Troubles Deciding On My Next Lens

Dskater99 · Nov 18, 2012

Hey i Was looking to get a new camera lens in the next couple of months but im having troubles deciding what to get. I currently have a 50mm 1.4, Opteka 6.5mm 3.5 fisheye, and my 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 kit lens. I was looking at a 70-200 f4L or another similar tele zoom as i dont have a tele lens but then the Rokinon 85mm 1.4 cought my eye. Im having troubles deciding between the two. What do you guys think i should do??

TATTRAT · Nov 19, 2012

You have listed a majority of primes what are you into shooting? You have an 18-55 kit. Without knowing what you are into shooting, what the budget is, what your "style" is, it's easy to give recommendations, but hard to give recommendations that are applicable to what YOU are trying to accomplish. . . you say looking at the "70-200 f4l" because you don't have a tele, but, is there a reason you have been shooting prime?

If you are looking for a price effective zoom lens, I have liked my Tamron 28-300 3.5/5.6, they are easily found, pretty fair for a walk around lens, but CERTAINLY have a sweet spot where things are tack sharp, or, you can get the wee bit of lens creep that is not enough to ruin the image, but enough to piss me off (mind you, mine is old and well traveled/used)...

I would have a tough call: expand the horizon (no pun intended) with a zoom, OR, have an 85 1.4 that is, in my opinion, great for portraits of either people or scenes.

Just my humble $.02.

What's gonna be the MAIN use, or are you just adding to the bag to have some versatility?

Dskater99 · Nov 19, 2012

Well I bought the camera with the kit lens and had that for a while and wanted the 50 1.8 for more low light capabilities and the dreamy kinda blur it gives. And my 6.5mm for taking videos of skateboarding. Sometimes i feel like i want to zoom more but cant and it limits me on the type of stuff i can take pictures of. I like the 70-200 F4 because it has the fixed appature throughout the zoom range and i like to do alot of video so i wana be able to zoom while filming. But i feel like if i got the 85mm 1.4 its zoomed in more and that might be all i need. Im just a casual shooter and i mainly take pictures of friends and sometimes walk around on the streets and take pictures of people and anything else that catches my eye. The 70-200 f4 is the most expensive lens i can manage buying on my budget. I just wana get opinions from different people about each lens. Is the 85 1.4 very much different than the canon 85 1.2? cuz if not i might go to my local camera shop and test the canon 85mm.

TATTRAT · Nov 19, 2012

What body are you using? You didn't mention video in your OP, so that changes things up a little bit, don't ya think? if using to film, not all lenses will auto focus with the video you are shooting. You may need something more dynamic. My experience with it is limited, and wave/surf based, but even with skating vids, most seem to be filmed with something along the lines of an 11-16, something really wide, where you can just mount it and ride along side. Primes, for something like shooting skating vids, perhaps NOT the bet choice. With no body info, it's hard to recommend something that will have the ability to stay in focus while you pan, move, skate along. . .Also, as you stated, gonna be hard to zoom while you are skating.

When it comes to name brand v. off name brand, you'd be surprised. . .some lenses I have gotten that are NOT Nikor are stunning, while others, well, lets just say, I got rid of 'em. I have used the Rokinon 85mm (your aforementioned lens) and to be honest, I was pretty pleased with it.

If using a prime to film, you need to jut find/stay on a line that is parallel to the skater and keep everything within frame I imagine. If YOU are on a board, trying to focus on a skaters line, and all the other sh*t that's involved, it just seems like broken gear waiting to happen. If the skaters line is to where you can be in the back of a truck, and shoot/film, then you stand a much better chance of being able to zoom in/out, and do what you need to do, but even then, it takes a LOTTTTTTTTTTTTTT of work manually, lol.

Jarred does mostly automotive work. He started with 99% automotive work, has done the 757 "car scene" for the past 6 years or so, has gone to doing a LOT of video, all using Nikon Gear, IIRC he used to do some skating stuf as he was learning it all but, check out his stuff here:

http://vimeo.com/jaredhouston

It's all the same principals. He's a really great dude and gets better and better every time he posts , it's an automotive board that I moderate, but we have a lot of photo folks.

Dskater99 · Nov 19, 2012

I have a canon T2i. The fisheye is a 6.5mm which is based off the 8mm samyang lens and it works great for skating. Filming skating is NOT my main focus. I dont want the new lens for skating at all. i just want a new lens because ive started to get bored with photography and need something to make it fun again. I want the new lens for some artistic videos of scenery and to have a little bit more fun and variety while shooting. I am pleased with my fisheye which is the same brand as where i want to get the 85mm.

TATTRAT · Nov 19, 2012

Dskater99 said:
I have a canon T2i. The fisheye is a 6.5mm which is based off the 8mm samyang lens and it works great for skating. Filming skating is NOT my main focus. I dont want the new lens for skating at all. i just want a new lens because ive started to get bored with photography and need something to make it fun again. I want the new lens for some artistic videos of scenery and to have a little bit more fun and variety while shooting. I am pleased with my fisheye which is the same brand as where i want to get the 85mm.

If you have the equipment then you don't need new stuff to "make it fun again".

use your head, get creative, get out there and do something.

You can always buy new kit, you can't buy creativity. Force yourself. look around. Take in the things around you that you normally wouldn't think of. If you are bored with shooting skating, well, a camera can shoot ANYTHING you point it at.

Dskater99 · Nov 19, 2012

Im not buying the fun or creativity. Im buying it to expand upon my love for photography. I just want something to give me the motivation to get out there and shoot. Im getting it for myself this christmas i just dont know which to choose.

Dskater99 · Nov 19, 2012

Is the 85mm 1.4 going to be much different than the 50mm 1.8 i already have? or would i be happier with the 70-200 f4?

TATTRAT · Nov 19, 2012

lol, a lens is only going to help if you have the DESIRE to get out and shoot. . . getting lens isn't going to make you go out and shoot. If you have no desire to shot, or get out to do so, then it doesn't matter what is in your bag, just sayin'.

ifit comes to the 1.4/.8, honestly, I've owned both but can't honestly justify the price point between the two for that stop, BUT, that is just me I know people that will fight tooth and nail between the 1.4, and 1.8.

you should have places to rent the glass for a day or 2, and see if it suits your needs.