[Billyeung]

Dear brothers:
any suggestion in choosing one of the above prime lens.
For: family, kids, potrait, in family, close up,....
camera is 7D.

I already got 2 good zoom: 24-70 and 70-200.

thanks

[bye2]

Haha... your aims seem better fitted with zoom lens rather.

For 7D.. if you consider to have 1 prime lens only, I suggest 50mm. 85mm is to tele, and the minimum focus distince (0.95m) is an issue.

Sure, you may also consider 24 or 35mm. But.. I think.. what can make you really feel "wow" when you have 24-70L... is 50L...

[adamssin]

For APS-C, I will choose 50mm first. 50 1.2 L or 50 1.4? I will choose 1.4 ar... but CP value is much higher for 50mm 1.4.

[火Ken]

如果入Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L，我就寧願你揾支SIGMA 50mm f/1.4 無走焦啦！或入原廠Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM 啦！50L no la~ 不是咁值囉！入24L and 35L會多 C hing支持囉！

[ivanivan2]

買50L 既錢可以買到SIGMA 50.4 加多支SIGMA 85.4... CP值高
除非真系有原廠結非原廠不可.... 否則SIGMA 呢兩支都系好鏡

[Billyeung]

thanks for all the ching's valuable advise. More brain storm:
(1) I used to owe 20D, with sigma lens. It serve well throughtout the last 5 years in family pictures, kids, travel......
The problem is: whenever i upgrade, I got nothing in 2nd market.
(2) So, I original plan for 1D, it is only the saleman advise (good) me 7D already serve my purpose (with 7fps) in photo my daughter's figure skating (sport photography). 7D at least will serve me another 5, 6 years, I guaranteed.
(3) Then come to lens, with 7d, I always go to Canon and start addicted to F 2.8 after using the 24-70 F2.8 and 70-200 F2.8) That's why I am looking prima lens with f1.2 or similar for more thin DOF head shot of my kids.
after seeing I don't have much 2nd hand market with used sigma lens, I learned I rather buy good lens, expensive lens and durable. Because if I can keep it for long, don't need to re-sale it for losing money on the first len, I indeed save money in the long run.
(4) Yes, I totally noticed and agreed that the out of focus on these 2 F1.2 lens is a concern. I am seriously looking at this issue before buying.
(5)Some advised me that with crop sensor, 50mm seems to be better serve 7D.
(6) remember, I guess, now I got 7D, eventually, who knows 6 years later, I very likely will upgrade to frull frame iD series.
So all the lens I am invested will get back their full frame benefit. (While I will lose the 200mm benefit in crop sensor!!)
(7) Thanks for ching's different recommendation on sigma, and other focal length, I will definitely read more on those recommendation.
Happy to get lots of great ideas, will read it again now. and keep on my homework.
(8) Worse to the worse, and may be the BEST solution eventually: WAIT until something great in the market.
"Good things come when you wait" - It is pretty true ...

[Obi-Wan]

Billyeung

here is my experience with 50mm prime lens, may be helpful to you, I used 20D, 50DX2, 7D & 5D2

Many years ago, I used to have a EF 50mm 1.4 & EF 50 mm 1.8, I have the same impression that keeping a 50mm 1.2L a good idea to get nice bokeh. So bought 50mm 1.2L & sold it after 1 week usage for the reason of its poor bokeh (so called nisen bokeh "二線散景") and its "cat-eye" bokeh (口徑蝕).

Later, I bought SIGMA 50mm 1.4, it has very good bokeh (creamy) & least amount of "nisen" bokeh & "cat-eye" bokeh at the corner.

Later I sold the SIGMA 50mm 1.4 (due to AF issue) & just keep the EF 50mm 1.4 & EF 50 mm 1.8 for the CANON system.

Recently I bought another SIGMA 50mm 1.4 again for a job because its top class bokeh. After the job, I still keep this copy of Sigma 50 1.4.

If you just want to a good quality (both build & image) 50 mm for APS-C, Sigma is waiting for you.

[Billyeung]

many thanks, Obi- wan.
very interesting, very down to earth and real personal experience.
will look into sigma 50 1.4...

that's why Canadian always teach - always ask when i don't know..

many, many thanks.

Bill

[fault]

I encountered same issue and still scratching my head on this :P

[fish30d]

I have a Sigma 50 1.4 and have tried C50 1.2, honestly, the 50 1.2 is not worth the price difference for a weekend amateur photographer like myself.

Billyyeung c-hing, you made a very good point about the resale value of a Sigma lens, totally agreed, but if it is a good lens, why want to sell it? I rather just keep it and use it in rough conditions than to sell it and buy something more expensive, then worry that I might damage it when raining or climbing, etc. An example is that I still got my C 50 1.8 and I fit it on an old 500D (which I bought 2nd hand last yesr) and take it everywhere without a second thought. I have taken them to the beach, in the rain, did some rock climbing, when my 5D2 stays at home :)