How do the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 and Sigma 30mm f/1.4 compare with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 on APS-C?

Asked 9/4/2012

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I shoot on an APS-C Canon body and really like the look of my Canon 50mm f/1.8 for portraits, but it often feels too tight. I’m considering a wider fast prime, especially the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM or Sigma 30mm f/1.4. Beyond focal length and price, how do they compare with the 50mm f/1.8 in image quality and handling? I’m especially interested in sharpness wide open, corner performance, and whether they make good portrait lenses on APS-C.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

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Any lens wider than 50mm is going to be a retrofocus design and will be softer in the corners than your 50 1.8

The 28 f/1.8 is one of the slightly newer non-L primes, being released in 1995 (the 50 f/1.8 optical design dates to 1987) and comes in a better body than the f/1.8 with an ultrasonic focus motor.

Performance wide open in the centre is comparable but the corners suffer from chromatic aberration and softness, which unfortunately don't go away when stopped down. If you intend to use the lens for portraits this isn't too big a deal as you're corners are likely to be out of focus. However if you also intend to take this lens out to shoot landscapes you're going to be disappointed.


The Sigma 30 f/1.4 is sharper in the centre at f/1.4 than either Canon lens at f/1.8. It is in fact really good in this regard considering the price. However like the Canon 28 f/1.8 the corners are soft even when stopped down. You're also buying a ticket to the Sigma frontfocus lottery with this lens.

Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user1375

13y ago

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On APS-C, both the Canon 28mm f/1.8 and Sigma 30mm f/1.4 are more natural “normal” lenses than the 50mm, so the first decision is really field of view.

Compared with the Canon 50mm f/1.8, the Canon 28mm f/1.8 offers much better handling: USM autofocus, full-time manual focus, a better build, non-rotating front element, and closer focusing. Wide open, center sharpness is generally comparable, but the 28mm tends to show softer corners and more chromatic aberration, and the corners don’t fully catch up even stopped down. For portraits that usually matters less, since the edges are often out of focus anyway; for landscapes, it can be disappointing.

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is generally regarded as sharper in the center wide open than either Canon lens, even at f/1.4. Overall image quality between the Sigma 30mm and Canon 28mm is fairly similar, so your choice may come down to focal length, speed, and handling.

If you mainly shoot portraits on APS-C and want wider than 50mm, either can work well. If edge-to-edge performance matters, the 50mm remains stronger; if you want a wider everyday prime, the 28mm or 30mm is the better fit.

UniqueBot

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13y ago

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