wcastleman wrote:
The message I'm getting from this is: 1) When using a lens at close to minimum focusing distance, it is best to manual focus and/or stop the lens down to f/8 to f/16 if you want the sharpest results; and 2) the Jackson 2004 FocusTestChart at close to minimum focus working distance gives you false-positive misfocus results with your Canon lens_camera system.
I'm not going to belabor the point about the Jackson 2004 test chart - I'm not a fan of it. I use a test chart that using a target that is parallel to the plane of focus. However, I guess I'm not as blasé about your confirmation that the lens backfocuses when using AF at close (portrait-taking) distances. The 50/1.4 I have doesn't. My 35L doesn't. Why does the 50/1.2L? Why does it get worse as you stop down? Something just isn't sitting right about this.
Lord Malone,
It wasn't just the bad copies that made me cancel the order. Its just I've had some other things come up thats tied my funds up that was intended for this lens. So at this point I can't really buy it. Im hoping that it will go down in price a year from now. From reading that demand is down for this lens compared to what Canon expected, I suspect price will drop and hopefully more then a hundred or two dollars. At the moment factoring exchange rate I can get the lens for $1286 US right now. The Canadian dollar keeps dropping, so this would be an attractive proposition for US buyers to get it here if you dont mind the warranty issue with needed repairs.
braxus said: The Canadian dollar keeps dropping, so this would be an attractive proposition for US buyers to get it here if you dont mind the warranty issue with needed repairs.
I do not think that there are any issues with warranty - Canon gives a North American warranty for their products.
It might have been mentioned before but I think that the focus point may move slightly dependent on the aperture (residual spherical aberration). Usually this is nothing to worry about because the increased depth-of-field hides these minor focus effects. However, it seems as if this focus shift is more pronounced with some copies of this lens (focus shift when stopping down at closer focusing distances). The AF should take advantage of the ROM containing the corresponding data about the optimal focus point compromise. I remember that EF 24 f/2.8 was showing this effect (appeared to be sharper at f/2.8 than f/4.0).
By the way, I was always wondering why this lens does not have a floating system.
mfurman wrote:
I do not think that there are any issues with warranty - Canon gives a North American warranty for their products.
Of course you can take the lens to any Canon repair outlet to get it fixed, but if you needed to take it back to the store for that or exchange/ refund for issues with it, then it becomes not so easy.
Im keeping an eye on 50L posts to see if they will resolve the odd QC issue with this lens. But I suspect by late 2008 they'll have fixed it by then. I hope the price drops a few hundred as well.
I ran a test at 1 meter to see if I could detect any focus error or focus shift from f/1.2 to 2.8. The lens focused flawlessly (on 1DMk2), so I repeated at 75cm, 60cm, and half a meter (close to minimum focus of 45cm). No problem at all. My lens is an early production example, UU1000. Just as with the tests and comparisons that I posted earlier in this thread, I used mirror lockup, a sturdy tripod, and other sensible techniques. Now, I haven't calculated line pairs per millimeter, and I'm very grateful to William Castleman for applying his carefully standardized test procedures to this lens (and all the others that he's tested). My contribution, such as it is, will have to be letting myself be counted as one owner who is satisfied with the performance of his 50/1.2L. It's a keeper for me.
Indeed, Pell's photos are simply not fitting into the lens MO manifested thruout this entire thread.
I'd say he had used a specially prepped lens had I not seen a few excellent sample shots on PBase as well.
Stephen's image at the beginning is very nice, however it wasn't a production release either, so it's really tough to judge.
Here is one of the last shots I took with my first copy (now en-route back to the dealer). My new one came this evening, and I've tested it a little bit, but will really put it to the test over the next few days. Only got about 3 hours sleep last night so the couch is calling.
Thanks Dennis. At 1.2 the lens was fabulous (and even with the backfocusing this shot almost made me reconsider).
Between 1.6 and 4.5 it had a tendancy to backfocus (not every shot, about 70% of them).
It's a little premature to judge my 2nd copy, but I can assure you I will post results and/or images here as soon as I really get to work with it a bit more.
my third copy is still sitting unopened in the box. i've been so busy yesterday and today that i haven't had any time to play with it.
my second copy has proven to backfocus from f/1.4 to f/4-ish and will be getting returned. if my third copy doesn't test well then i'll return it and order yet another when roberts gets in their next shipment. i like this lens enough that i'm determined to find a good copy. hopefully it won't come to that and the third time will be a charm.
for fotographur; all of mine have been in the $1399~$1429 range. most placed i've talked to will either match roberts' pricing or come close enough.
the verdict is in... i've now officially owned three copies of the 50L which perform almost identically. my best copy (the second one) is a scalpel wide open using MF. the problem with all three lenses, however, is that AF is inaccurate from about 1.5' (minimum focus) to around 3'. anything further away and it will focus just fine. manual focus is sharp 100% of the time unless i make a mistake.
all of my other lenses (see signature) focus dead-on at minimum focus using AF. i'm convinced that this AF inaccuracy is either an incompatibility of my 1Ds with the 50L or that i've been ridiculously unlucky and received three bad lenses.
my best 50L performs flawlessly using MF at any distance or aperture so i'm tempted to keep it and see if canon announces a firmware upgrade for the lens or the 1Ds. since i'm hoping to go for a 1Ds3 upgrade soon, the AF problem may be a non-issue with newer bodies.
this lens is still a keeper (for now) regardless of the AF issue. i still have a few weeks before my return period is up so we'll see what i can learn in the meantime.
I don't care about the pixel peeping but how does this lens perform in low light sports settings like gyms? Wide open, 1.4, 1.6? How's it do at that from about 5' on out to 15'? I'm debating on whether to get this lens when it becomes available again or the 35 1.4 but the 50 would be better on my N I'm guessing. I already have the 85 1.8 but I want something a bit wider and fast at focusing.
john, check page 155 of this thread for your answer. william castleman uses his for sports and is quite happy with the performance. i've never had any focusing issues with mine in the 5'~15' range whatsoever. it's up close where my 1Ds is having trouble nailing focus.
the 35L is very quick to focus on AI-servo. i've used it to shoot a motorcycle jump while located next to the ramp. i haven't had any experience using the 50L for motion but really don't see why it wouldn't perform. i'd recommend either lens for sports.
Thanks Erik, just got back from the gym with my 24-70 to figure out if I liked 35 or 50mm better, 50mm won out as long as it's fast as the 85 1.8. Hopefully I'll get a good copy
