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minatophase3
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p.1 #1 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I have a friend with a DRebel that is trying to take some basketball pictures of her 6th grade child. I let her borrow my 85 1.8 but she thought it was too long on her cropped body. The next logical lens from my perspective would be the 50 1.4, but I have never used one and have no idea if it would focus fast enough for sports.

Has anyone tried to use it for shooting indoor sports? How does it relate to the 85 1.8 for focusing speed and accuracy?

Thanks,
Tim

Mar 25, 2008 at 06:14 PM

Bruce Sawle
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p.1 #2 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

the 50 1.4 has very average focus speed especialy compared to the 85 1.8.

Mar 25, 2008 at 06:27 PM

Nill Toulme
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p.1 #3 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

Agreed. The 35 f/2 might be a better choice. It's still not as quick as the 85, but it's quicker than the 50. Heck for that matter I couldn't tell much difference in AF speed between the 50 f/1.4 and f/1.8; she could pick up the latter for about $75.

Is it a first-generation Rebel? They're kind of crippled when it comes to shooting sports...

Nill
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Edited on Mar 25, 2008 at 06:39 PM

Mar 25, 2008 at 06:37 PM

adlook
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p.1 #4 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I have no trouble shooting basketball with my 50mm 1.4.

Mar 25, 2008 at 06:46 PM

minatophase3
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p.1 #5 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

It is not a first generation Rebel, I think she just got it new about 6 months ago. Looked to be pretty nice, but then again I don't know anything about the Rebels.

I'll take a look at the 35 f2 as well.

Thanks,
Tim

Mar 25, 2008 at 07:10 PM

malice4you
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p.1 #6 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I will forever avoid use of my Canon 50 1.4 for sports...not worth the aggrivation it would cause with the slow AF. I've used it for a few sports before I had the 85 1.8 or 35L, but I'd always go with one of those two over the 50 1.4.

Now, if the recently-announced Sigma 50 1.4 is any good, that will very likely change, and I'll be happy to use a 50mm again. I just won't use a canon consumer 50mm to do it....

Mar 25, 2008 at 07:22 PM

Nill Toulme
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p.1 #7 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

The 50 f/1.2L works nicely... ;-)

Nill
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Mar 25, 2008 at 07:54 PM

pturton
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p.1 #8 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I tried my 50 f/1.4 for volleyball and quickly went back to my 35L after only a few frames on my crop body. The EF 50 f/1.4 just did not cut it. I liked the FL but not its focus speed. The 85 f/1.8 paired with the 35L on a second body worked very well for me.

Mar 25, 2008 at 07:54 PM

Beau Arnold
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p.1 #9 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I have the 85 1.8 and the 50 1.4 and was shooting the NAIA tourney this past week and the 50 1.4 on a 1D was quite acceptable. I did not notice a big diff between the af or keeper rate between the 2. Must be the 1D.

Mar 26, 2008 at 12:52 AM

stanj
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p.1 #10 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

Nill Toulme wrote:
The 50 f/1.2L works nicely...

If you don't mind backfocus and the dreamy look.

Mar 26, 2008 at 12:55 AM

Nill Toulme
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p.1 #11 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

Not a problem at basketball distances...

Beau it's not the 1D. It's conceivable, I suppose, that it's the light levels, although I can't think why that would be.

Nill
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Mar 26, 2008 at 02:22 AM

stanj
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p.1 #12 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

Nill Toulme wrote:
Not a problem at basketball distances...

The dreamy look is a problem at any distance as long as you stay wider than f2.0 or so.

Mar 26, 2008 at 03:15 AM

Russ Isabella
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p.1 #13 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I've been satisfied shooting NCAA gymnastics with a 50/1.4. It's not quite as consistently fast/accurate as the 35L, but not too far off either. That's with a MKIIN, so YMMV with a Rebel.

Mar 26, 2008 at 04:26 AM

Nill Toulme
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p.1 #14 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

stanj wrote:
The dreamy look is a problem at any distance as long as you stay wider than f2.0 or so.

But I don't — I shoot b-ball at f/2, and it focuses faster than the 85 f/1.8. My standard b-ball setup now is the 50 f/1.2L on one body and the 200 f/1.8L on another; I rarely switch to anything else.

Nill
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Mar 26, 2008 at 12:55 PM

Nill Toulme
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p.1 #15 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

malice4you wrote:
...Now, if the recently-announced Sigma 50 1.4 is any good, that will very likely change, and I'll be happy to use a 50mm again. I just won't use a canon consumer 50mm to do it....

Here's the announcement; it does look like a possible alternative.

Nill
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Mar 26, 2008 at 04:08 PM

capitalK
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p.1 #16 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I was using my 50mm f/1.4 for high school basketball in a dark gymnasium just yesterday. I thought it worked out well, the focus on my 24-70mm f/2.8 L was noticeably faster but there was a trade off. I needed the wider aperture of the 50mm.

This was on a 1D, which has pretty fast AF. I would expect it to be slower on a Rebel body. I would make sure she is using AI Servo focus over one shot. That would make a huge difference.

Mar 27, 2008 at 01:51 PM

Beau Arnold
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p.1 #17 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

capitalK wrote:
I would make sure she is using AI Servo focus over one shot. That would make a huge difference.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/630136/0#5578224

I agree in BB but this op is having problems in his livingroom. I seldom shoot one shot my bodies stay in AI.

Mar 27, 2008 at 04:04 PM

Pixel Perfect
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p.1 #18 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

Hmm, the 50 f/1.8 is simply pathetic and the 50 f/1.4 in low light is much better, if still slow. In fact in low light the 50 f/1.8 will often give up.

Mar 28, 2008 at 12:32 AM

michael49
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p.1 #19 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

Depends on the body, IMO. Speed is OK on my 40D, much slower on the 5D.

Mar 28, 2008 at 12:36 AM

tmr_wa
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p.1 #20 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I've used the 50/1.4 with a 30D for high school basketball and it worked very well. I also use an 85/1.8 and a 135/2 for indoor sports when I want longer reach. I've never conducted formal AF speed tests, but I certainly don't hesitate to use the 50/1.4 in a gym.

--tom

Mar 28, 2008 at 03:16 AM

mh2000
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p.1 #21 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

FWIW I've had the exact opposite experience with all my Canon bodies and these lenses. My 50/1.4 hunted much worse and the final focus was often not as reliable as I get from my 50/1.8.

My 85/1.8 was better than the 50/1.4, but you could still easily use the 50 in these conditions IMO.

>>Hmm, the 50 f/1.8 is simply pathetic and the 50 f/1.4 in low light is much better, if still slow. In fact in low light the 50 f/1.8 will often give up.

Mar 28, 2008 at 03:33 AM

Nill Toulme
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p.1 #22 · 50 1.4 Focusing Speed?

I don't recall noticing much difference in AF performance shooting dark-gym HS b-ball on the 1D when I went from the 50 f/1.8 to the 50 f/1.4 — which was a considerable disappointment at the time. I happily noted a very marked improvement when I went to the 50 f/1.2L.

Nill
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www.toulme.net

Mar 28, 2008 at 01:50 PM


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