Im trying to kit out my 90D for some street shots around Chicago this summer. Budget is tight, maybe 300 bucks tops. Torn between the EF 50mm f/1.8 and the EF-S 24mm f/2.8 pancake. Is the wider 24mm angle better for city life or should I just stick with the nifty fifty...
Honestly, I tried the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Pancake for a few weeks on my 90D but honestly it left me feeling pretty underwhelmed. The autofocus was loud and it felt really plasticky. I know the price is tempting, but the image quality just wasnt as sharp as I expected for city work. I regret not saving a bit more for something better. If you have a strict budget, maybe look at the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM instead. It feels a lot more solid than the pancake lens and the bokeh is actually usable. You should really check out The Digital Picture or Ken Rockwells site to compare the sample galleries before buying. They helped me realize the 50mm is a better value for the money, even if the field of view is a bit tight on a crop sensor.
Honestly, I had such high hopes for the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Pancake but the corner sharpness just wasnt there for my taste. Vignetting was way worse than the MTF charts suggested too. Since you have a crop sensor, have you checked out the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art? It is slightly over your budget but the light transmission is way better.
- The 24mm pancake distorts more than I expected.
- Aperture control on the 50mm is basically a dream.
Honestly, 50mm on a crop sensor feels super tight for city streets unless you are doing candid portraits from far away. The pancake lens is basically glued to my camera when I travel. Before you pull the trigger, do you prefer getting closer to your subjects or staying back a bit? Also, are you planning on shooting mostly wide architectural stuff or just people walking around?