# Renting a lens for the Holidays -- need answer today!



## ahsanford (Nov 27, 2017)

I'm likely going to continue a fun tradition and rent a lens for my holiday travels. 

2015: 35 Art
2016: 50L
2017: ???

(I generally live in 24-50mm on FF)

Let's riff on what to get this year. Must decide today for the 25% off at LR.

Body = 5D3

Must have AF.

Favorite stuff I shoot: walkaround, travel, life, hiking, candids, occasional macro and landscapes

Add to that list for this holiday season: family, Christmas light bokeh, informal portraiture (99% likely no flash), trips to museums, farmers' markets, etc.

Cross off that list for this holiday season: landscapes. The tripod never joins me this time of year with family.

Zero need (with this rental): sports, wildlife, long reach, huge zoom multiplier, teleconverter use, etc.

Annnnnnnnd: go! 

- A


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## ahsanford (Nov 27, 2017)

Top of my head list I'm considering:


What I know I'll like: 35L II (I love 28-35 lenses, so this is comfort food more than growth if I did this)


What I've wanted to try for some time: A 135 prime, either the L or the Art (but the USB dock doesn't work with it yet, right? Can I manually tweak AFMA on it?)


What also might be fun: the new 85L, the Tamron 45 1.8 VC, Sigma 24-35 f/2, etc.

Thoughts?

- A


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## Dylan777 (Nov 27, 2017)

About you and I do something NEWS this year?

You rent: A9 + FE 35 f1.4

I rent: 1Dx II + EF 35f1.4 II


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## ahsanford (Nov 27, 2017)

Dylan777 said:


> About you and I do something NEWS this year?
> 
> You rent: A9 + FE 35 f1.4
> 
> I rent: 1Dx II + EF 35f1.4 II



Love the out of the (mirror) box thinking, but I see this as a discretionary $100 for fun over the holidays. Must keep the price tag reasonable so I'll have money left to pre-order the EF 50 f/1.4 USM II on day one. ;D

- A


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## Random Orbits (Nov 27, 2017)

85 f/1.4 IS. It's new. It's selling at full MSRP. It's useful, especially for indoor portraiture. Shallow DOF suggests using it most often for single subject else you'd be grabbing a flash anyway. It's outside of your favorite FLs, which is a good thing for a rental (try something without a commitment to buying).

-1 on the 35 f/1.4 II. It's awesome - everybody knows this. It's been discounted this year (refurb store too). Why isn't this in your bag already?! You don't need a rental to know how much you'd like it. ;D


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## Dylan777 (Nov 27, 2017)

ahsanford said:


> Dylan777 said:
> 
> 
> > About you and I do something NEWS this year?
> ...



LOL ;D

On a serious note: we should be thanksful for these technologies from all these companies have to offer. It's good to shoot with today digital cameras.


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## beforeEos Camaras (Nov 27, 2017)

85 1.4 l 

I used it on the canon discover day in mass loved the lens fast not over pickle jar.

in fact just right, I will be my next lens just have too sell my 85 1.8 .


joe


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## chrysoberyl (Nov 27, 2017)

I just AFMA'ed my 135 ART and my 70-200 at the same time. I have noticeably more variation with the 135 ART, and it's slower. It's not bad, just not what you may used to, and this is your fun tradition, not a frustration tradition.

And consider that I have only one copy of each lens but that I observed the same thing with both my 80D and my 5DIV. 



ahsanford said:


> What I've wanted to try for some time: A 135 prime, either the L or the Art (but the USB dock doesn't work with it yet, right? Can I manually tweak AFMA on it?)
> 
> - A


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## Halfrack (Nov 27, 2017)

EF 11-24 if you never have
EF 16-35/f2.8 III if you want to be wide, but not too wide
Sigma 24-35 f2 if you want to go off-brand


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## Larsskv (Nov 27, 2017)

If you haven’t used the 35LII, you should. It is much more versatile for your intended use than the 85mm and 135mm-lenses. It has Zeiss-like contrast with great pop, and the pictures it produces really do stand out. When reviewing my pictures I always think the 35LII looks better than most others. 

The 16-35LIII may be considered as well. It has great contrast as well, but I’d take the 35LII because of its light gathering potential, which comes in handy at this time of year. 

I really did like the Tamron 45mm, but my copy consequently front focused with the off center focusing points.


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## hne (Nov 27, 2017)

Try stretch your comfort zone: 85mm, an off camera flash and a brolly.


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## ahsanford (Nov 27, 2017)

I actually looked to see if they had the older 50mm f/1.0L but no such luck.

Keep the ideas coming, gang.

