So I finally got a Canon 90D for my birthday and I am so hyped to start taking photos!! I heard I need a prime lens for those blurry backgrounds like in professional photos? My friend said to get a 50mm but then I saw a 35mm one online and now im just staring at my screen totally lost lol.
My logic was that higher numbers are better but then someone said the 35 is better for indoors?? I mostly want to take photos of my goldendoodle in the park. I only have like 250 bucks left after buying the camera body so I dont want to mess this up... sorry if this is a dumb question but what do you guys think for a total beginner??
Unfortunately, trying to find professional-grade performance for under 250 bucks is basically impossible. People talk up the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM like it is magic, but in my experience, the autofocus is inconsistent on the 90D and the bokeh can look pretty nervous or busy. You also have to remember your camera has a 1.6x crop factor. That 50mm actually acts like an 80mm lens, which is great for the park but makes it almost useless for tight indoor shots. The 35mm you saw is likely more versatile for general use, but the good ones are pricey. Most cheap 35mm options lack modern coatings and you end up with terrible flaring or chromatic aberration in high-contrast scenes.
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM: It is the only thing in your budget, but the plastic build feels cheap and it is not sharp wide open at f/1.8.
- Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM: Better build and very portable, but f/2.8 is too slow for that extreme creamy background you want.
- Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM: This is the one you actually want for quality, but it usually exceeds your $250 limit unless you find a beat-up used one. If you just want dog photos at the park, the 50mm is the standard recommendation, even if the image quality is lower than I prefer. Just dont expect it to be a miracle worker in low light because that STM motor still struggles sometimes. It is kinda the only option that fits your wallet tho...
