Wow! What can I say? This is great!
I did not mean disrespect by correcting you.
I did not feel any
It was just my own
experience I described.
Exactly what I am looking for
Generally speaking there are a lot of great
lenses out there. Of course any lens comes with one compromise or
another and one of the hardest tasks is to find those lenses
matching your photographic style and your actual task. I thought I
was through it already but whenever I try something different on my
5D I find something new to like.
Exactly my problem
24mm TS (great quality, about 540g and a bit (!) bulky, TS, low
vignetting, low distortion, great with 1.4 TC as well, expensive,
prime with no speed - simply fun to use)
Yeah, that one stays in the list, as does the 45 TS-E.
35mm 2.0 (very good except for the borders, but doesn't matter too
much in practise since I rarely have low light AND my subject in
the corners at the same time - stopping down helps; speed, size &
weight, affordable, mechanically not much fun sadly)
Same thoughts.
50mm 1.4 (great, small & leightweight, USM, fast, affordable; 1.8
would do nearly as well but is mechanical like the 35mm and of
course has 2/3 stop less versatility; borders below aperture 2.0
not very good but again does not matter to me - simply fun to use)
I just added it to my list!
85mm 1.8 (great, relatively small, USM, fast, affordable, sharp
from 1.8 but CAs - great from 2.2 - simply fun to use)
Stays in my list.
17-40L (great, relatively compact, USM, here in Germany thanks to
cashback at about 550 Euro "affordable"; sharp open, great from
5.6, weakness 17mm - simply fun to use)
I've read it distorts, more on wide zooms later.
24-105L IS (great for what it is, versatility, compact for what it
is but the weight is at the limit for me, USM, IS, not really
affordable anymore, sharp open, great from 5.6, weakness 24mm and
to some degree 28mm and 105mm - simply fun to use)
Kenko TC 1.4 (for the 24mm TS, 85mm and for the 24-105L IS to get a
bit closer to the subject)
Any reason not to use the Canon 1.4x?
I really do like the 35mm 1.4 since it would give the speed of the
50mm 1.4 and for my personal taste a bit more versatility than 50mm
and it is by all means fun, fun, fun. But of course it is rather
expensive and simply not small. On the other hand I could sell the
50mm 1.4 and the 35mm 2.0 for it (and add some) and get used to not
having 50mm around anymore.
I thought a lot about it, but at 4x the price of the f/2, no, I just don't think I need it enough. The TS-E will be my primary lenses, the rest is mostly for fun. Yes, I am spoiling myself.
Since I do not carry around more than 3 lenses at a time there
Coming from LF and MF, 4 35mm lenses feel very light in a backpack
Anyway, the main carrier will be the car. I'll select 2-3 for walking around, depending on the mood.
should be at least two lenses to drop (and mybe one to adjust the
setup as needed) but I am at a point where I simply cannot decide.
So here are some choices which may inspire you a bit:
17-40L + 35mm 2.0 + 85mm 1.8
24mm TS + 35mm 2.0 + 85mm 1.8
Would be my choice but I can have more, so...
24mm 2.8 + 35mm 2.0 + 85mm 1.8
24mm 2.8 + 50mm 1.4/1.8 + 85mm 1.8 (great on a budget!)
24-105L IS (+ 24mm TS) + 50mm 1.4/1.8 (would work with two lenses
and some software like PTLens for 24-28mm)
I'm not into software correction. Probably some phsycho-rigidity on my part.
24mm 2.8 + 50mm 1.4/1.8 + 135mm 2.0
the 135/2 is surely an amazing optical feat, on a Leica level, I'd say. But... been there, done that, I think it is over priced for my needs compared to the 135/2.8. The latter is consistently reported to be a great lens too and with a smoother bokeh, and that's more important than sharpness for portraiture, my main (only?) planned use for that focal length.
24mm 2.8 + 50mm 1.4/1.8 + 105mm Macro (if you need macro)
No need for macro
Sigma 12-24 + 35mm 2.0 + 85mm 1.8 (real wide)
Funny you mention the Sigma. I just added it to my list. After some research, it appears to be the only ultra-wide lens where distortion correction has been given a higher priority than sharpness, which fits right with me. I've seen shots and tests, it looks amazing. Working aperture: f/16. Not a culture shock coming from LF
So, that replaces the EF 20/2.8 in my list.
A 200mm 2.8 would add well to all those setups if you are into
tele. A 35mm 1.4 could replace the 35mm 2.0 for the cost of size,
weight and price of course.
I removed the 200/2.8 from my list, because the longest lens I've used in the last 5 years has been a 90mm and I seldom felt a need for longer.
Maybe this input helps a bit to make up your mind. Clearly we are
speaking of street photography here since any bird photographer and
a lot sport reporters would surely sneer at this setup.
You've been a major help, thanks a million.
That's exactly my plan
--
Stéphane
Sharpness is over rated.
http://www.lumieredargent.com 