- A


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## midluk (Nov 27, 2017)

28-300 and leave everything else at home


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## ahsanford (Nov 27, 2017)

midluk said:


> 28-300 and leave everything else at home



Except my ibuprofen. ;D

Pass, thanks.

- A


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## jd7 (Nov 27, 2017)

For the sort of shooting you are talking about, I reckon one of these three would be the most useful:

1. 35L II - see how you like it compared to your 35/2 IS

2. 85/1.4L (or Sigma 85 Art) - see how you like f/1.4 at that focal length (and lighter/smaller lens) compared with your 70-200/2.8

3. 24-70/2.8L II - I know it's been around for quite a while, but see how you like it (and particularly the extra stop of aperture) compared with your 24-70/4L IS.

A 135 prime (Canon or Sigma) could be fun to play with, but I wonder if it would be a bit too long much of the time for the sort of shooting you will be doing.

Looking forward to hearing what you choose, and your review of it!


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## bereninga (Nov 27, 2017)

If I were you, I'd rent out the Canon 35mm f/1.4L II. I rented it out once and it's a stellar lens for general purpose. I wish I had it longer than just a weekend. The weekend didn't seem long enough!

I think second option would be the 85mm f/1.4 L. Its usage would mainly be limited to portraiture though and could be tough to use if you're shooting indoors in close spaces. The 35mm will at least give you the option to do some environmental portraiture.

Good luck on making your choice! And good luck on resisting GAS after renting!


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## midluk (Nov 27, 2017)

8-15 fisheye


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## ahsanford (Nov 27, 2017)

jd7 said:


> For the sort of shooting you are talking about, I reckon one of these three would be the most useful:
> 
> 1. 35L II - see how you like it compared to your 35/2 IS
> 
> ...



Wow, someone has a great memory! I feel like I am taking advice from myself with this post. 

- A


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## ahsanford (Nov 27, 2017)

*
Just pulled the trigger on the 85 f/1.4L IS rental.* I'll just bring that and either the 28 IS or 35 IS and call it good. Should be fun little combo.

Thanks for all the advice!

- A


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## scottkinfw (Nov 28, 2017)

think about 16-35 2.8 III
or 24-70 2.8 II

Scott


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## ahsanford (Nov 28, 2017)

scottkinfw said:


> think about 16-35 2.8 III
> or 24-70 2.8 II
> 
> Scott



I'm a big fan of f/4L IS over f/2.8 given what I shoot. I'm often in poor light + static subjects, so I prefer the 3-ish stops of IS over 1 stop of speed/light gathering. My 16-35 f/4L IS and 24-70 f/4L IS are wonderful go-to instruments for me. (When I need isolation/bokeh, I reach for primes.)

But I won't lie, occasionally I'm a sharpness snob and I've heard nothing but good things about both of those lenses. 

- A


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## Ryananthony (Nov 28, 2017)

600/4 and come back with some photos for the bird portrait thread. ;D

But, please share some of the photos with the 85. There doesn't seem to be much online hype about this lens and Id love to see more samples.


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## slclick (Nov 28, 2017)

I would rent the 24-35 Art. It's quite the sleeper of a lens. Many probably shy from it for it's limited zoom range but what it does it does extremely well. That being said, I would say for me, it was mostly a tripod lens. So there's that conflict with your needs. Still, it was like having 3 wide primes in one.


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## jd7 (Nov 28, 2017)

ahsanford said:


> *
> Just pulled the trigger on the 85 f/1.4L IS rental.* I'll just bring that and either the 28 IS or 35 IS and call it good. Should be fun little combo.
> 
> Thanks for all the advice!
> ...



Sounds like a good choice to me! I predict you are going to have some trouble giving this one back


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## jd7 (Nov 28, 2017)

ahsanford said:


> jd7 said:
> 
> 
> > For the sort of shooting you are talking about, I reckon one of these three would be the most useful:
> ...



I've just noticed from your posts over the years that your use of camera gear seems to be not too different from mine ... although you take your landscape photography much more seriously than I do ... and I'm not quite as obsessed about a 50mm prime


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## ahsanford (Nov 28, 2017)

Ryananthony said:


> 600/4 and come back with some photos for the bird portrait thread. ;D
> 
> But, please share some of the photos with the 85. There doesn't seem to be much online hype about this lens and Id love to see more samples.



I've seen some nice samples elsewhere here at CR:

www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=33869.msg696463#msg696463

- A


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## Ozarker (Nov 28, 2017)

ahsanford said:


> Ryananthony said:
> 
> 
> > 600/4 and come back with some photos for the bird portrait thread. ;D
> ...



Those are nice photos. The mirror box butchering the bokeh balls looks a little strange to me. I don't think I have a lens that does that. It puts me off a little. On the other hand, not every photo has those bokeh balls.


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