Good Prime?

[Chriscc123]

I'm looking for a good prime lens for my a2e (only have telephotos), and sense I'm stopping by a show in a couple of days I was wondering if there was anything i should look out for.

 

[flatulent1]

The best EOS primes are the L series, and they cost big money. You might find a deal on a Mark I version of a lens that has a recently released Mark II superseding it. The best cheap prime available is the EF 50mm f/1.8; light weight, loads of plastic, very sharp lens, but not USM. Another in that league is the EF 35mm f/2. I think the lower cost (consumer) primes are generally good performers, but as always you get what you pay for.

You might check user reviews for whichever lens you have in mind at the B&H website, lots of comments good, bad, and indifferent.

The great difficulty in finding a deal on an EOS lens is they're still current, they all work on the latest digital cameras, and they're all still in demand.

 

[Chriscc123]

yes i would like an L lens but its out of my price range, but mainly is there any consumer grade, out of date/older lenses that anyone has a particular affinity towards?

 

[patrickjames]

I just sold a 50mm 1.8, older style with a metal mount. It was a nice lens. Any prime lens will do a good job. The L lenses are more costly because they are made for speed. There are also a plethora of lenses you can use with adapters.

 

[Chriscc123]

I just sold a 50mm 1.8, older style with a metal mount. It was a nice lens. Any prime lens will do a good job. The L lenses are more costly because they are made for speed. There are also a plethora of lenses you can use with adapters.

so in theory, i could get a pantex screw mount lens on my a2e?

 

[patrickjames]

so in theory, i could get a pantex screw mount lens on my a2e?

You can fit a ton of different lenses on a Canon. They obviously don't connect with the camera so you won't get autofocus and the lens would have to be stopped down manually, but they do work. You just have to find the right adapter. They are usually pretty cheap on fleabay.

 

[bagdad child]

The Sigma 24mm f2.8 Macro Super Wide II is a real sleeper. Very affordable and got a whopping 4.0 photodo score. KEH has it for $49 right now.

The only problem is I believe the A2E is one of the very few models which can't control the lens properly. I use it on a cheap, lightweight EOS 300/Rebel 2000 body (you can get these for ~ $10). The reason the price is so low for such an excellent wide angle lens is that it won't work correctly on digital either.

 

[ignatiu5]

so in theory, i could get a pantex screw mount lens on my a2e?

In theory, yes, with an M42-EOS adapter. Unfortunately some Canon EOS models will not meter accurately with non-EF mount lenses due to the lack of electronic connection between the body and lens; the A2e is one of those bodies. Apparently some A2/A2e versions don't have this issue, but none of the half dozen or so that I've tried have worked properly, nor have any of my Elan 7/7e/7N, EOS 1/1n/3 bodies metered correctly. My Elan IIe does, but that doesn't help you.

I did try an M42-EOS adapter with an emulator chip (it helps confirm focus) thinking that perhaps the electronic connection would help with the metering problem, but it didn't.

Of course, if you judge exposure by a different method (handheld meter, sunny 16), then you're golden. Use great and cheap Takumar glass on your A2e.

 

[SilverGlow]

yes i would like an L lens but its out of my price range, but mainly is there any consumer grade, out of date/older lenses that anyone has a particular affinity towards?

All Canon EOS non-L zooms are craap, so lets get that out of the way up front.

Canon makes several non-L primes that are very, very good:

28mm F1.8
35mm F2
50mm F1.8
50mm F1.4
85mm F1.8 (excellent)
100mm F2.8 (excellent)

 

[ntenny]

The EF 50/1.8 is dirt-cheap and pretty good. For a bit more money, however, my experience is that the 50/2.5 "compact-macro" (it only goes to 1:2) is a significantly better lens for general use. It's one of the oldest EF lenses, so there should be a decent used population.

The autofocus isn't great in my experience, but it makes a terrific noise, and some people are happy with it. I don't know if there's sample variation, or if I use it in unusually difficult focussing circumstances, or what.

-NT