Need input on lens selection

[hoenemor]

Hi!

 

I'm going to be a fuji-shooter! and now I need some input on which lenses to choose. Currently I have a canon 7d (crop sensor), 24-70mm f4L IS, 35mm f2 IS, 40mm STM and Sigma 50mm f1.4 (to give you some background). My 24-70mm was acquired for my outdoor trips where I found changing primes cumbersome. Otherwise I prefer shooting with primes. I choose my lenses based on a combination of optical quality, weight and size. This is the reason for my rather strange compilation of lenses. I have for some time wanted something wider than 24mm (I was planning on upgrading to 6d mk ii). 

 

I have ordered XT2, 18-55mm and 50mm f2. On the long end I'll wait for the announced 80mm f2.8 macro, so mostly I'm interested in tips and advice on the wide end. I struggled with the decision between 35mm and 50mm, and looking through my LR library I saw I had shot approx the same amount of pics with both lenses (when limited to the time period I have owned both). When looking at the focal lengths I have used with my 24-70mm I had taken marginally more photos in the 50mm ± 2-3 mm. 

 

I have budgeted some more money on lenses and here is my question. With this kit, what would you recommend? I can either go for: 

1. 16mm f1.4 

2. Samyang 12mm f2 and 23mmf2 or 35mmf2 (where 35mmf2 being the most likely, however 23mmf2 would be a better option as it covers more focal lengths...)

 

I want something on the wide end, but not sure on which combo to buy... So any comment, recommendation or personal view would be very much appreciated. 

 

Best regards, 

Julie

 

 

 

[Mike G]

Julie, you might also consider the Fujinon 10-24 f4 a cracker!

Edited August 4, 2017 by Mike G

[hoenemor]

Julie, you might also consider the Fujinon 10-24 f4 a cracker!

Thanks for the input! I have considered it, but as I do prefer primes over zooms I landed on the two above combinations... I also get a way faster lens.

 

Julie [emoji2]

 

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk

[milandro]

I use the 12mm Samyang and I am very happy with it.

 

One note your comment on “ faster” lenses.

 

Do you use much, or at all, any of these lenses at its widest aperture?

 

I find that most people say this thing of preferring faster lenses but unless you are using open apertures to separate the subject from its background (hardly on a super wideangle and only feasible at the closest of the focussing distance)  the use of lenses at its widest aperture only returns soft (at best) pictures, even on a wideangle, because much won’t be in focus or covered by depth of field.

 

This is even more true of longer lenses of course. Indeed the 56mm f1.2 has almost imperceptible depth of field at its closest focussing distance measurable in millimeters.

 

In the olden days, before the mirrorless revolution, it made sense to have a very bright and light efficient lens since you were looking and focussing trough the mirror the real image through the lens and prism , but this is, with mirrorless cameras, no longer the case.

 

You are looking at an enhanced image on a lcd screen, not a image trough lens and prism which helps you compose and then you or the camera stop it down at the working aperture when sooting  , if you use a lens like the 12mm where the aperture is not automatic, you change it between 2 and 4 (or more) and unless you are in light conditions that would make almost impossible to shoot , you won’t see much difference at all on your mirrorless ( in automatic or at the correct exposure) screen because the image keeps of being enhanced in luminosity terms .

 

Yes at extreme low EV values there will be visible noise but there will be noise anyway, whether you look (but probably not shoot) at 1.6 or 5.6 

Edited August 15, 2017 by milandro

[ozytripper]

Hi Julie,

Since most of your shots are taken at 35mm and 50mm (not sure if you are referring to APCS or Full Frame equaivalent setting) why don't you use the 18-55 a bit to determine how wide you really want to go? 18mm is already much wider than your 24-70mm 

There is a big difference between 12mm and 16mm

[Hermelin]

As you already have the 50 so I would skip the 35 as it's pretty close in focal lenght. 
 

So i'd go with the Samyang 12 + Fuji 23 (and skip the 35)

Edited August 15, 2017 by Hermelin

[galestonerimages]

Have you considered the 10-24?  Not a fast lens but works well for landscape.

[Steve Lew]

I would go with the 16/f1.4 (24mm) on the wide end. This is touted as Fuji number best lens. It has very close focusing which is great for real closeups and is wonderful for longer shots. Conduct your investigation into this lens.