One best lens for everyday photography?

[kentwong81]

I vote for 35mm f1.4G....it is cheaper than the 24mm f1.4G by SGD700. It beats the optics of 50mm f1.4G(much sharper wide open at f1.4) and more suitable for indoor as the focal length is wider than 50mm.
If you buy 35mm f1.4G, you don't need to own both 24mm f1.4G and 50mm f1.4G, which combined together would cost you SGD3,660 (SGD2860 + SGD800), while 35mm f1.4G only costs you SGD2160. Of course there are many other cheaper options like the 35mm f2 AFD, 35-70mm f2.8D, 50mm f1.4D, etc....depend on your pocket depth.
One more thing, I don't think 24mm f1.4G is suitable for shooting baby everyday as the baby's face will get distorted heavily when you shoot closer. Once in a while you can shoot baby at 24mm to get some "wow" factor but not everyday.

 

[jeff7id]

The only lens i would want to test out are the 35mm and the 24mm.
The other two i have actually test it out only for awhile and they are huge.
Anyway thanks for the alternatives.

I think 24-70mm would suit me despite on the weight and the size.
Or i could get the 35mm to pair it with my 50mm thn I just have to keep changing
lens thn.
Heavy but versatile, light but troublesome.

In my opinion, AFS 35mm f/1.4G is just a few steps backward from AFS 50mm f/1.4G and you already owned AFS 50mm f/1.4G. The AFS 24mm f/1.4G should be considered indeed.

Of course for landscape/scenery shoot, the wider you lens is, the more objects would be inside the frame.

One more thing, the weight between 24mm and 35mm is almost the same

 

[michael chick]

Here's my input on "One BEST lens for everyday"

It's like saying "One best FOOD for everyday"
You will get tired of the same food again and again and again....

Just my 2 Rupiah

 

[xintothezonex]

Here's my input on "One BEST lens for everyday"

It's like saying "One best FOOD for everyday"
You will get tired of the same food again and again and again....

Just my 2 Rupiah

Hi Michael,
I do believe different lens is for different purpose and I think whole lot of us including me love
to have a different set of one so we wont get bored but thn again if its for general shooting
thn I do believe that one lens is enough. (IMO of course)

If you saying one best food for everyday, you will get tired of the same food again and again..
but what if I say one best wife/husband for everyday? Will you get tired of them again and again? ;p

 

[xintothezonex]

Kit's voice of wisdom is really the advice you should heed - everybody brings their own prejudices and biases into a thread such as this one.

You need to try out the focal lengths for yourself. Just because 35mm is the new rage doesn't mean it is for you. I have a feeling a lot of the 35mm lovers are in the honeymoon stage of loving the newest and latest f1.4 wide angle prime from Nikon. If one is really a 35mm lover, one would already have bought and use either the 35 f1.4 AIS, or make do with the 35mm AFD, or have switched to Canon or Leica who have been offering 35mm in the f1.4 variant for some time. I would like to see how many of those who buy the 35 still use it actively after say, 1 year

If you ask me, my own prejudice and bias for primes will tell you that all you really need is a 24mm lens to round out your perfectly fine collection of lenses. A 24mm will allow you to take in wide vistas for landscapes, as well as shoot your baby in an intimate closeup fashion. Your 50mm will handle the rest of your needs. No need for a big expensive zoom like the 24-70, which will be slower than your 50 in speed and at best equal to your 24.

Unless of course you go for the 24 f1.4

See, I just described for you the way I would work. You need to discover your best combination for yourself. Lastly, lots of landscapes are shot with long lenses....

Hi Red Dawn,
Guess you are right, not even 1 year I saw a thread a member selling away his 35mm 1.4G after 2 weeks of use as he thinks that the lens didnt suit him at all and he prefer to use the 24-70mm more which he will be going to purchase it again after selling it off.

 

[photobugg]

The 50mm is good for your baby and family shots. Just add a wide angle, be it 16-35, 17-35, 14-24 or 24 and you are set to go.

