I've been staring at my computer screen for three hours and I'm honestly about to just give up and stick with my crappy kit lens. I bought this Canon 90D a few months back and I love the body but the 18-135mm is just so bulky and slow when the sun starts going down. I have a trip to Japan coming up in less than three weeks and I really wanted to have a fast prime lens to capture the neon lights and street scenes in Tokyo without lugging around a tripod or dealing with massive amounts of noise in my shadows.
My budget is strictly under $500 because the flights and hotels basically drained my savings account. I did a bunch of research and keep seeing people scream about the nifty fifty 50mm f/1.8 STM. It's cheap and people say it's a must-have but then I see others arguing that on a crop sensor like the 90D it's basically a short telephoto lens. I feel like 80mm equivalent is going to be a nightmare for narrow alleys and street photography because I'll constantly be backing into traffic just to frame a shot. It just feels too tight for what I want to do.
Then I looked at the 24mm f/2.8 pancake lens which is tiny and would be great for traveling light but is f/2.8 even fast enough? I'm worried it won't give me that shallow depth of field I'm looking for or it'll still struggle when I'm walking around at night. I also saw some people recommending the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Art which seems like the perfect middle ground for focal length and speed but then I read a bunch of horror stories about autofocus hunting and needing a USB dock to calibrate it. I dont have time for that mess right now and I definitely dont want to miss shots of the Shibuya crossing because my lens is hunting.
I need something that can handle:
- street photography in tight spaces
- low light or night shots without a tripod
- fits a $500 budget
- wont be a pain to carry for 10 miles a day
Is there actually a perfect choice here or am I just overthinking everything? I'm just so stuck and the more I read the more confused I get...
Look, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you are right to worry about that Sigma. I had the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art on my old body for a trip to Seattle and it was a total disaster. The glass is beautiful when it actually hits, but in low light? It just hunted forever. I missed a shot of a street performer that I still think about today... just totally out of focus because the lens couldnt decide where to lock. Unfortunately, the third-party AF on those older EF-mount Sigmas just isnt as good as expected compared to native glass. I tried the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM too and it was honestly pretty disappointing for night stuff. I found myself cranking the ISO way too high because f/2.8 just doesnt cut it when you are in those dark side alleys in Tokyo. It is a neat little lens for the day, but you will definitely struggle once the sun goes down. If you want something that actually works, check these out:
- Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM
- This is the way. It has image stabilization which is basically a cheat code for night shots. It lets you use slower shutter speeds without a tripod. It is often over $500 new, but you can find it used for $350-400 all day.
- Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM
- Slightly wider than the 35mm and also has that great stabilizer. It fits that street photography vibe perfectly. Quick tip: skip the f/1.4 dream if it means losing focus reliability. Getting a sharp shot at f/2 or f/2.8 with stabilization is way better than a blurry mess at f/1.4... trust me on that one.
To add to the point above: what night scenes are you hitting mostly?
- Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Its reliable and stable. Any thoughts on buying used gear to stay under budget?
