Canon EOS 60D - Prime Lens Recommendation

[Moxie]

I finally got a grown up DSLR before the ALMS race at Lime Rock last weekend and got a Canon EOS 60D which came bundled with an EF-S 18-135mm lens. I'd also like to get a prime lens, particularly one that would work well with video.

I'm sort of brand-loyal when it comes to Canon, from my video cameras/lenses to my S95 pocket camera. I was thinking a standard 50mm is probably still the best choice. I can't afford the EF 50mm f/1.2L USM (~$,1,500) and was looking at the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM (~$350). Anyone have experience with this one or recommend a third-party lens? Thanks.

[Bibs]

I've got a 50mm 1.8 and it's lovely. Would the 40mm F2.8 STM be a better lens for you? Cheaper, better focal length and quiet stepper motor for video?

http://www.canon.co....40mm_f_2.8_STM/

They're £199 over here now.

[Moxie]

Good idea. But doesn't that short a lens push me in to fish-eye area?

[Bibs]

Nope, not by a long shot yet. Remember you're on a crop sensor so it's the equivalent to a 64mm with 50mm being about 1:1, it's a telephoto if anything. If you pull your 18-135 right out you'll not even notice any distortion so 40mm is just fine

[Moxie]

Right. I keep forgetting about it not being full-frame. I think the EF-S lenses are designed to compensate for the crop. I guess I'll head down to B&H and check 'em all out.

I know you told me already, but what's the rail rig you use again?

[Bibs]

Meccano.

[Moxie]

Nice. That's way nicer than the other tripod compatible systems I've looked at. Thanks.

[gtornes78]

Agree that the 40 2.8STM is a great lens worth checking out, but if you want to match the field of view of a 50mm@full frame you should perhaps consider going even wider. This will however mean some compression distortion, as a 50mm will still be a 50mm on a crop sensor, only that you're not using all of it.

Since you already have a lens that goes all the way to 18mm, why not try it out at various focal lenghts to see how this matches your needs for field of view on a prime? Once you get a bit of a feel for this, there are quite few primes you could consider. Here are some suggestions (disclaimer: I currently work for Canon, but do so in their B2B division and have no interest in their camera sales. All views expressed are purely my own)

My most used lens , shooting with a 30D, is my old EF35mm F2.0, which at about £250 is a real gem for use as a stanard prime on a crop body. I would however not recomend this for video as the AF is realy noisy.

The lens that is perhaps closest to this, but has USM for silent focusing, is the EF28 F1.8 which is also a great lens for the price (£400). It is both sharp and has a fairly fast aperture, but might be a little wide.

The 40mm 2.8 STM is already mentioned, and is great for the price, and the only realdrawback is the rather slow aperture for a prime at only F2.8

The 50mm 1.8 that Bibs has is probably the best price/performance of any Canon lens, but build quality is pure plastic and again the AF motor is very noisy so not recomended for video.

The 50mm F1.4 is a real gem, both well built, razor sharp (perhaps even sharper than the 1.2) and has a hugely fast aperture of F1.4. Also, nothing looks as natural to the human eye as a 50mm, but on a crop body it might just be a little to long (field of view similar to 80mm on full frame).

[Moxie]

The 50mm F1.4 is a real gem, both well built, razor sharp (perhaps even sharper than the 1.2) and has a hugely fast aperture of F1.4. Also, nothing looks as natural to the human eye as a 50mm, but on a crop body it might just be a little to long (field of view similar to 80mm on full frame).

Pardon the double pun, but you focused on what I'm shooting for--what will look the most natural to the human eye, combined with quiet AF. On my old film camera I always shot a 35mm lens and thought that looked the most natural. So on a crop body, what mm lens would I need to approximate the look of a 35mm lens? And any recommendations along those lines? Thanks.