If you don't mind the weight, probably the 24-70 would be the one lens that could cater for both your family shots + landscape shots. It really depends on what you want. Personnally, I would go for the 24-70 and sell the 50mm. DOF at f/2.8 is sufficient for my taste.

 

[xintothezonex]

The 50mm is good for your baby and family shots. Just add a wide angle, be it 16-35, 17-35, 14-24 or 24 and you are set to go.

If you don't mind the weight, probably the 24-70 would be the one lens that could cater for both your family shots + landscape shots. It really depends on what you want. Personnally, I would go for the 24-70 and sell the 50mm. DOF at f/2.8 is sufficient for my taste.

Actually after much consideration, I have decided to sell away my 70-200mm since it has not been very active for one year.
Been in my dry cabinet and I have convinced myself that my 70-200mm wont be a use for my needs ever though I love that lens so much.
Sacrifices have to be made rather than it became a white elephant in my dry cabinet.
I can always rent it if I missed it so much. Haha.
Anyway I have actually just posted it under Buy/Sell Section to those who are interested.
So.. now which other lens?
Heheh.. :devil:

 

[tehzeh]

Your eyes.

Just kidding.

I would pick the 24mm f1.4 anyday, for everyday photography, if i am using FF.

 

[mondocheesemonster]

24mm f1.4. Good on DX for street/everyday shooting, excellent on FX for everything else.

Edit: You can take a look at my last 4 shots from my flickr. Those were taken at 17mm (DX) => 25.5mm (FX). I'm sure you can find some more examples online, the min focusing distance of the 24mm f1.4 looks fantastic as well.

 

[2100]

How about buying a 2nd hand 35/1.8 to test it out first? Its pretty sharp anyway, on FF the corners would be somewhat not that sharp, but who cares coz there's a bit of vignetting there already anyway. :bsmilie:

With a 24, you are actually not supposed to shoot the way you do with a 35, or Sigma 30/1.4 on a crop body. Not sure if you understand or not. ;p The WOW does not come from poking the lens in the faces of babies and creating perspective distortion, think a lot of people misunderstand this. If anyone getting it and is afraid of doing that extra bit of work for composition, then its best not to use primes and stick with a generalist 24-70/2.8. Coz if no matter which piece of glass you use and you still use it in a general usage manner, it would come out approx the same way be it 24, 35, 50, 85.....just that the working dist/space are different and with different perspectives...only that. Hope I still make sense. You are supposed to tell a story with the subject and the environment with the 24, without needing to have a big working space, esp useful here in Singapore.

Of coz the fat perspective is always welcomed!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/ecooper1978/Melaneyfromthehip.jpg
(by Sneezy Beltran)

Still life can also be fat.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5296397154_37fe3e3c5e_b.jpg
(kaiserkudo)

 

[derbenjamin]

I just sold my 24-70 2.8 due to the fact that it's just too heavy for everyday use.
got a Sigma 30mm 1.4 on a 1.6x crop camera -> never been happier

 

[daredevil123]

How about buying a 2nd hand 35/1.8 to test it out first? Its pretty sharp anyway, on FF the corners would be somewhat not that sharp, but who cares coz there's a bit of vignetting there already anyway. :bsmilie:

With a 24/1.4, you are actually not supposed to shoot the way you do with a 35mm, or Sigma 30/1.4 on a crop body. Not sure if you understand or not. ;p The WOW does not come from poking the lens in the faces of babies and creating perspective distortion, think a lot of people misunderstand this.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

35/1.8 is cheap and good. Cult status among FX and DX shooters alike.

See the little lens on a FX cam in FX mode:
http://www.enduserblog.com/2009/09/review-nikon-35mm-f18-dx.html

 

[michael chick]

@xintothezonex

Hi Michael,
I do believe different lens is for different purpose
MC: Bingo !! And I agree with you wholeheartedly...

and I think whole lot of us including me love
to have a different set of one so we wont get bored but thn again if its for general shooting
thn I do believe that one lens is enough. (IMO of course)
MC: A wide? A Tele? How can a Tele do the job of a wide? and vice versa?
Point is, to cover as much as you can or a selection/ decision for the day.
So, for instance, No Press person in his right mind will carry only ONE lens/ focal length (assuming she uses primes) throughout the entire career...


