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Archive 2017 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???

  
 
chiron
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???



I am interested in hearing about the experience of people who have used the Canon 50mm f/1.2L lens on a Sony body.

Which adapter were you using, with which firmware? Which Sony body?

Did the lens focus accurately? How quickly?

How was the performance in low light?

Did you find the rendering on a Sony sensor to be appealing? Were the edges and corners much worse than on a Canon body?

Were you able to to use AF-C? Focus-tracking?

Any other thoughts about the lens or experiences while using it or looking at images from it? Were you pleased with your images?

Did you keep the lens or sell it?

Thanks for your thoughts!



Nov 11, 2017 at 04:38 PM
davewolfs
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


Since Sony doesn’t have a reliable 35mm f/1.4 we can also add the excellent 35mm f/1.4 II to the list.

My understanding is that the latest Metabones firmware can eye AF across the frame but I have no idea how well it works.



Nov 11, 2017 at 04:41 PM
virtualrain
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


I’ll be interested to hear this even though I sold all my canon lenses when I switched. I had a love hate relationship with my 50L. When it did focus where I wanted, it was a beautiful image but that was a big IF . I can’t imagine it’s AF performance is worse on Sony... actually I expect it would be a lot better on a Sony body.


Nov 11, 2017 at 05:04 PM
chiron
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


davewolfs wrote:
Since Sony doesn’t have a reliable 35mm f/1.4 we can also add the excellent 35mm f/1.4 II to the list.

My understanding is that the latest Metabones firmware can eye AF across the frame but I have no idea how well it works.


Yes, it would be interesting to also hear about adventures with the Canon 35mm f/1.4L II on a Sony body. I had an excellent copy of the Sony 35 1.4, but I sold it, mainly because it was so large. That may have been a mistake!



Nov 11, 2017 at 05:24 PM
chiron
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


virtualrain wrote:
I’ll be interested to hear this even though I sold all my canon lenses when I switched. I had a love hate relationship with my 50L. When it did focus where I wanted, it was a beautiful image but that was a big IF . I can’t imagine it’s AF performance is worse on Sony... actually I expect it would be a lot better on a Sony body.


Yes, it should focus better on a Sony body since there would be no issue of microadjusment because of the reflex arc in the focusing mechanism--though the adapter could be a source of variation on the Sony. Ken Rockwell has suggested--based on his experience with the lens years ago on a Canon 5D body (no af microadjustment) that one can simply learn to focus slightly in front or slightly behind what you actually want to be in focus. But at 1.2, that is a hit or miss proposition at best, and often there won't be something in the right place to even make the attempt.

But it is likely the lens would focus better and more reliably on a Sony than on a Canon.



Nov 11, 2017 at 05:28 PM
swldstn
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


Well I own the 50L and use it with a Metabones IV adapter with the latest firmware. I use it on an A9 with version 1.10 fiirware and also on the A7RII with 4.0 firmware. I am very happy with the AF performance. Clearly better on the A9 than the A7RI but that is true of all adapted lenses.

I am happy with the color and the rendering. I will often use it at F/2 without thinking twice. Sure I will use it even down to f/1.2 but don't do it any more or less than I do on my 5DIV.

I will have to try it with AF-C to see how it performs but I know shallow depth of field and AF-C tracking and shallow depth of field are not a good mix. Would rather push up the ISO to get more DOF with AF-C than open up the lense and make AF-C work harder.

Steve W



Nov 11, 2017 at 05:39 PM
engardeknave
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


The 50L is really soft compared to so many great 50s out there. And the FE 50 1.4 ZA is the best 50 ever made, so I don't think all the compromises are worth it.

Now the 85LII is comparatively soft as well, but I've always thought the impact at 1.2 was more significant than with the 50L. (Maybe a little sharper?) I have acquired an 85LII for use on my GFX, and have used it on the A7RII.



Nov 11, 2017 at 06:11 PM
charles.K
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


I had both the 50L and 85L II with the A7rII before the GM 85 arrived on the scene. Personally I love the images and rendering from both the 50L and 85L II. Both of these lenses have been slow to AF just due to heavy lens elements even on the 5D' series. At f/1.2 the extremely narrow DOF will yield a higher percentage of OOF images just due to the tolerances of AF systems.

On A7rII with MB IV, the 50L and 85L II are no speed demons. You cannot rely on AF-C, but AF-S is fine but it may frustrate you. If you have a serious shoot I would avoid them and keep with the GM 85 or FE 50/1.4.




Nov 11, 2017 at 06:35 PM
DaveFP
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


I use my Metabones 4 adapted 50L on an A7R II.

Firmware 53 I think.

It works very well and I love the images from it.

Much like the 85L the 50 has its own unique look.

Obviously the Sony 50 1.4 is a better lens technically but the 50L renders beautifully IMO.

At this point I consider the 50L one of my vintage lenses.

I have no intention to sell it.

As an aside - I have a strong hankering for the 85L even though I know the GM is a better lens so I might be an outlier.



