Renting a lens... go macro or fast prime?

[Cafeen]

For starters, I'm looking at both the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L Macro and the Canon 24mm f/1.4L prime.

A little background...

My current kit includes:

• Canon EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 AF IS (basic kit lens)
• Canon EF-S 55-250 f/4.0-5.6 AF IS (basic telephoto zoom kit lens)
• Canon EF 50 f/1.8 AF
• Sigma 8-16 f/4.0-5.6 DC HSM lens

All (or most, depending on what I rent) will be with me in the parks every day (I carry this setup in my bag everywhere I go, so walking with them all is not a big deal.)

My comfort zone is flower and detail stuff, and as such, the 55-250 was my most used lens (by far) last year. Coming in second was the UWA, which I have since practiced a bit more with (a lot of the UWA pictures were less than good compositionally, with huge sweeping foregrounds of ... ground...and stuff in the far distance ). The 50 got a bit of usage, specifically on indoor rides and restaurants. The 18-55 didn't make too many appearances (mostly the few of me with characters.)

This trip is about 75% solo and focusing on photography, so I'm not really going to need to incorporate other people in my shot (well, people I know, I'm sure there's going to be hundreds or thousands of other people in my shots, intentionally or not )

I'm leaning toward the macro due to my penchant for flower and/or detail related stuff. However, my 55-250 will also work for this (albeit, not as well.) I'm leaning toward the prime due to ride and low-light stuff, which the 50mm also works ok for (though, the more I type this, the more I lean toward the prime as the 50 is weaker in my desired role than the 55-250 is...)

So, talk me over the cliff... if you were in my position which would you spring for? Unfortunately, it doesn't look like both are in the budget right now, or that'd certainly be the answer to the conundrum. (I do have ~4 months until the trip though, so maybe things will change.) (And if there's another applicable, relatively similar priced lens to rent that would suit either situation that would end up better than what I'm looking at, that'd work too)

*And I'm aware these are technically both primes... but since one is macro and the other is not... it's easier calling them macro and prime (before someone jumps all over me for that!)

 

[PrincessInOz]

Cafeen - From memory, I think you're shooting with a crop camera? What's the highest most useable ISO on your camera?

I have shot dark rides using the 50 f/1.8 with the Canon T2i and I find that it isn't wide enough for me.

If it were me, I'd go with the 24mm f/1.4 prime because I personally find that I like extra width in dark rides. Depending on your useable ISO, this lens may also give you more options to shoot hand-held.

I do have that macro in my bag. It's my least used lens right now; although my goal for the next 6 - 9 months is to shoot more with it. When I have used it, I find that I need to work at my focus point more with that lens in order to get the shot that I want as I find it has a relatively less forgiving depth of field than the other lenses I'm using. This might or might not be the case and I'm aware that my current perception might change as I use this lens more. I haven't tried it in low light conditions.

 

[Cafeen]

Cafeen - From memory, I think you're shooting with a crop camera? What's the highest most useable ISO on your camera?

I have shot dark rides using the 50 f/1.8 with the Canon T2i and I find that it isn't wide enough for me.

If it were me, I'd go with the 24mm f/1.4 prime because I personally find that I like extra width in dark rides. Depending on your useable ISO, this lens may also give you more options to shoot hand-held.

I do have that macro in my bag. It's my least used lens right now; although my goal for the next 6 - 9 months is to shoot more with it. When I have used it, I find that I need to work at my focus point more with that lens in order to get the shot that I want as I find it has a relatively less forgiving depth of field than the other lenses I'm using. This might or might not be the case and I'm aware that my current perception might change as I use this lens more. I haven't tried it in low light conditions.

Yep, crop sensor (T1i) and max settable ISO of 3200 (though, I hate to use anything higher than 1600). The prime isn't likely going to give me that much more speed, but the winder angle will sure help.

Good to know about the macro too, hadn't even thought of difficultly focusing, which is a problem I have (my eyes stink ><). Still keeping my options open, but certainly thanks for the input .

 

[photo_chick]

Actually the T1i has expanded settings to 6400 and 12800 (you have to turn them on in the menu). My 50D has a very similar sensor. The expanded settings are not just "simulated" higher ISO settings as some sites claim. They're just really noisy. But I find 6400 pretty usable with good NR software, especially if I go black and white with the image.

That tangent aside, I'd go for the 24mm myself. But you already pointed out you tend to favor longer focal lengths. If the 50mm meets your low light needs on rides and what not, then maybe the 100mm is for you.

 

[nate0430]

I own the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, it's a great lens. If you enjoy taking floral and detail photo's you might enjoy it. Also the focusing distance is 12in from the film plane. You're able to fill the frame with a mere few inches of detail.