Well, I still want to get a fast prime lens, since they are faster than zooms and have higher image quality (sharpness, contrast and color in particular), as well as better bokeh...probably more than one eventually. The obvious choices are Canon 35mm f/1.4 L, Canon 85mm f/1.8 and Canon 135mm f/2.0 L. The wider angle Canon primes seem to have image quality issues (which puts my issues with the sharpness at infinity of my 17-55mm zoom at 17mm in perspective), and the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 has image quality problems as well as autofocus issues. Similarly, the Canon 50mm f/1.4 and Canon 50mm f/1.8 have some image quality issues, and the Canon 50mm f/1.2 is too heavy and expensive, as well as slow focusing. The 85mm f/1.2 is similarly too heavy and expensive.
Just in terms of price the 85mm f/1.8 seems like the obvious choice, and I would like a fast portrait lens where I can stand off enough to not be in the way, and a indoor action less for shooting from the audience without flash. The 85mm f/1.8 gets very good reviews, with the main (and minor) complaint being the lens hood attachment, which is hard to put on and take off, and which gets in the way of putting on and taking off the lens cap. And there are also complaints about chromatic aberration, especially wide open, but that's not something I'm yet sensitive about. Post processing is supposed to help here, but I'm skeptical, the costs elsewhere in image quality strike me as likely too high.
Images below from photozone. See reviews at photozone, photonet, SLR Gear, B&H, wlcastleman, wlcastleman II, and Digital Picture.
Update #1: well, so far I'm saved from spending money by the fact that B&H doesn't accept orders until Monday evening (why evening?) due to passover. And now I'm thinking I need a normal fast prime...Ah, now they are asay they are accepting orders on Sunday evening.
Update #2: what is the next lens after the 85mm f/1.8? I'm thinking the 35mm f/1.4, but a fast 50mm may make more sense. But the 50mm f/1.2 is too expensive and has focusing problems (and/or is hard to handle with it thin depth of field wide open). And the cheaper 50mm's can be soft.
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