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mouzhik
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Registered: Mar 31, 2010
Location: France
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jan 17, 2013
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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colour rendition, sharpness and saturation, bokeh, IQ, max aperture
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Cons:
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weight, challenging to master
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using this lens on a 5D Mark II me too, I totally agree with Fr3d: wide open, this lens is a diva, but really a great one..;-)
it's quite sharp even quite open and after f/2.0 it's tack sharp and crispy.
here you can see some pictures taken with this lens, mostly wide open:
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjpK4Szb
and this one with no proceeding (SOOC = Straight Out Of the Camera):
http://flic.kr/p/7nAdz1
I am happy with this lens!..;-)
Highly recommended!
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 Jan 17, 2013
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mttran
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Registered: Nov 3, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 5567
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Review Date: Jan 1, 2013
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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It's a perfect 10 from me. Nothing less than 85L1/2. Extremely sharp lens from f1.0 and up way up.
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Cons:
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Jan 1, 2013
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Fr3d
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Registered: Nov 28, 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 290
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Review Date: Feb 7, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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A wonderful lens that ...
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Cons:
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... challenges you to master it.
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I am using this lens on a 5D Mark II, here are my observations:
The lens becomes a diva if you open it up more than f/2.0. It can yield
stunningly sharp images and utterly smooth backgrounds wide open.
But if you don't pay attention to the scene you can get ugly
ghosting at highlight edges mixed with lateral ca and purple
fringeing which you cannot automaticaly fix in post because
it can be more than 20 pixels wide!
But more often than not this behaviour does not show. You can get
very crisp eye and hair detail at f/1.0 if you manage to nail focus. A
slight bump in contrast or clarity puts you in the ballpark even when
pixel peeping a 21MP file at 100% magnification. When you go down
to f2.0 everything becomes tack sharp and contrasty, CA's are also
very much absent in real world images.
The other thing that surprised me is just how sharp the lens becomes
when stopping down. It rivals the plastic fantastic at f/5.6 and that
is saying alot.
The only caveat is that the lens performs less good at greater subject
distances. Things become muddy if they are 20 or 30 meters/yards
away from the camera and are shot wide open. At f2.0 or 2.8 things
are starting to become crisp again after f/5.6 or f/8.0 no further
improvent can be detected as it is already pin sharp.
All in all I am very happy with the lens and can only recommend it.
The fact that the lens has such strong characteristics (some would
say personality) just makes me appreciate it even more. It is a great
lens to have and a callengeing tool to master. Highly recommended!
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Feb 7, 2011
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fraga
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Registered: Sep 10, 2005
Location: Portugal
Posts: 1996
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Review Date: Aug 1, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $4,000.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Max aperture, build quality, image quality, sharpness
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Cons:
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slow AF, price
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Very good image quality.
My copy is very, very sharp even wide open. While I haven't done any direct comparisons yet, it is my believe it is nearly or as sharp as my 85L II.
Great colours and contrast, as long as you don't shoot with it in the direction of the sun. If you do, it will flare badly and contrast will go down the drain. In some occasions (portraits), it can be a desired effect, though.
DOF is very thin and getting the shot focused exactly where you want can be troublesome, even using the 7d's spot AF.
However, since it's a 50mm lens, background blur is not as evident despite the very large aperture and razor thin DOF. I have portraits taken with my 500mm f4IS that have more background blur than the 50mm 1.0 wide open, yet DOF is larger (most of the face in focus).
The bokeh can be very nervous under certain circumstances.
And in some occasions, the background will have a swirling look to it, giving the appearance of circular motion.
I love when this happens, since it gives a very distinctive look to the pic. It's the lens unique signature.
Wouldn't want it in every pic, though... :D
It's hard to use it wide open outside. Since it lets in so much light, you will go over the 1/8000 SS limit very easily, even at iso 100.
All in all, a fantastic lens.
My only complaints would be the price and the sluggish AF.
At least it's faster than the 85L II!
Highly recommended if you can get a sharp copy (unfortunately it seems there aren't many...)
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Aug 1, 2010
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G. Thomas
Online
Image Upload: On
Registered: Feb 5, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 845
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Review Date: Jan 13, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $3,400.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Nice colors, saturation, and sharpness. Oh yes... the f/1.0!
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Cons:
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Slow AF (like the 85L), bokeh can look weird sometimes
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Although relegated to museum status by most, this lens can work wonders if you use it correctly. My copy is pretty sharp in the center wide open, and increases in sharpness until about f/2. After that, I can't really tell a difference. Vignetting is there, but nothing troublesome unless you're taking landscape shots. Of course, why would you with this lens? It's definitely an available light lens meant for portraiture and art. The colors and saturation in available low lighting is very nice which, in addition to the f/1.0 bokeh gives it a distinctive look. For the most part, the bokeh is nice and creamy. Out of focus higlights in the background can have the concentric ring, onion pattern sometimes. It isn't a huge deal for me, but if you're looking for it you'll find it. It's a pretty heavy lens with a slow AF, much like the 85L. It has the focus by wire thing, meaning even manual focus is slightly sluggish (again, like the 85L). Overall, I think it's a fantastic lens to use. So much so, I'm going to buy back the one I sold!
