cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

RF 15-35 f2.8 vs. RF 24 f1.4: Wide-angle lens recommendations

bejjet
Apprentice

I currently own three RF lenses: the 24-105mm f/4, 50mm f/1.8, and 28-70mm f/2. I'm only a hobbyist and I enjoy capturing family events, doing travel photography, and might eventually try astro. I’m now considering adding a fast wide-angle lens to my kit since I don’t have one yet. I’m torn between the 15-35mm f/2.8 and the new 24mm f/1.4. Renting isn’t an option where I live, so I guess the real question is whether I’d actually need anything wider than 24mm for what I shoot. Budget is not a concern for this purchase.

Has anyone faced a similar decision between these two lenses (or even the 24mm f/1.8)?

4 REPLIES 4

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

The 15-35mm without hesitation. Zooms always before primes. They are way more flexible and you will get 24mm included in the zooms FL.

EB
EOS 1D, EOS 1D MK IIn, EOS 1D MK III, EOS 1Ds MK III, EOS 1D MK IV and EOS 1DX and many lenses.

shadowsports
Legend
Legend

Greetings,

I agree with Ernie.  Having owned the 15- 35 a few years now, I will say it's one of my favorite lenses.  Curious what body you will be using it with?

~Rick
Bay Area - CA


~R5 C (1.0.9.1) ~RF Trinity, ~RF 100 Macro, ~RF 100~400, ~RF 100~500, ~RF 200-800 +RF 1.4x TC, BG-R10, 430EX III-RT ~DxO PhotoLab Elite ~DaVinci Resolve Studio ~ImageClass MF644Cdw/MF656Cdw ~Pixel 8 ~CarePaks Are Worth It

You haven't said what camera you're using -- is it full frame, or crop?  It makes a difference.

I've been shooting landscapes for a while now, mostly on full frame, and even there 24mm is often not wide enough for me.  I have the 15-35, and I love it, and I've used the wider focal lengths a lot.

And shooting in daytime, I'm rarely opened up more than f/10.  So for me, the wider focal length would matter a lot more than the brightness.  And the flexibility of a zoom is super useful.

However, if you're thinking about wide-angle astrophotography, like the aurora, then the f/ number may matter too.  I have a 33mm f/0.95 for that.

If your camera is crop, you might want something even wider.

justadude
Mentor
Mentor

I do quite a bit of astrophotography.  If you are going to shoot anything like the Milky Way, or aurora, you will wish you had wider than the 24mm.  The 15-35mm f/2.8 is a great option from all I've heard from others that own it.  

If you are going to use the lens ONLY for astronauts photography, a more budget friendly option would be a prime.  I have owned three different versions of the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 (EF, RF, & Pentax mount).  These lenses are very popular with night sky photographers.  However, I did sell them last year once I tried the Venus Optics Laowa RF 15mm f/2 Zero-D lens.  It has a very solid build, and is machined much nicer than the Rokinon lenses, and lens distortion is a lot easier to correct on the Laowa than the Rokinon.


Gary

Digital: Canon: R6 Mk ll, R8, RP, 60D, various lenses
Film: (still using) Pentax: Spotmatic, K1000, K1000 SE, PZ-70, Miranda: DR, Zenit: 12XP, Kodak: Retina Automatic II, Duaflex III
Announcements