I am thinking of buying a 50 1.8 but to be honest I don't like the cheap way the MkII is made so I am looking for the MkI but they are getting to be pretty darn old now. How old is to old? I am pretty sure there is still plenty of life left in this lens
No worries. I have two L zooms of the same vintage. They're more complicated than the 50/1.8 and they work just fine. I also have a bunch of much older manual focus lenses, and they're fine, too.
I would also think that there is an advantage when talking about a 50mm prime, since the design is pretty simple compared to complex zooms or long, big primes and so on. Much less to go wrong over time
I wouldn't worry about it, but I also wouldn't overpay for a Mark I (some people pay close to the price of a similar-condition 50/1.4). Neither the tiny little dof window nor the heavier feel justify the $150-plus prices I see people paying for the Mark I's.
RalphJ wrote:
I wouldn't worry about it, but I also wouldn't overpay for a Mark I (some people pay close to the price of a similar-condition 50/1.4). Neither the tiny little dof window nor the heavier feel justify the $150-plus prices I see people paying for the Mark I's.
Well the one I am looking at is less than the 150 but not by much. What would you say is a fair price? I also checked with KEH and they want $199 way to much I would spend the extra and get the 1.4 before I would pay that price
Anywhere between $135-200 is a fair price for a nice Mk1. I have seen them sell for as much as $225.
If you are patient and resourceful enough you can often get them for (net) free, via ebay/CL, though it takes some effort. I ended up with a couple that way.
I've seen the MKI on old 600 series EOS at pawn shops and yard sales going for $10-$50 with camera. But yeah, I sold a mint one a couple years back for $225.
Gochugogi wrote:
I've seen the MKI on old 600 series EOS at pawn shops and yard sales going for $10-$50.
I have looked in pawn shops and never ever have they had a decent lens or any other camera gear. I never go to yard sales lately but when I did I never saw anything worth buying maybe you all live in a better area
You will rarely if ever hear about lenses dying due to old age. In fancier lenses you'll hear about the AF motor or IS giving out, but even that is relatively rare. As long as the lens hasn't been used as a baseball, it should typically last you a longggg time.
I had three copies of the 50 1.8 I up until recently. I purchased each in a camera kit over the years. They all worked perfectly (oldest was from the EOS 650 intro in 1987). Sold two of them recently and kept one. Another plus is that they all had good quality control and similar IQ. Mine works great on my 50D & 5DII. My son has the 50 1.8 II and I prefer the mark I version over that lens.
Let me ask another question whcih would be better to get the 50 1.8 II or the 50 1.8 I? Seems to me the I would be the best to have just on built quality alone.
20 years shouldn't be too old for a lens, however it does depend on how it has been used & stored. Be sure to examine it for signs of fungus, oily aperture blades and of course physical damage.
the mk1 one is apparantly sharper from what ive read at various places. thats why they go for good money. here in the uk they have been going for £90-135