If you saying one best food for everyday, you will get tired of the same food again and again..
but what if I say one best wife/husband for everyday? Will you get tired of them again and again?
MC: 40% of ALL MARRIAGES in Singapore do end up in Divorce. And, MCYS is having nightmares addressing this issue...
So, to answer your question, perhaps 40% of Singaporeans DO GET TIRED of the same food everyday....

Peace

 

[xintothezonex]

Of coz the fat perspective is always welcomed!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/ecooper1978/Melaneyfromthehip.jpg
(by Sneezy Beltran)

Still life can also be fat.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5296397154_37fe3e3c5e_b.jpg
(kaiserkudo)

See the little lens on a FX cam in FX mode:
http://www.enduserblog.com/2009/09/review-nikon-35mm-f18-dx.html

Thanks seniors for the links and to 2100, I do understand you.

 

[xintothezonex]

and I think whole lot of us including me love
to have a different set of one so we wont get bored but thn again if its for general shooting
thn I do believe that one lens is enough. (IMO of course)
MC: A wide? A Tele? How can a Tele do the job of a wide? and vice versa?
Point is, to cover as much as you can or a selection/ decision for the day.
So, for instance, No Press person in his right mind will carry only ONE lens/ focal length (assuming she uses primes) throughout the entire career...

Hi again,
My kind of general shooting does not require me to shoot with a tele lens and I did mention i wanted to shoot some landscape
but not really those extreme wide thats why my choices of lens selection only range between 24mm and to 35mm
which I think is good enough for me.

If you saying one best food for everyday, you will get tired of the same food again and again..
but what if I say one best wife/husband for everyday? Will you get tired of them again and again?
MC: 40% of ALL MARRIAGES in Singapore do end up in Divorce. And, MCYS is having nightmares addressing this issue...
So, to answer your question, perhaps 40% of Singaporeans DO GET TIRED of the same food everyday....

Peace

haha.. I hope that wont happen to any of us in here. Do love your partners dearly.
:angel:

 

[TheChef]

My vote goes to 24-70.

 

[2100]

http://www.enduserblog.com/2009/09/review-nikon-35mm-f18-dx.html

Wow, that really is a well-used Sigma 30/1.4. But I like, my 30/1.4 is even more naked. ;p

So 1 more option liao.... 24/1.4, 35/1.8, keep your 50. You pay more but heck you invested just as much into the body and that is gonna be obselete 10X faster than glass. Everything covered, no more nightmares. :bsmilie:

 

[vaxvms]

TS already own 70-200 so weight is no issue for him
guess 14-24 or 24-70 for him depend on what focal length he prefer

 

[michael chick]

@xintothezonex
My kind of general shooting does not require me to shoot with a tele lens and I did mention i wanted to shoot some landscape
but not really those extreme wide thats why my choices of lens selection only range between 24mm and to 35mm
which I think is good enough for me.
MC: I understand your "One Man's Meat is another Man's Poison" now...

haha.. I hope that wont happen to any of us in here. Do love your partners dearly.
MC: Realistically speaking 40% of all those in THIS FORUM are also Divorced... This is National Statistics we're talking about...
But I do agree with you on "Loving Your (own) partners Dearly"


Cheers

 

[jeff7id]

Wow, that really is a well-used Sigma 30/1.4. But I like, my 30/1.4 is even more naked. ;p

So 1 more option liao.... 24/1.4, 35/1.8, keep your 50. You pay more but heck you invested just as much into the body and that is gonna be obselete 10X faster than glass. Everything covered, no more nightmares. :bsmilie:

:thumbsup:
keep 50mm f/1.4G
top-up with 24mm f/1.4G and 35mm DX f/1.8G