Opinions: Trade 50 1.4 for 30 1.4?

[dinoadventures]

I shoot mostly street stuff, and I'm considering trading my canon 50 1.4 for a sigma 30 1.4.

here's what i like/dislike about each:

canon:
good:
-sharp as a tack
-good bokeh
-f/1.4 that produces some really fun results
-built well
-terrifyingly-fast USM that doesnt really hunt ever.

bad:
-front element moves in and out
-hood looks sorta silly, but is necessary with the moving front element.

sigma:
good:
-20mm wider than the canon, which is awesome
-optically similar to the canon
-sharp, sharp, sharp! possibly better of the two.
-f/1.4, which i love
-good bokeh
-lightweight and looks cooler, also is more 'fun'

bad:
-HSM, which is serviceable, but worse in low light.
-build quality down a notch, has annoying sigma texture that feels cheap
-sigma QC, meaning unless i find someone local to trade with, i'd do two transactions (one to sell the 50, one to buy the 30) and go through several copies at B&H to find one to my satisfaction.

i only really use my 50 for low light work, so the USM makes the difference there, but i think i would be able to use it as a serviceable walkaround lens if i had the 30. in a perfect world i'd have both, but i have a feeling one might do a bit much time in the bag.

having a fast 30mm might just get me to retire my zooms and go all primes.

thoughts?

hey elliot, wanna trade?

[J Mel]

I dunno....I'd personally rather keep the 50mm. If I want wide, I'd be tempted to go 24 at a minimum...but thats just me.

Side note - I'm in love with super wides...I don't really consider anything with a focal lengh greater than 24 a true wide.

[seraphim]

Originally Posted by J Mel

I dunno....I'd personally rather keep the 50mm. If I want wide, I'd be tempted to go 24 at a minimum...but thats just me.

Side note - I'm in love with super wides...I don't really consider anything with a focal lengh greater than 24 a true wide.

And just as a reminder, on a 1.6dsrl nothing longer than a 14mm is a true wide.

24 = roughly 35mm and
30 = roughly 45mm so...

And as everyone knows, in general shooting a 50mm is lots more usable than a 75mm... which the 50mm becomes on a dslr.

I hate my 50mm on a digital, but love it on film. It's just too long with the crop.

If you want to keep your future open (fullframe), sell the 50 and get the Canon 35mm 1.4. Yes, it's more bucks, but mymy what a lens.

[Regime|Life]

Personally... 30mm is way more useable for me.

[seraphim]

Originally Posted by Regime|Life

Personally... 30mm is way more useable for me.

30mm in general or THIS 30mm lens, which ends up being a 48mm?

[Regime|Life]

Originally Posted by seraphim

30mm in general or THIS 30mm lens, which ends up being a 48mm?

on a DSLR, I think its more useable.

[seraphim]

Originally Posted by Regime|Life

on a DSLR, I think its more useable.

YES! A voice of Sanity!
Does everyone get the 50mm 1.8 just because it's cheap? Or do they actually know what they are buying? When, for example a 35mm F:2 is a lot more versatile? On a crop-dslr?

It isn't THAT much more expensive, the 35mm. At least for Nikon.

[Regime|Life]

Originally Posted by seraphim

YES! A voice of Sanity!
Does everyone get the 50mm 1.8 just because it's cheap? Or do they actually know what they are buying? When, for example a 35mm F:2 is a lot more versatile? On a crop-dslr?

It isn't THAT much more expensive, the 35mm. At least for Nikon.

Well I personally hate the 50mm on a croped DSLR that that's just me. Though a 35mm f/2 is at leat twice the price of a 50mm f/1.8 dude.

[Stealthmode]

the 50 mm on my 1.6 10D is fine

i have described it thusly
"the 50 is jjjuuuussttt zoomed enough to be a bitch andjust cheap enough and sharp enough and useful enough to be fucking awesome"

double edged sword baby
maybe even triple

[jamietie]

Also, on a canon, it becomes an 80, which isn't the perfect walkaround length but is great for head and shoulder portraits.
If you do streetshooting, the 30 1.4 might be a better bet, though...

[EllitoGay]

if you dont shoot film its a no brainer

i own the 30 and i love it

[CANiSLAYu]

Originally Posted by dinoadventures

bad:
-HSM, which is serviceable, but worse in low light.
-build quality down a notch, has annoying sigma texture that feels cheap

I've owned both and these are both false. The 30/1.4 is built much better and HSM > micro USM like on the 50/1.4. I'd base the decision on the FOV though. Depending on what you shoot it might not be a bad idea to have both. Another options would be a "best of both worlds" deal and sell the 50/1.4 and get the 30/1.4 and 50/1.8 so at least you'll be able to have the 50 FOV if you ever need it.

[kyebosh]

while i find it hard to understand why somebody would want to get rid of one of the best lenses canon makes, especially for the money... you should definately buy the lens if you think it will be better for your style. If you need more FOV get a wider lens. If you need the speed, there aren't many other places to look than the sigma. Just switch them, but remember, if you go FF you'll want that 50 back :-)

[dinoadventures]

i eventually will go FF, and theres nothing i don't like about the 50. i'd say i use it as much as anything else i have. selling the 50 1.4 and getting the 50 1.8 and the 30 1.4 isn't something i want to do, since i had serious beef with it and was fairly happy to sell it. I really couldn't stand the noisy-ass AF that couldnt nearly handle low light and ebay-like construction. it felt like i'd break it off the mount eventually... but i digress. my point is that i'm not one of those people who gets something just because it's less money. That said, i'll have a hard time justifying putting down a month's rent on an L prime and this isn't helping me earn a living, so unless someone wants to donate generously the 35L is out of the question.
I'm not really a stranger to trading to shorter glass for slightly more useability. I've done it already with selling my 100 f/2 and getting the 85 1.8. I don't really miss the 100 f/2, but i have a feeling when i eventually go FF (2 years down the line or so, I think) i'll be singing a different tune.

[EllitoGay]

so what have you been shooting lately, jerry