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Jan 13, 2010
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dancam
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Nov 13, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 1638
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Review Date: Jun 12, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $3,650.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Amazing bokeh and excellent IQ. A real low light monster.
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Cons:
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The price and very slow AF
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The 50 f/1.0 is nothing short of amazing. This lens has a very distinctive look and the images that it generates are absolute magic. My copy is supprisingly sharp wide open and improves slightly when stopped down. It has very noticeable vignetting wide open to about f/2. It will also flare easily into the sun or other bright points of light. These to qualities where actually something I was looking for so I don't consider them negatives. The lens delivers a timeless, flattering look to portraits. The 50 1.0L pairs nicely to the 5D2 which makes the combo useable in almost near darkness and also gives the ability to correct for the vignetting if so desired. The only real negative of this lens for me is the slow AF. Don't use this lens for chasing toddlers or sports action. The size, weight, and design/build is almost identical to the 85L. The price is worth every penny if this on your list.
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Jun 12, 2009
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eraneran70
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Registered: Apr 16, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Apr 17, 2009
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Gaonan
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Registered: Feb 23, 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Dec 8, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $2,200.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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low light ability and can be handy to use in broad range of condition.
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Cons:
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Not shape with f1.0 due to very shallow DOF.
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bought it used at a image show recently. Heard a lot about poor IQ but want to check it out personally. It is very difficult to use with wide open f1.0 due to very shallow DOF. I took some pictures during the show, the images were pleasing but not sharp. Eyes were sharp but ears were not sharp. But when use with f1.2 or higher aperture, it is as good as other 50mm lenses. Because of its beautiful bokeh, I believe that it can prouce beatiful pictures in certain condition or special effects.
The following picture taken with this lens with 1dmkIIn:
http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/view?id=2263893
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Dec 8, 2008
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Mimoso
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Registered: May 20, 2005
Location: Portugal
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Feb 20, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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I just saw some amazing daylight and indoor shots from this lens on Jessica Claire's Blog: http://www.jessicaclaire.net/index.cfm?postID=263
Even though they're highly processed, the overall quality, especialy those in daylight (one of the main negative issues that critics often point to this lens), is simply amazing!
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Feb 20, 2008
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pookipichu
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Registered: Jul 13, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1786
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Review Date: Feb 6, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $4,000.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Widest aperture available for 35mm, bokeh, color, build quality, accurate focus
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Cons:
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Price, heavy.
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Cons - The lens is incredibly expensive in new condition. Rather large and heavy for a 50mm lens. Focus speed is slightly faster than 85mm f/1.2L mk II, in other words, slow. Lens flares easily when shooting into the sun. Barrel distortion evident.
Pros - 1.0 is amazing. Shooting in near darkness, capturing the otherwise uncapturable. The colors are beautifully rendered in tones and saturation. Build quality is excellent, and focus is accurate, snapping with confidence.
Mixed - Lens is not as sharp as the 85mm 1.2Ls, but sharper or sharp as the 50mm 1.2 in the samples I owned/tested. Lens vignettes HEAVILY in many lighting conditions, beautiful for vintage photos/portraits, but easily can annoy those who don't like vignetting. Very low contrast, which I love, but if you like snappy photos/jpeg out of camera, well you might need to turn up the contrast settings.
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Feb 6, 2008
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M Annaratone
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Registered: Apr 14, 2007
Location: Italy
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Apr 14, 2007
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Recommend? no |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Substantial vignetting (in line with that of the Noctilux, qualitatively speaking) at f/1.0 and even at f/1.4, but that was to be expected. Resolution at full aperture and whereabouts is sufficient at best. This too is not surprising. Significant barrel distortion, and that was a real surprise to me. Lastly, the unfortunate habit of Canon to design heavy and bulky lenses (the Noctilux is half of the Canon 50/1.0: is this because of the AF?). Someone should explain the rationale to me, I just don't get it.
Any 1.0 lens has a ton of appeal, and indeed there are situations where the extremely shallow depth of field becomes a creative tool in the hands of the photographer. But my take is that the 50/1.0 is by now a somewhat old design and the new 50/1.2 a much, much better use of one's money. For collectors of exotic pieces of glass --- and Canon's 50/1.0 is undoubtedly a milestone in 35mm lens design --- the story is of course different.
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Apr 14, 2007
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Amsterdam
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Registered: Jun 16, 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Oct 11, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $2,000.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Excellent low ligh capabilities, dreamy bokeh (tho not as good as the 85mm f/1.2),
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Cons:
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Price, softness of the picture at f/1.0 (high ISO and noise reduction can make this even worse), slow AF, vignetting
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I've used this lens for a few years and finally decided to sell it. I was quite happy with it tho. I mainly used it for the available light shooting at f/1.0. That's what this lens is made for. For all other kinds of photography a 50mm f/1.4 is a much better choice.
