Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

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Archive 2005 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

charlesk
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p.2 #1 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

... shot of a jazz band in a smoky, dimly lit club ...

Well, see...

This is Vermont. We don't have any of those here.

Seriously, this was just a quickie test I did because that's what I had around. But I don't think it is all that unrepresentative. When I use my 50/1.4, I use it because the light is low, and in that situation I use it mainly for indoor stuff and usually at close range. A jazz club would be a neat place to take shots but it would be hard to do a controlled test there. --c

Dec 08, 2005 at 05:34 AM

jmardy
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p.2 #2 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Yeah, I'm waiting for one of our propeller-headed friends to take a crack at that.

Pondria wrote:
Thanks Charles !
Let me double check. All 3 shots on the top thread were taken @ f/1.8. And yet, the DOF varies among them ?

Dec 08, 2005 at 05:43 AM

mickr7an
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p.2 #3 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

charlesk wrote:

... shot of a jazz band in a smoky, dimly lit club ...

Well, see...

This is Vermont. We don't have any of those here.

--c

You can't have looked hard enough. If I can find one here in Shanghai then I'm sure you dig one up somewhere in Vermont.

)

Dec 08, 2005 at 05:43 AM

John Black
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p.2 #4 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

The Canon 50/1.4 is one of those lenses you love to hate. I tested the 50/1.4 against a bunch of Zeiss lenses and it did quite well. It's optics aren't bad at all, it's the build quality which makes it feel cheap. The Canon 50mm F2.5 macro is supposed to be a landscape monster on FF.

Dec 08, 2005 at 05:56 AM

xmattkx
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p.2 #5 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

I find the 1.4 crushes the 2.5 in build quality

Dec 08, 2005 at 11:57 AM

Yakim Peled
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p.2 #6 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

If you have a bit of spare time it would be interesting to see:

1. Wide open shots (yes, at different apertures).
2. Corner crops where all are in f/1.8.
3. Corner crops where all are wide open.

Dec 08, 2005 at 12:16 PM

Purds
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p.2 #7 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Nice comparison and nice to see the F1 in action.

One of my main issues is AF speed, what has been anyone's experience with AF using these lens'. Personally I find my 1.4 much quieter but am unsure if it is faster? Using it wide open it sure has less DOF which makes AF harder, but does it focus faster

Cheers

Dec 08, 2005 at 01:01 PM

Pondria
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p.2 #8 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Pondria wrote:
Thanks Charles !
Let me double check. All 3 shots on the top thread were taken @ f/1.8. And yet, the DOF varies among them ?

I have not gotten the answer yet ?

Dec 09, 2005 at 03:48 PM

mbellot
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p.2 #9 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Pondria wrote:
Pondria wrote:
Thanks Charles !
Let me double check. All 3 shots on the top thread were taken @ f/1.8. And yet, the DOF varies among them ?

I have not gotten the answer yet ?

Well one minor difference Charles noted was the the 1.0 is slightly longer than the others, so that could account for slightly less DOF on that lens.

Between the 1.4 and 1.8 is less obvious...

Dec 09, 2005 at 04:07 PM

Tom_W
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p.2 #10 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

I have to wonder if the depth-of-field is much different, or is it the way that the lens renders bokeh. I'd love to see what an optical engineering type has to say on this subject.

In the meantime, I'll stand by and lust after that 50/1.0L.

Dec 09, 2005 at 04:19 PM

Nill Toulme
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p.2 #11 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Other than minor focal length (and actual vs. indicated aperture) variations there shouldn't be any differences in DOF.

Personally I think the f/1.8 comes off the big winner in this test and the f/1.0L the big loser. What's all that red around the L's highlights? Is that CA? Anyway, the bokeh of the f/1.4 looks very close to the L's, and the f/1.8 seems to win on sharpness and contrast.

My conclusion based on *this* test: If you want bokeh and build quality, get the f/1.4, if you want sharpness and an incredible bargain, get the f/1.8, if you really need apertures below f/1.4 or just have a terminal case of L-ephantiasis, get the f/1.0.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

Dec 09, 2005 at 04:23 PM

Brambling
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p.2 #12 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

John - re landscape shots with the 2.5 macro, I did limited testing with cheap adapters against 2 x Olys Zuiko and the Distagon 1.7, the Canon 50 macro was very very good wide open, now I have got better adapters for the Zuiko lenses I want to retry these, but the link below is the far right edge analsysis at very high pixel peeping on a 1DsII (ie the orange rectangle in full image shot)

test

I am not sure why the Macro lens results came out so blue when RAW conversion was identical. Come spring I intend to re run all my lens comparisons. The Distagon started to show it's strength from F8 with more zing and contrast, and yes the tests were done 1 week apart and light conditions constantly changed, (hence washing on the line in the Zuiko shot only!). The macro lens detail is amazing right throughout the aperture range, but the images appear flatter in contrast even accounting for the blue cast.

Mike

Dec 09, 2005 at 05:17 PM

xmattkx
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p.2 #13 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Agreed Nill-

But when you have both the 1.8 and 1.4 on the counter in the camera store, you realize why thhey are priced differently, and I think that the 1.4 is one of the greatest deals in Canon's lineup/ with a metal body and a red ring they could call it 50/1.4L and I would believe it!

Dec 09, 2005 at 05:19 PM

DavidJB
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p.2 #14 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

I had the 1.8 and until my 17-40L it was my favorite lense my a country mile...until I dropped it and it shattered into a million fragments.

My NEXT 50mm will be the 1.4.

Dec 09, 2005 at 07:43 PM

Mike Mahoney
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p.2 #15 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

I find this test very valuable, thank you.

the optical formula for these lenses is apparently so simple that any difference in image quality would seem minimal .. in fact the 1.8 is the most pleasing to my eye.
cheers,
Mike

Dec 09, 2005 at 08:15 PM

marrio
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p.2 #16 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

mickr7an wrote:
... jazz band in a smoky, dimly lit club ...

Hehe. You must have just seen Melanie Kipp's recent 85/1.2 photoshoot at ISO 3200 & 1/100s wide open on a 5D: http://www.pbase.com/melaniekipp/vince

I agree Ryan, the OP should take that 50/1.0 puppy someplace where it will shine. I wanna hear (or imagine) the giant sucking sound it was designed make, on even the slightest amount of light on the edges of a black hole.

Dec 09, 2005 at 09:08 PM

Natron
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p.2 #17 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

charlesk wrote:
My observations...

#1. The 50/1.8 II has much more DOF than the other two lenses at the same aperture. This probably helps with its reputation as being very sharp for its size and cost.

Uhhhhhhhhhhh..................

Does. Not. Compute.

Dec 09, 2005 at 09:38 PM

charlesk
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p.2 #18 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Does. Not. Compute.

Shrug. Look at the pictures. --c

Dec 09, 2005 at 10:17 PM

SteveS
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p.2 #19 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Charles

Just how many lenses to you have

Dec 09, 2005 at 10:27 PM

charlesk
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p.2 #20 · Test: 50/1.0L v 50/1.4 v 50/1.8II {ck}

Laugh.. never bothered to count. Not nearly as many as some people here, but the number changes constantly so it seems like more.

I sent this 50/1.0L to my friend Gary (an FMer who is a total 50/1.0L freak!) This lens is similar to one he used to have. Here's a shot he took with it (f/1, 1/100s, 1Ds2)...

Dec 09, 2005 at 11:23 PM

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