Which lens? Canon 3r 50mm 1.8 or

[Spinning]

Sigma 50mm f/1.4?
almost $200 difference in price I want it mainly to take my kids portraits.
Maybe use it to take flowers. Don't plan to have it as my main lens.
I have 85 prime, 17-200, 70-300 lens.
Thanks!

 

[photo_chick]

Are you shooting on a crop body? You might consider a 35mm or the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 if you can swing the price. While I'm one of those people who loves a 50mm on a crop body, most people find it too long for what they want. It's pretty tight indoors for portraits.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm one of those who thinks the 50mm is too tight on a crop body. Yes, that 50mm f/1.8 is inexpensive. But even $100 is too much for a lens that sits in a drawer like mine does. I love love love my Sigma 30mm f/1.4, even though it was several hundred dollars more. But since I use it a lot more, it was a better buy.

The most expensive lens is one you by twice. For me, it would have been better to just skip that first $100 I spent on the Canon 50mm f/1.8.

As for whether you need 1.4 or if a 1.8 will do, that depends on what you're shooting. If you're doing Disney dark rides, I'd try to get a 1.4.

 

[Spinning]

Can you explain what the crop body is? I have the canon 50D.
I mainly plan to use this do head shots outside. Like prom, graduation photo, my daughter and her friends.

 

[mom2rtk]

Can you explain what the crop body is? I have the canon 50D.
I mainly plan to use this do head shots outside. Like prom, graduation photo, my daughter and her friends.

Then you have a crop body. It magnifies the field of view by about 1.6 over a full frame body or an old 35mm camera.

 

[Spinning]

Canon EF 35mm f/2 Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
What do you think of this one?

 

[photo_chick]

Can you explain what the crop body is? I have the canon 50D.
I mainly plan to use this do head shots outside. Like prom, graduation photo, my daughter and her friends.

Full frame bodies have a sensor about the size of 35mm film. A crop body is closer to APS-C film (remember the old Kodak Advantix film... about that size).

Like already said, your 50D is a crop (and a great camera, I've got one as well). It just means you won't have as wide of a field of view with a lens as you would on a full frame body. Which really doesn't mean a lot, and honestly isn'[t something you should worry a whole lot about in my opinion, except for when you talk about focal lengths on a message board. Because 50mm on a full frame body is a different field of view than 50mm on a crop body and knowing if you have crop or full frame can help people make better suggestions about focal lengths.

The Canon 35mm f/2 is a nice lens. It's great for location portraits.