Nov 11, 2017 at 06:39 PM
engardeknave
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


DaveFP wrote:
As an aside - I have a strong hankering for the 85L even though I know the GM is a better lens so I might be an outlier.


I have sold the 85L twice and purchased it three times. I now recognize that it is more powerful than I am, and have ceased resisting.



Nov 11, 2017 at 07:06 PM
Gunzorro
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


If anything, my 50L has better rendering on the a7R and a7R2 using the Sigma AF adapter than on my 1Ds3 or 5DsR. Focusing was never the fastest on Canon bodies, but certainly adequate for my use in AF-S mode. The focusing is slow, but solid, with the a7R, and better with a7R2. This is one of the unique Canon lenses I can't part with, even though I seldom use it.

I disagree with those who say the lens is inherently soft or unsharp. Stopped down to around f/2.8, it looks comparable to many other top 50s, with maybe even better color. At f/5.6 it is looking great for middle distance to distant subjects.

This is from my sole copy. YMMV.



Nov 11, 2017 at 07:17 PM
MaTiHH
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


At the risk of being slaughtered because of the reference: JL ist using the 50 1.2 in his newest video.


Nov 11, 2017 at 07:27 PM
DaveFP
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


Do you own the GM? If so how would you compare? Thanks.


Nov 11, 2017 at 07:28 PM
chiron
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


engardeknave wrote:
The 50L is really soft compared to so many great 50s out there. And the FE 50 1.4 ZA is the best 50 ever made, so I don't think all the compromises are worth it.

Now the 85LII is comparatively soft as well, but I've always thought the impact at 1.2 was more significant than with the 50L. (Maybe a little sharper?) I have acquired an 85LII for use on my GFX, and have used it on the A7RII.


Yes, the softness is I think part of what makes the lens controversial--it bothers some people a lot. I did always agree with those who feel that the lens has a unique and very attractive rendering style, despite its softness wide open and in the corners. And of course those people also say the softness results from the same factors that produce the rendering.

I think some of this applies to the Sony 35 1.4 also--soft wide open but very pretty to look at.



Nov 11, 2017 at 07:37 PM
chiron
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


engardeknave wrote:
I have sold the 85L twice and purchased it three times. I now recognize that it is more powerful than I am, and have ceased resisting.


Well put. I sometimes think I have a chronic case of seller's remorse. Sort of like malaria, I keep having recurrent bouts.



Nov 11, 2017 at 07:39 PM
chiron
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


DaveFP wrote:
I use my Metabones 4 adapted 50L on an A7R II.

Firmware 53 I think.

It works very well and I love the images from it.

Much like the 85L the 50 has its own unique look.

Obviously the Sony 50 1.4 is a better lens technically but the 50L renders beautifully IMO.

At this point I consider the 50L one of my vintage lenses.

I have no intention to sell it.

As an aside - I have a strong hankering for the 85L even though I know the GM is a better lens so I might be an outlier.


I don't think what you are saying makes you an outlier--it is exactly what one school of thought thinks about the rendering from these lenses. I think I prefer the 50 because it is a more useful focal length for what I usually want to take a picture of.

This is a good review that makes the case for the 50 that you are talking about:

https://dustinabbott.net/2015/05/canon-ef-50mm-f1-2l-usm-review/




Nov 11, 2017 at 07:44 PM
Alex W
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


Here is a link to a video of Jason Lanier using the A7RIII and Canon lenses one being the 50 1.2. and the other the 85 1.2 I believe.




Nov 11, 2017 at 07:45 PM
engardeknave
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


Alex W wrote:
Here is a link to a video of Jason Lanier using the A7RIII and Canon lenses one being the 50 1.2. and the other the 85 1.2 I believe.



85mm, 42mp, 1/60th of a second.

Shoots one handed.

Every photo has horrific motion blur.

"Teaching photography"

Makes a video with a leather jacket that groans every time he moves.

This guy is a walking aneurysm.



Nov 11, 2017 at 10:10 PM
stevesanacore
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


I've been shooting with the Canon 50 and the 85 1.2 for many years. I love the look when shooting people and details. Yes the focus can let you down on any AF body when shooting wide open. The problem with these lenses is the super shallow focus can cause misses if you or your subject move even a few inches, (on closeups or even medium shots). But the look is beautiful and it's certainly a keeper. But I also have the 55 1.8 Sony when I need a more technical look.


Nov 11, 2017 at 10:39 PM
swldstn
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Canon 50mm f/1.2L on Sony body???


As I mentioned earlier I own both 50L and 85L-II and love them and have no plans to sell. I love the look they can give me. That said I have a 55/1.8 I use a lot and the Loxia 50/2 which I also like. Then there are the other 3 50mm lenses I will adapt from from time to time. I own the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S, 50mm f/1.8 AI-S pancake, and a Pentax SMC 50mm/1.4. All give a different look and are small and light compared to the 50L Each individual lens can have merit you just have to decide what your looking for.

Now reading this forum I would like to know what people like about the FE 50mm f/1.4. What will I find out about it if I try it? Let me know.

Steve W



Nov 12, 2017 at 11:39 AM
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