Sigma 18-50 HSM or 50mm F1.8?

[anubis404]

If I were to go out to shoot portraits and I could only bring one lens, which one should I bring? I base this on image quality only, not focal length or aperture.

 

[prodigy2k7]

50mm F/1.8 =D

 

[icassell]

Flash or available light?

If you can add flash, you will have more versitility with the Sigma -- If not, you might appreciate the speed of the canon.

 

[FlyingFly]

It depends on what kind of portrait you're going to draw.

50/1.8 becomes an equivalent 75mm lens on D70. The angle of view fits for half-length portrait. You can also go close to the model for a head only portrait.

However you have to stand 20 feet away from the model to take a landscape-composition photo with the model standing. You would stand back farther if you'd like to include more environment in the composition. Thus you might have to impolitely shout loudly to make your model heard. If you're in a small room taking indoor photo, there might be no more space on your back.

 

[KhronoS]

50mm f/1.8 it's an amazing lens for portraits, especially because it's very cheap too.
I love mine. So go with the 50 mm

 

[Chewbecca]

I have both lenses. Both produce really sharp images (well, both MY copies do).
It will be tagging along to my little family Thanksgiving outing today.
Along with my fisheye, and the Nikkor 180mm f2.8

Since I have the Sigma 18-50mm, I will be leaving my 50mm home because chances are, I will need the wider end of the Sigma (that the 50mm won't be able to give me) for family shots. And if I want up close, I can always go to the 50mm end if needed.

Granted, the 50mm costs less and is a lens most should have in their bag anyway (just my opinion), but I've been rather lucky, I think, with my Sigma.
I rarely even open as wide as f1.8 on my 50mm.

But it's up to you to decide whether or not the 18-50mm range is worth the extra cost of the Sigma.:mrgreen:

 

[themaze76]

50mm 1.8 is my favorite lens, it's also the cheapest one I own. This lens will pay you back a thousand times over.

 

[anubis404]

I mean focal length and aperature aside. For arguments sake, lets set them both at F4, just to give both a fair chance.

I'm planning on owning both, so this is purely out of curiosity.

 

[Chewbecca]

I mean focal length and aperature aside. For arguments sake, lets set them both at F4, just to give both a fair chance.

I'm planning on owning both, so this is purely out of curiosity.

So you only want to know which is better at f4?
If so, I can do a test shot tomorrow, if you'd like.
F4 is usually a sweet spot for my 50mm, and my sigma functions pretty well there as well, so this could be tough.

 

[FlyingFly]

For image quality (resolution and aberrance) only, 50/1.8 is usually better than a zoom at same aperture stop.

 

[prodigy2k7]

It is a lot harder to make a zoom then a prime. Primes are normally of better quality and produce better images because of their simplicity.

 

[LWW]

If I were to go out to shoot portraits and I could only bring one lens, which one should I bring? I base this on image quality only, not focal length or aperture.

That is the easiest Q ever.

Go with the nifty fifty.

It's faster, sharper, shorter, lighter, and costs less.

In addition, in that focal range we are talking only a few steps to make a human/lens hybrid zoom anyway ... and that few steps can often give you the perfect framing view that you would have missed had you been able to just zoom.

LWW

 

[Prophet]

Is a prime lens a fixed focal length lens?

Btw, I picked up my 50 today. Already been shooting around the house and notice what I can do with ISO's w/o flash in my poorly lit house.

-JD-

 

[Ron Evers]

So you only want to know which is better at f4?
If so, I can do a test shot tomorrow, if you'd like.
F4 is usually a sweet spot for my 50mm, and my sigma functions pretty well there as well, so this could be tough.

Well then, to be equal, the Sigma will have to be set at 50mm unless I misunderstand something.

 

[Chewbecca]

Well then, to be equal, the Sigma will have to be set at 50mm unless I misunderstand something.

Well, yeah, that WAS my plan.:mrgreen:
But since someone made mention about how primes are faster and better due to less glass, I figured that person knew what they were talking about, so I didn't bother with taking test shots.

But I can if you all still want to see the difference.