for potraits.

In my case, I got a Sigma 18-35 1.8 to compliment my Canon 50mm. I think they make a great pair. I may want to upgrade the 50mm lens, but I wont want to lose the focal length. My Sigma 18-35 is much more expensive, but it give a nice useful wide range for use indoors.

 

[AkumaX]

Try a used 35mm f/2

 

[Throckmorton]

35mm or 30mm is a better field of view for APS-C

But isn't Nikon a lot better in low light?

 

[Imp]

35mm or 30mm is a better field of view for APS-C

But isn't Nikon a lot better in low light?

I'm a whore for Canon -- because all my previous cameras have been Canon, they've been reliable, easy to use, and not one has broken without me breaking them, so I'll stick with them.

Thanks for everyone's help. I'll probably pick the SL1 kit up in the next week or two.

 

[Imp]

Busy with other things (i.e. screwing around inside my computer) so haven't gotten around to picking this camera up yet. Anyway, I found this deal at BB (Canada version) and it looks almost too good to be true:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=b47eb20f92a4c4cdba716cb69097427aen02

For CAD$ 600:
1. Canon SL1 body
2. EF 75 - 300 mm f/4-5.6 III USM
3. EF 40 mm f/2.8 STM

Any thoughts on the package or its components, especially the EF 75?

The cheapest I've found the body is around CAD$ 500. I've seen the kit with an 18-55mm lens for CAD$ 575, the EF 40 for CAD$ 150, and the EF 75 for ~CAD$ 150 -- stores seem to really love packaging this zoom lens in with Canon kits though. Seems like a great deal, but I don't see much use for the zoom lens. And I'd be missing the 18-40 mm range.

 

[TerryMathews]

Busy with other things (i.e. screwing around inside my computer) so haven't gotten around to picking this camera up yet. Anyway, I found this deal at BB (Canada version) and it looks almost too good to be true:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=b47eb20f92a4c4cdba716cb69097427aen02

For CAD$ 600:
1. Canon SL1 body
2. EF 75 - 300 mm f/4-5.6 III USM
3. EF 40 mm f/2.8 STM

Any thoughts on the package or its components, especially the EF 75?

The cheapest I've found the body is around CAD$ 500. I've seen the kit with an 18-55mm lens for CAD$ 575, the EF 40 for CAD$ 150, and the EF 75 for ~CAD$ 150 -- stores seem to really love packaging this zoom lens in with Canon kits though. Seems like a great deal, but I don't see much use for the zoom lens. And I'd be missing the 18-40 mm range.

Considering that's a crop sensor, you're talking about short telephoto and very telephoto.

55-250 is more highly regarded than 75-300.

 

[biostud]

I would definitely recommend getting something around the 35mm range. I use my 35mm for ~80-90% of my shooting.

 

[AkumaX]

Busy with other things (i.e. screwing around inside my computer) so haven't gotten around to picking this camera up yet. Anyway, I found this deal at BB (Canada version) and it looks almost too good to be true:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=b47eb20f92a4c4cdba716cb69097427aen02

For CAD$ 600:
1. Canon SL1 body
2. EF 75 - 300 mm f/4-5.6 III USM
3. EF 40 mm f/2.8 STM

Any thoughts on the package or its components, especially the EF 75?

The cheapest I've found the body is around CAD$ 500. I've seen the kit with an 18-55mm lens for CAD$ 575, the EF 40 for CAD$ 150, and the EF 75 for ~CAD$ 150 -- stores seem to really love packaging this zoom lens in with Canon kits though. Seems like a great deal, but I don't see much use for the zoom lens. And I'd be missing the 18-40 mm range.

Sell the 75-300. It's a junk basic lens (has no IS, so you'd have a lot of blurry shots w/o a tripod)

Pick up the kit 18-55 IS and the 55-250 IS. that should cover it 🙂

As for your dilemma, I'd honestly you consider the Canon 40mm f/2.8 or the Canon 35mm f/2 (or the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 if you have the $$$). The Canon 50mm f/1.8 is going to be too zoomed for indoor pictures.

 

[blastingcap]

Sell the 75-300. It's a junk basic lens (has no IS, so you'd have a lot of blurry shots w/o a tripod)

Pick up the kit 18-55 IS and the 55-250 IS. that should cover it 🙂

As for your dilemma, I'd honestly you consider the Canon 40mm f/2.8 or the Canon 35mm f/2 (or the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 if you have the $$$). The Canon 50mm f/1.8 is going to be too zoomed for indoor pictures.

It's not a good lens but not because of lack of IS which actually doesn't help most shots (e.g., shots where the subject is moving).