Which one should I get?

[JohnnyOrGBravo]

So I have a sl1 and I want to get a prime lens for it. I was looking forward to a 50mm f1.8 but many people are saying that the 1.6x crop factor is making it a 85mm f2.8, but I want the 50mm because of the f1.8. Many say that I'm better of with a 40mm f2.8 pancake lens but I have also been looking at a 24mm f2.8 pancake lens.

So my question is should I get a 24, 40, or a 50, and why?
I would really appreciate the help!

 

[soufiej]

So I have a sl1 and I want to get a prime lens for it. I was looking forward to a 50mm f1.8 but many people are saying that the 1.6x crop factor is making it a 85mm f2.8, but I want the 50mm because of the f1.8. Many say that I'm better of with a 40mm f2.8 pancake lens but I have also been looking at a 24mm f2.8 pancake lens.

So my question is should I get a 24, 40, or a 50, and why?
I would really appreciate the help!

Not to be trite but, you should get the lens you feel you will use the most.

I assume you also have the 18-55 kit lens that often comes with the SL1.

First, I would read a few reviews of each lens to determine the weaknesses and strengths of each lens. While the kit lens is pretty good it has the typical zoom lens issues at it's widest aperture settings and at its smallest aperture settings. It does, however, have a fairly close minimum focus distance for a zoom.

The 50 mm f 1.8 has a fairly poor minimum focus distance so, if you are buying only one new lens today, how will you use the lens? If you want close in shots, the 50 mm will not always be your best choice over your kit lens.

The wider aperture of the 50 mm will pull a subject out of the photo though by providing the background blur which is highly desirable in some shots.

IMO anyone using a Canon DSLR should have the 50 mm just because.

Your sensor is what's causing the change in focal length so any lens you use with this camera will have the same result of shifting the stated focal length to another. Your kit lens also has the same shift due to the sensor.

There is no need to have both the 40 mm and the 50 mm IMO. The 40 mm is slightly more expensive and overlaps your kit lens. I'd say a good % of users won't see much improvement in the 40 mm prime simply because they don't look in the areas where the 40 mm is better. It's a nice small "pancake" lens though and makes for a very small package when mounted on the SL1.

So too is the 24 mm lens. I have the 24 mm and the 50 mm (which I've owned for well over a decade) so I have two prime options which I feel are well spaced from each other. The 24 mm on the Sl1 is quite compact and makes for a great carry around package. You'll have to zoom with your feet with the 24 mm, which is generally a good thing. Neither the 24 mm nor the 40 mm will be as fast as the 50 mm. Broadly speaking, that means the 50 mm will give you better low light performance along with the background blur.

I'd say the best way to decide is to set your kit lens at one focal length for each option. Shoot only at that focal length for a week or so and determine which best fits your use.

Look at your photos and determine whether you would benefit from the faster 50 mm. Do you know what you're looking for from a faster lens?

The 50 mm is sort of a no brainer since it is such a useful lens all around. You can hardly go wrong with it considering the benefits vs the price.

 

[Designer]

..a 50mm f1.8 but many people are saying that the 1.6x crop factor is making it a 85mm f2.8,

The smaller sensor does not change the aperture.

The lens is still a 50mm, it's just that it is apparently way too complicated to explain it here on the internet.

Lawd knows we've tried.

 

[waday]

What do you want to shoot with it? My suggestion would be the 50.

 

[JohnnyOrGBravo]

So I have a sl1 and I want to get a prime lens for it. I was looking forward to a 50mm f1.8 but many people are saying that the 1.6x crop factor is making it a 85mm f2.8, but I want the 50mm because of the f1.8. Many say that I'm better of with a 40mm f2.8 pancake lens but I have also been looking at a 24mm f2.8 pancake lens.

So my question is should I get a 24, 40, or a 50, and why?
I would really appreciate the help!

Not to be trite but, you should get the lens you feel you will use the most.

I assume you also have the 18-55 kit lens that often comes with the SL1.

First, I would read a few reviews of each lens to determine the weaknesses and strengths of each lens. While the kit lens is pretty good it has the typical zoom lens issues at it's widest aperture settings and at its smallest aperture settings. It does, however, have a fairly close minimum focus distance for a zoom.

The 50 mm f 1.8 has a fairly poor minimum focus distance so, if you are buying only one new lens today, how will you use the lens? If you want close in shots, the 50 mm will not always be your best choice over your kit lens.

The wider aperture of the 50 mm will pull a subject out of the photo though by providing the background blur which is highly desirable in some shots.

IMO anyone using a Canon DSLR should have the 50 mm just because.

Your sensor is what's causing the change in focal length so any lens you use with this camera will have the same result of shifting the stated focal length to another. Your kit lens also has the same shift due to the sensor.

There is no need to have both the 40 mm and the 50 mm IMO. The 40 mm is slightly more expensive and overlaps your kit lens. I'd say a good % of users won't see much improvement in the 40 mm prime simply because they don't look in the areas where the 40 mm is better. It's a nice small "pancake" lens though and makes for a very small package when mounted on the SL1.

So too is the 24 mm lens. I have the 24 mm and the 50 mm (which I've owned for well over a decade) so I have two prime options which I feel are well spaced from each other. The 24 mm on the Sl1 is quite compact and makes for a great carry around package. You'll have to zoom with your feet with the 24 mm, which is generally a good thing. Neither the 24 mm nor the 40 mm will be as fast as the 50 mm. Broadly speaking, that means the 50 mm will give you better low light performance along with the background blur.

I'd say the best way to decide is to set your kit lens at one focal length for each option. Shoot only at that focal length for a week or so and determine which best fits your use.

Look at your photos and determine whether you would benefit from the faster 50 mm. Do you know what you're looking for from a faster lens?

The 50 mm is sort of a no brainer since it is such a useful lens all around. You can hardly go wrong with it considering the benefits vs the price.

..a 50mm f1.8 but many people are saying that the 1.6x crop factor is making it a 85mm f2.8,

The smaller sensor does not change the aperture.

The lens is still a 50mm, it's just that it is apparently way too complicated to explain it here on the internet.

Lawd knows we've tried.

What do you want to shoot with it? My suggestion would be the 50.

I'm more in the car scene, I tend to take a lot of pictures at night. Even though I could use a tripod, one picture takes me a minute. I would like to take as many as I can and as fast as I can. I have also start getting in portraits but its not my priority.

 

[Designer]

Even though I could use a tripod, one picture takes me a minute.

Please explain.

 

[JohnnyOrGBravo]

Even though I could use a tripod, one picture takes me a minute.

Please explain.

So in the car scene theres car meets at night, in a parking lot. When use a tripod I would great pictures but it would take to long. The problem is that theres people walking by and cars trying to pass though when I'm taking my shot. I find myself standing in the middle on of the parking lot.

 

[Designer]

I think you will need to use a flash.

 

[JohnnyOrGBravo]

I think you will need to use a flash.

I do but then I don't know which one to use. I use the build in one sometimes but it throws off the paint, doesn't get the whole car, but I might be doing it wrong.

 

[Designer]

No. you're not doing it wrong, you just need more flash, as in another one.

 

[JohnnyOrGBravo]

No. you're not doing it wrong, you just need more flash, as in another one.

Is there any flash you recommend?