Here's my situation. I've had and sold the Canon 50 1.8 II and the 50 1.4. I sold the 50 1.8 II with a body (buyer needed a lens) and I had upgraded to the 50 1.4. However, the build quality on the 50 1.4 was just disappointing for the price difference -- I bought the lens brand new -- the focus ring was unacceptably gritty for manual focusing and it just didn't feel up to the quality of the other non-L primes.
Now, I'm without a 50mm lens for my 5Dmk2 and I find I'm missing that length a bit. As I've been 'burned' by the 50 1.4, I really don't want to get another copy. Should I just pick up another 50 1.8 II and call it good? I've never held/used the 50 1.8 I version -- is it worth the extra money for a nice used copy? Are there other brands of 50mm lenses I should be thinking about?
It seems like with Canon, it's either a dirt-cheap 1.8, a marginally better-made 1.4, and then a huge jump to the 50L 1.2.
I'm looking for something with AF -- I had the Rockinon 85 1.4 and it was wonderfully sharp -- but trying to hand-hold and eyeball the focus on anything wide aperture can be rough. I don't want to have to put in a focusing screen, etc.
how about the Zeiss ZE 50mm f1.4... I have it on my Canon 5D mki... love it... it is metal so built quality is great... bokeh is also better then the Canon's version... or so it seemed to me =)
agreed; that's why I don't bother with a 50 anymore (had the 1.8, 1.4, and a sigma macro). I went with an 85/1.8, which is a dynamite lens in all respects. I like tighter shots, so it works for me when I am not using the 24-70
oops just read the other message u wrote =)... yea you have to MF this one but it is very easy to do... also has that electronic verification when it is in focus... after some handling, you'll get the hang of it
timbop wrote:
agreed; that's why I don't bother with a 50 anymore (had the 1.8, 1.4, and a sigma macro). I went with an 85/1.8, which is a dynamite lens in all respects. I like tighter shots, so it works for me when I am not using the 24-70
I sold the 50 1.4 for the 85 1.8 -- best lens decision I've made! My favorite non-L.
The Zeiss ZE 50/1,4 is a nice lens when shooting at longer distance. But it's rather soft wide open or close to wide open. Bokeh at long distance is very nice. But at short distance it can be funky and strange. Like this test shot http://www.pbase.com/larsjohnsson/image/134908234/original.jpg
I'm not questioning the IQ from the Canon 50 1.4, especially stopped down. I have some gorgeous photos from it. What bothers me is the micro USM and terrible focus ring. The lens was in my hands one month, brand new, and it felt like I had been using it roughly for a couple years. The front element was also 'wiggly', the external focusing part.
Pixel Perfect wrote:
Sigmalux 50 f/1.4. Sharp near and far, beautiful creamy bokeh, fast AF. Try it out if you are worried about AF, but mine worked out of the box fine.
I've heard the Sigma's build quality is much better than the Canon 1.4. I see there's been some one the boards here tested by people before selling -- that would ease my fears. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm really liking the sample pics from the lens.
