Nikon f1.4 lens

[Tigger]

I'm on the lookout for a fast prime, thinking f1.4 will be sweet but haven't decided what focal length to choose :S

Help me decide folks have you any experience with these - better still pics?

The nominees are;

Nikon 50mm AF f1.4
Sigma EX DC HSM f1.4

I'll most likely make lots of use out of it at a wedding I'm doing later this year too

Trev

 

[JamesBryan]

50mm on a crop sensor or 85mm on a full frame. That's what i'd go for.

I've got the Sigma EX DG 50mm F1.4, really nice lens for the money.

 

[Tigger]

30mm a "no go" then?

 

[Xanda73]

Do you want f/1.4 for extra shallow DOF? I ask as that's the only reason I would want the 1.4 over the much cheaper f/1.8. If it's extra light gathering then just up the ISO a third of a stop, you won't really notice on a modern SLR.

 

[Tigger]

It's those shallow DOF shots really, I have the "nifty fifty" which I might sell on maybe if I do step up (or down) to the f1.4

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

I absolutely loved my Siggy 30mm f1.4 (it's for sale btw - Canon fit though!). By far and away my favourite lens. Easily my most used too.

It's more a general all-rounder though. If you're looking at doing any kind of portraiture then a fast 50 or maybe even a 80 might be better. Your DOF at 30mm, even at f1.4 isn't that shallow. It's speed was more for making more versatile in low light. The HSM/FTM focussing helped there too.

 

[JamesBryan]

30mm a "no go" then?

No, not at all. For me personally a 30mm wouldn't appeal to me.

But it would have it's uses for you maybe.

 

[Tigger]

I see what you mean, need to have a bit more of a play with the 50mm I have maybe to make up my mind.....

 

[Tigger]

Ha ha, was looking at a Sigma 30mm on the bay of E then randomly bid in the last few seconds on a Nikon 50mm last night....and won!

 

[White16valver]

lol

See how you go with the 50mm and perhaps borrow a 30mm to give it a try.

I picked up a Sigma 30mm off ebay and I love it on my crop sensor - sometimes the shots are a little bit wide but you can always crop down (even though editing is cheating ). It just seems more natural to step towards something you want to take a picture of than back away so you can get everything you want in!

It worked really nicely at a children's party last weekend, got some cracking action shots on ISO400 that simply wouldn't have been possible on a 1.8 without bumping up to something like ISO1600, and 30mm helped give some surroundings/bokeh/setting to the pictures

 

[Tigger]

That's what I have in the back of my mind - some action/candid shots with creamy bokeh to set them off

 

[theduck]

I've had the Sigma 30mm and a nikon 50mm on my Olympus E1 which has a higher crop than the Nikon, and the I felt for most things the sigma was too short, and tbh the nikon gives nicer bokeh IMO.