Recommendation from Canon EF Lens users: I recently purchased a Sony a7ii which I really like. I want to use it primarily for urban (street) photography. I also got a Fotodiox Pro...

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

I recently purchased a Sony a7ii which I really like. I want to use it primarily for urban (street) photography. I also got a Fotodiox Pro Canon EF to Sony E-Mount adaptor, bought a Canon 50mm 1.8 EF lens. It works great on the camera, though I find I manually focus more frequently using the peaking function. Manual focus is not problem for me since I did it so long on 35mm film cameras.

There are a lot of EF lenses out there for sale at reasonable prices. I am only interested in prime lenses, full frame, not interested in macro (at this time). What recommendations to fill out my stable of one lens for my street taking photography.
I also do have the Sony FE 28mm-70mm kit lens.
Thanks

philo Loc: philo, ca

look into the Meke 85mm lens. It sales for about 200 and it is built like a tank.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I recommend the EF 35 f/1.4L if cash flow isn't an issue or the EF 35 f/2. Also the EF 100 f/2.8L; it's a macro but it's also telephoto. My personal favorite is the EF 85 f/1.2L but it's kinda pricy. You can find good used original version EF 85 f/1.2L for around $800. The AF is slower but it's still a great lens. The EF 85 f/1.8 is an excellent alternative and it's less than $400. If you want a great utility lens, the EF 28-300L is hard to beat. I use one pretty much all the time. I know you said primes only but the 28-300 on a full frame covers a whole lot of bases and in the event you need one, it makes for a pretty good weapon also. Best of luck on your lens choices and enjoy...

By the way, what kind of bike do you have?

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

rmorrison1116 wrote:

I recommend the EF 35 f/1.4L if cash flow isn't an... (show quote)

I'm in agreement with this fellow -- My Canon primes are the 35mm 1.4L; 24mm1.4 II L; 50mm 1.4; 85mm 1.8 & my all time favorite the 135mm 2.0 L -- Have had them all for years & years -- They have never let me down!!

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

rmorrison1116 wrote:

I recommend the EF 35 f/1.4L if cash flow isn't an... (show quote)

Thanks for the recommendations. I was thinking about the bed 85 1.8. it has excellent reviews.
Bikes to me were like lenses are now. I am 77, have severe arthritis and wouldn't be able to change a tire. So I have a Trek Hybrid. I have had Cannondales, mainly in the past . My fave was Bianchi chromoly, model escapes me now. Mountain bikes were Cannondale and Diamondbacks. Those days are long gone.

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

philo wrote:

look into the Meke 85mm lens. It sales for about 200 and it is built like a tank.

Don't know much about, Meke, they are ok?

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Bike guy wrote:

I recently purchased a Sony a7ii which I really li... (show quote)

The latest model EF 35mm f2 IS would be an excellent choice for street photography - fast and tack sharp. The EF 85mm F1.8 is another excellent reasonably priced fast, sharp lens, but may be a bit long for some street photography.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

It sounds like you need IS - and the latest Canon 35 f2 IS is a great Lens if you can afford it - try ebay used.....

Yongnuo is making 35 f2, and 85 1.8, and 100 f2 in Canon EF mounts - no IS tho ....

Tamron has a 85 1.8 with VC ....
.

User ID

`

I use Canon lenses on the a7-II, and I
recently added the 85/1.8. It's verrrrry
impressive imagewise, but don't expect
much from the AF if you get one. Using
the MF override, I just leave it in AF all
the time but on back button only. If the
light and contrast are ideal, it AFs at a
useful speed, but otherwise it's MF only.

Don't really need the magnifier with an
85/1.8. Focus is very distinct in the EVF
or on the monitor. Tip up the screen, do
a quick-and-dirty prefocus, then shoot
at f/8 or 11. Magic happens :-)

It's light, it's cheap but with great IQ,
and the build seems solid enuf. Where
can you do better for 3-and-change ?

.

User ID

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imagemeister wrote:

sounds like you need IS - and the latest Canon
.......... 35 f2 IS is a great ........ Tamron has a
85 1.8 with VC ..........

So true, IS is a great aid for this sort of work,
and that camera provides all the necessary IS.

.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

rmorrison1116 wrote:

I recommend the EF 35 f/1.4L if cash flow isn't an... (show quote)

These are all great choices, depending on what your preferred distance to shoot street is. The 35 would be very good in street photography. 100 L gives you versatility with macro and has excellent IQ. I use a 85 1.8 bought for under $300 that gives me great portraiture. I don't shoot much in the telephoto range, but the 28-300L is something to look at. Don't know about the weapon part tho!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

User ID wrote:

`

So true, IS is a great aid for this sort of work,
and that camera provides all the necessary IS.

.

Forgot that .... and I have Sony also .

User ID

jdubu wrote:

These are all great choices, depending on what your preferred
distance to shoot street is. The 35 would be very good in street
photography. 100 L gives you versatility with macro and has
excellent IQ. I use a 85 1.8 bought for under $300 that gives
me great portraiture. I don't shoot much in the telephoto range,
but the 28-300L is something to look at. ........

Don't use much long lens myself either. But I do have a
28-300, originally acquired cuz it was free, zero dollars.

For "street", the 28-300 comes into its own in a festival
or street fair environment, where aiming a bulky lens at
folks doesn't draw any attention. Peeps are out there to
see and be seen !

It does a great job, but it's heavy ... and pricey. Don't
let anyone warn you it suffers from "10X, all-in-one,
zoom syndrome". No doubt its IQ can't compare to a
prime lens. No doubt, but no problem .... unless you
tend to make images so boring that there is nothing
in them worth viewing, except for some pixel peeping.
Hand held grab shots are not a great way to show off
high MP sensors and state-of-the-art optics anywho.

.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

jdubu wrote:

These are all great choices, depending on what your preferred distance to shoot street is. The 35 would be very good in street photography. 100 L gives you versatility with macro and has excellent IQ. I use a 85 1.8 bought for under $300 that gives me great portraiture. I don't shoot much in the telephoto range, but the 28-300L is something to look at. Don't know about the weapon part tho!

The weapon thing is kind of a joke. The EF 28-300L is a quite the heavy duty well built lens. Mine has a collar with a long quick release plate attached that also doubles as a handle. If I were to smack someone in the face with the lens it would do some serious damage, to the face.
I just got back from shooting an orchid show and I used the 28-300 on my 5DSr. I got some excellent images and I couldn't have gotten the variety I did without the focal range coverage of the 28-300.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

User ID wrote:

Don't use much long lens myself either. But I do h... (show quote)

As far as I can tell, the only people who bad mouth the EF 28-300L are those who don't own one and don't want to drop $2400 for a new one. Sure it's not the sharpest lens but for a zoom with that much range, it's sharp enough. I've had mine for many years now and it's by far my favorite utility lens.