After reading many discussions on the good…the bad…and the ugly of the Canon 50 f/1.2L over several years now, I and my IPA have come to the conclusion that the main problem, except in a normal, expected (maybe .01 %) rate of failure, just my number,…which would show on a forum dedicated to photography at a much, much higher rate…is due to the most part…

Operator Error…Think I’ll get one for use on a Full Frame…refurbished by Canon of course...

Jefferson

Don't say out loud your thinking. Some will hang you high...real high i love my 50L

...already got rope marks, a few more won't make much matter

Fell free to post your examples to express your point of view...no nudes unless approved by me...and maybe Fred

I love mine.

(egads, what a huge dust spot I just noticed! )

Jerry, are they the same in both images or 1st and 2nd generation? they look lovely. Mine was a week old

Same thinking here. Love it!

Jefferson, how about posting some pics of that dog in your avatar?

My favorite lens, even more than the 35L, 85L II and 200 1.8L

RogerC11 wrote:
Jefferson, how about posting some pics of that dog in your avatar?

That's Luke...found him sitting in the road about three years ago...he fit in the palm of my hand...he was 3/4s starved... now 100+ lbs and eats and sleeps better than most folks in this world...my best friend

I'll ask him about the shots...

I too love my 50L. it's sharp as it can be. I like it as an all around lens. no problems with mine.

Great lens love mine especially now with the new AF module giving unparalleled accuracy.
You won't regret it one bit..

Wicked lens. One of the most accurate on my 5dii and 5diii.

After I MA'd it on my 5DII the AF is very accurate. Wide open, sharpness is very usable.
Stopped down, sharpness is just great.

lexvo wrote:
After I MA'd it on my 5DII the AF is very accurate. Wide open, sharpness is very usable.
Stopped down, sharpness is just great.


TBH I don't think it's great stopped down. It's worse than the 50mm 1.4 at f4 and f8 for example:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=403&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=6&LensComp=115&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=5

.. and only about the same as the 24-70 at f8. I personally only really recommend it if you're going to shoot at <f2 a lot... That's what it was designed for

Not sure where that comes from my copy is razor razor sharp and murders my 24-70 at every F stop.

PhilDrinkwater wrote:

TBH I don't think it's great stopped down. It's worse than the 50mm 1.4 at f4 and f8 for example:
.. and only about the same as the 24-70 at f8. I personally only really recommend it if you're going to shoot at <f2 a lot... That's what it was designed for

I think their copy was broken.

PhilDrinkwater wrote:
lexvo wrote:
After I MA'd it on my 5DII the AF is very accurate. Wide open, sharpness is very usable.
Stopped down, sharpness is just great.


TBH I don't think it's great stopped down. It's worse than the 50mm 1.4 at f4 and f8 for example:


The 50/1.4 is a great performer also when stopped down. However, I think my 50/1.2 is at least as good as my 50/1.4. As a matter of fact, my 50/1.2 comes really close to my 135/2.

I agree that being able to shoot at f/1.2 is one of the reasons to buy this lens. Another reason for me was build quality.

garyvot wrote:
PhilDrinkwater wrote:

TBH I don't think it's great stopped down. It's worse than the 50mm 1.4 at f4 and f8 for example:
.. and only about the same as the 24-70 at f8. I personally only really recommend it if you're going to shoot at <f2 a lot... That's what it was designed for

I think their copy was broken.

Lots of copy variation obviously as experiences are all over the place. However, my 50 1.2L is a little sharper than both my 50 1.4 and 50 1.8 from F2.8 to F5.6. At F8 I couldn't see much difference. From F1.4 to F2.8 the 50L was significantly sharper. Perhaps my 50 1.4/1.8 were poor copies but they were horrid wide open until F 2.8. The only significantly sharper 50 I've owned is the EF 50 2.5 and it's sharp from edge to edge at any aperture.

RogerC11 wrote:
Jefferson, how about posting some pics of that dog in your avatar?


Not with a 50mm...Luke...