I do recommend this lens only if your favorite style of photography is available light or street photography.
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Oct 11, 2006
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Lars Johnsson
Online
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Registered: Jun 29, 2003
Location: Sweden
Posts: 32077
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Review Date: Sep 29, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Very fast,Build
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Cons:
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A bit soft at large apertures, expensive
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Very similar to the 85/1,2. But not as sharp as that lens. Especially wide open or close you will see the difference.
Fantastic ability in low light.
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Sep 29, 2006
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johnastovall
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Registered: Apr 7, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 1332
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Review Date: Sep 3, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $3,900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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You can shot where no other Canon lens can. Interesting Monet like Bokeh. This will the low noise Canon dSLRs and you can truly stalk light in the night. Beautiful solid build.
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Cons:
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Its cost but you get what you pay for. Very hard to learn to use with in it's DOF. But it's the only game in town for SLR's.
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I love shooting in low light at night and this is the greatest one for that. It takes time to master and learn what it will do and what it does. But on a 5D body it opens up the nigth to you. No tripod just walking the streets, taking snaps of the dark world. Here is come of the thing's I've doe with it. All were taken before the sun was above the horizion.
http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=635539
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Sep 3, 2006
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KPV-1Ds
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Dec 29, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1132
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Review Date: May 20, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $3,500.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Low light shooting ability, amazing build quality, selectable focusing range, exellent bokeh
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Cons:
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Bokeh not as smooth as the 85mm f/1.2, crazy used price tag...more than original price!
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I first saw this lens in my dealer's shop when I picked up my first DSLR, the Canon 1Ds. It was in his personal collection and he wasn't interested in selling it. He let me try it out in his shop though. I fell in love with this lens and vowed to own one someday.
This lens has become somewhat analagous to a mythical creature. Its extraordinary used price tag keeps it out of reach of most, except for the terminally insane, such as myself.
Well, it is 2006 and I have upgraded the original 1Ds to a 1Ds Mark II. The 50mm f/1.0 lens has been discontinued for a number of years. It was still desirable to me so when a good example came on the market, I decided to buy it.
I really love this lens. I don't necessarily always use its primary feature, the f1.0 stop, but it has proven itself in the mid stop range quite commendably. I like having the ability to shoot in a wide variety of lighting conditions without changing lenses.
I prefer it over my 85mm f1.2 many times due to the wider field of view.
Will the newer, faster focusing, 50mm lenses beat it in a pixel peeping contest? In the majority of cases, yes. Will they be able to open up to f/1.0? Nope.
I will admit, part of this purchase was emotional. It was a chance to own the mythical beast that has been touted unobtainium.
I can't recommend it to the masses due to its hefty price, however, if you have the spare change and a good copy is available, I urge you to try it out. You just might like it as much as I do!
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May 20, 2006
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bayerische
Offline
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Registered: Feb 24, 2004
Location: Finland
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Mar 3, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,400.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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F:1.0! Solid build, you can almost smell the quality.
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Cons:
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Weight, but that comes almost always hand in hand with quality. Price. Extremely difficult to use.
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WellI bought this lens a bit inpulsively. It's used, but as new. Price paid 1400€.
The F1.0 aperture makes otherwise impossible shots a possibility. In the middle of night I can shoot at a shutter speed from 40-80/1 sec. During day it's almost impossible to use the F1.0 outside, it's simply too light.
Optical performance at maximum aperture don't really blow you away, but stopped down to 2.8, or even better 5.6 it's good.
But the real show stealer is ofcourse the Aperture, and the possibilities it gives the lens users.
The lens is difficult to use, and it is a special tool, it's not you average lens. When used for portraiture, the focus areas dept might be as shallow as 2-3mm, so focusing takes on a new meaning.
I believe it's original price was about 3300€ in Finland. That's a lot! You get the 1.4 and 1.8 50mm for about 100€ and 350€, so you pay a lot of money for the aperture, and the 1kg weight.
I think many people don't like this lens, because even the 1.8 50mm lens can out perform it, but this lens is not ment for razor harp pictures, it's ment for low-light work. And the effect you get from this lens, can't be reproduced by any other lens. It's simply super for what it was intended for.
I would never had payed 3300€ for it, but 1400€ is a reasonable price for a mint specimen.
Even though its dinosaur weight, millionaire price-tag, shabby slow focus and not so sharp images at f1.0 I will rate it EXCELLENT. Because it really is excellent. It's a specialist tool, and it can get you those impossible shots. It's pretty small, and so solidly built I think it would fit god as a coconut cracker.
Love working with it. If you love low light, handheld, so much different than tripod work. Find yourself one. It's not easy to find one. And last its price is done sinking, it will become a rarity.
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Mar 3, 2004
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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18
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292754
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Jan 17, 2013
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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89% of reviewers
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$2,859.09
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.64
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6.42
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8.8
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