Lens ideas for Food

Soldato
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Lo

Need a Canon EF mount lens for Food/Still photography. Specifically Editorial, so it will be slightly arty as opposed to Packaging and Advertising. The food wont necessarily be in situ, but could be, and also in a lightbox or in more abstract areas. The focus then should always be on the food, and whilst this can be done in PP, it's a good excuse to buy a lens with a decent DOF and Aperture.

Thus I come to you, fair OCUK.

I need a lens with a nice wide aperture (f2.8->) and possibly Macro, but not absolutely. No specific length but wide shots are going to be less common. Perhaps 24-70, but a Prime lens would also be fine if the close-up quality will hold better. Sharpness is goodness with food.

I dont mind the manufacturer and indeed given my budget i would actively seek a non-canon lens.

As for th emagical number.. £600 ish would be ideal. Second hand is fine.

What do you think? :)
 
Associate
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30 Dec 2008
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I'd look at these if it was me...

Zooms:
28-70L (fine on FF not so great on crop)
24-70L (as above but also designed with the 1.3x crop user in mind)
17-55 IS (possibly best standard zoom for crop)

Primes (my preference in this sort of range):
28 f1.8 or 35L
50 f1.4 or 50L
85 f1.8
 
Soldato
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Dubai
Go for a macro lens, 60mm or 100mm? That way, you have the flexibility of going to a more 1:1 close up when needed or just set the tripod back to fit the image in with a nice DoF/Bokeh.
 
Associate
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Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM is within your budget

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM is just slightly out of your budget - go on you know you want it :)

Both are excellent lenses. Both are very sharp. They both fulfill your f/2.8 criteria. Both are obviously Macro lenses, but are also fairly nice portrait lenses as well.
 
Soldato
OP
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Is IS worth £100 do you think? I'll be using a tripod for the most part and £750 is a bit more than i'd hoped. What do they go for 2nd hand?

Edit:
Sorry.. the 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM is £434 and the 100mm f/2.8 Macro IS USM is £750. Is IS the only difference?

Edit2:
Also how does the Sigma 105mm f2.8 EX DG Macro stack up to the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM? It's about £70 cheaper but still looks kinda solid.
 
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Associate
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The DPreview writeup about the Canon 100mm L series lens is very good. It does however as you mention, question the usefulness of the IS.

I would read the review, which can be found here:-

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_100_2p8_is_usm_c16/

As you said most of the time you will be using a tripod so IS wouldn't be of much use to you.

The non-L series lens has an excellent reputation. Have a look on Flickr there are quite a few groups dedicated to these lenses and a lot of food pictures too.
 
Soldato
OP
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Oh my bad, the 100mm IS USM is L series. I'm going to check local prices for the non L series lens for now, i think. i can always upgrade later :)

Thanks to all 3 of you. Checking the reviews now :)
 
Soldato
OP
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Hmmm i have the Canon 50mm 1.8II. I know it's not amazing but it will cover the closer stuff if i need it to for now. If i'm going to invest, I think i'd prefer to get something I dont have at all, which is a Macro lens.
 
Soldato
OP
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There doesnt seem to be lot of other options? The 60mm Macro is EF-S and wont fit on my body.

Or my camera. fnarr.

There's a 70mm Sigma I guess but i'd feel a bit like im overlapping my 70-200 L series... even though obviously i wouldnt be. I dunno!
 
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