Thoughts on Portrait Lens for Canon 200D

[mshenay]

I started with a EFS 50mm 1.8 but I've got to say these days it's mostly disappointing to me... almost frustrating after spending a few weeks shooting on my 55 f4 Zoom lens

I've seen the reviews for the Sigma Art lens but... I'm still leaning towards the Canon US f1.4 50mm

Thoughts and feedback from those of you who've used all/both would be super helpful!

 

[Wes]

mild tele is the classic for portraits

 

[mshenay]

Well it's mostly product photography but I'll check that out

 

[Eetu]

I've owned the Canon 'nifty-fifty' 50 1.8, Sigma 50 1.4 EX and now have the Sigma Art 50 1.4 and I highly recommend the Art. Possibly my favorite lens ever.

 

[mshenay]

I've owned the Canon 'nifty-fifty' 50 1.8, Sigma 50 1.4 EX and now have the Sigma Art 50 1.4 and I highly recommend the Art. Possibly my favorite lens ever.

I've heard people making complaints about the Sigma Art's Auto Focus Motor? What has your experience been?

 

[MRC01]

I started with a EFS 50mm 1.8 but I've got to say these days it's mostly disappointing to me... almost frustrating after spending a few weeks shooting on my 55 f4 Zoom lens

I've seen the reviews for the Sigma Art lens but... I'm still leaning towards the Canon US f1.4 50mm

Thoughts and feedback from those of you who've used all/both would be super helpful!

I've had the Canon F1.4 50mm prime for many years. It is an excellent portrait lens. Especially when used with a camera having a 1.6x crop factor, which avoids edge distortion. It's tack sharp down to F1.8 and only slightly soft at 1.4. Excellent contrast & color. The image quality is as good as some "L" lenses that I have. It has decent bokeh too.

Have you considered the little EFS lenses? I have the 24mm prime and it is a great lens. But it only goes to F 2.8.

 

[Eetu]

I've heard people making complaints about the Sigma Art's Auto Focus Motor? What has your experience been?

I've used it with the 6D series and now with the R series and haven't had AF issues. Working fine with Eye AF as well. But I'm more of a portrait/still subject shooter so can't say if it's perfect with sports etc. I wasn't happy with the autofocus on the older EX Sigma, but the AF along with build & image quality is on another level with the Art line.

 

[Wes]

Well it's mostly product photography but I'll check that out

do you have a light tent?

 

[mshenay]

do you have a light tent?

Nope, I've a light room tho none of the tents were good enough for my needs they all had wrinkles or other undesirable stuff

Ehh my product photography is around here some where

 

[mshenay]

I've had the Canon F1.4 50mm prime for many years. It is an excellent portrait lens. Especially when used with a camera having a 1.6x crop factor, which avoids edge distortion. It's tack sharp down to F1.8 and only slightly soft at 1.4. Excellent contrast & color. The image quality is as good as some "L" lenses that I have. It has decent bokeh too.

Have you considered the little EFS lenses? I have the 24mm prime and it is a great lens. But it only goes to F 2.8.

I might have to look at the 24mm prime as well, I've the "pancake" I used to do video on but I've moved onto the 10-18mm with A LOT OF LIGHT that works really nice

Tho I think with your input and others on the web it seems like the 1.4 is the way to go, good to hear about the slight softness at 1.4

 

[Eetu]

The 50 1.4 Art is significantly sharper wide open. It has less chromatic aberration, distortion and 1 stop less vignetting at 1.4 compared to the Canon. But I know it's also a lot more expensive and quite a bit heavier as well.

 

[amirm]

My Canon 50 mm F1.4 broke due to a common design problem. It was barely used. Have to take it apart to fix it. There are Youtube videos on it.

For my product photography I use a 100 mm F2.8L IS. Can't imagine using a wide angle with all the geometric distortions for product shoots.

 

[Doodski]

My Canon 50 mm F1.4 broke due to a common design problem. It was barely used. Have to take it apart to fix it. There are Youtube videos on it.

For my product photography I use a 100 mm F2.8L IS. Can't imagine using a wide angle with all the geometric distortions for product shoots.

I carry stuff out into the sunlight or use a tight sheet with a lamp for lighting and snap pics of product that way. It seems to work for sales and I find a circular polarizer lens makes a big difference too. Like that CPO filter...

 

[mshenay]

My Canon 50 mm F1.4 broke due to a common design problem. It was barely used. Have to take it apart to fix it. There are Youtube videos on it.

For my product photography I use a 100 mm F2.8L IS. Can't imagine using a wide angle with all the geometric distortions for product shoots.

Damn, that does sound nice

I carry stuff out into the sunlight or use a tight sheet with a lamp for lighting and snap pics of product that way. It seems to work for sales and I find a circular polarizer lens makes a big difference too. Like that CPO filter...

Actually that's an excellent idea! I like my big ass wood Table tbh and very soon I'm moving it into a bedroom with a BIG dedicated window and clean white wall! A LOT more room for lighting too so I'll be able to finally have a proper photo studio aside my from the current corner of my Kitchen I'm using

Might have to experiment with a white sheet tho in the mean time on one of my smaller tables! I like the creative options that offers too given how I'm "in the forest" still for $300 I'd like a lense with excellent AF until I can move up into something like that 100mm f2.8L

 

[amirm]

How big are the items you are photographing?

 

[mshenay]

How big are the items you are photographing?

Nothing major, headphones mostly, some of the Dacs/amps can get large ish... I think it'll fit well enough on the table I intend to play with outside on the next sunny day

I mean I enjoy what my 50mm f1.8 does... but here lately I'm kinda not super impressed with it... I'm also curious to see what difference the f1.4 50mm makes tho I'm open to trying something else too, that 100mm F2 sounds good but a bit out of my range

Tho when I move into a larger space for photography I'd be nice to have a better version of a lens/focal length and MM that I'm used to shooting with just to get a grasp of how the increased space and lighting improve the shot both with the old lens and new one