never had any problems with flare at a concert ... ahh well. we ordered it (3x) and i'm going to loan one when it comes in in november and do some concert shooting. maybe i'll go and apply for a photopass for Tool
fotografur wrote:
I wonder if there are a lot of bad copies of the 50f1.4 out there or do I have a great copy. A lot of people I know love their f1.4. I have no problems with mine. I use it all the time @ f1.4 and it focuses fast and just fine.
Not for fast moving sports, but I don't think the new 50L is going to be blazing fast also.
My 50/1.4 is quite sharp wide open too, as long as the AF is right. Especially in low light, I feel AF isn't consistent. See this full image: http://www.xs4all.nl/~lex1963/images/T50-1.jpg
I engaged the AF several times and took a shot in between, giving these 4 100% crops: http://www.xs4all.nl/~lex1963/images/T50-2.jpg
All the shots were taken wide open at f/1.4, tripod, MLU, remote release.
#1 and #2 are unsharp, #3 and #4 are quite OK for me. It is this AF inaccuracy I would like to see improved on the new 50/1.2.
BTW, in this series it looks like the AF improves every shot. Unfortunately this isn't always the case. I've done several tests and sometimes the first shot is the most accurate.
Good point Lex.
Scattered copies of the 50 f/1.4 appear to be suffering from all three adverse issues: lack of sharpness wide open, systematic AF error (bias) and random AF error ("slop")...the last one is what your images probably illustrate.
I trust the 50 f/1.2 should not exibit AF "slop".
Additionally, the out-of-factory AF calibration will probably be done as accurately as currently practical for Canon.....I think they know that a very fast lens with a shoddy calibration would likely result in a flood of warranty claims everywhere the lens is sold. That would not make good business sense.
handheld wrote:
Good point Lex.
Scattered copies of the 50 f/1.4 appear to be suffering from all three adverse issues: lack of sharpness wide open, systematic AF error (bias) and random AF error ("slop")...the last one is what your images probably illustrate.
Yes, I also think it is "slop". BTW, if the light is better (i.e. daylight) the AF is much better. But since I use this lens more than 50% of the time for available light, that is not much use for me
AF of the 50/1.2 doesn't need to be faster for me, as long as it is more accurate.
lexvo wrote:
My 50/1.4 is quite sharp wide open too, as long as the AF is right. Especially in low light, I feel AF isn't consistent. See this full image: http://www.xs4all.nl/~lex1963/images/T50-1.jpg
I engaged the AF several times and took a shot in between, giving these 4 100% crops: http://www.xs4all.nl/~lex1963/images/T50-2.jpg
All the shots were taken wide open at f/1.4, tripod, MLU, remote release.
#1 and #2 are unsharp, #3 and #4 are quite OK for me. It is this AF inaccuracy I would like to see improved on the new 50/1.2.
BTW, in this series it looks like the AF improves every shot. Unfortunately this isn't always the case. I've done several tests and sometimes the first shot is the most accurate.
...Show more →
OK Lex but it is sharp! Look at your Taxfile and your Rabobank lol
AF innacuracy is something is something that happens in low light. BTW I am not going to upgrade my 50/1.4 as I am fairly happy with it. Ok it could have some more sharpness @1.4-1.8 but from 2.0 upwards it is a fantastic performer so I will rather spend my bucks om something else. I did the same comparison between the 35/2.0 and 35L where the difference did justify the 35L; the choice between 85L and my 85/1.8... same as with the 50.
Krien wrote:
OK Lex but it is sharp! Look at your Taxfile and your Rabobank lol
AF innacuracy is something is something that happens in low light. BTW I am not going to upgrade my 50/1.4 as I am fairly happy with it. Ok it could have some more sharpness @1.4-1.8 but from 2.0 upwards it is a fantastic performer so I will rather spend my bucks om something else. I did the same comparison between the 35/2.0 and 35L where the difference did justify the 35L; the choice between 85L and my 85/1.8... same as with the 50.
cheers
Yes, I agree: it is sharp, even wide open it is quite sharp. Mind you: despite this moderate AF performance in low light, I really like this lens as it is compact, light weight and gets very sharp when stopped down a bit. It is one of the lenses I use the most.
And if the AF would be off like in #2 every now and than I wouldn't mind at all. It is that OOF like #1 that bothers me, because shots will be out of focus at f/2 and even smaller also. I've had too many shots which would be keepers if the AF had performed a little better (I use it a lot for low light photography). I feel my 135/2 is much better when it comes to AF.
And yes, it is a Rabobank folder I guess I have to look into that folder real good to see if I will be able to buy this 50/1.2 But, like I said, for this moment I'm happy with my 50/1.4
I'm one of those who hates the 50/1.4. It is not sharp as I would expect wide open and it's focusing in low light is an abomination. I buy fast lenses to be used in low light and wide open not for going around shooting in bright sun at f/8.0.
But the really poor thing is the build quality. I would be happy if it had the preformance and build of the 85/1.8 but it doesn't.
I look forward to getting the 50/1.2L and comparing it to my 50/1.0L.
Yes, I need to sell the 50 now that I have the f/1.0.
lexvo wrote:
Well... not at $1600 or so. Maybe if it drops a bit in price I think about it
The price of 50 f1.2 might drop suprisingly soon: The largest (?) Finnish on-line retailer who presumably buys their camera stuff from Germany offers now these binding (= binding to them) prices for the new Canon stuff:
- EOS 400D: 800 EUR
- EF 70-200 f4L IS: 1250 EUR
- EF 50 f1.2L: 1250 EUR (yes, I got an e-mail confirmation from them that this is their correct price at the moment)
Having the EUR price numbers matching 1:1 the USD price recommendation for the 2 first items is unfortunately as expected, because of about 7% customs and 22% value added tax in Finland, which approximately equals EUR and USD price numbers, as long as the exchange rate is in the 1.25-1.30 window. (This retailer also lists 85 f1.2L II as 2000 EUR, while the de-facto US street price is 2100 USD before US tax.)
What I try to tell here is that their equal price for both of the new lenses is a pretty clear indication of downward price pressure for the global street prices of 50 f1.2L.
They claim 2 to 5 weeks time before availability for the new lenses, which is not very credible.
B&H have the lens listed now at $1,600 US, which is exactly what has been expected. They are not accepting orders yet......the availability date has not been specified.
I figure the lens price should drop to $1500 or so within a few months.
Koivulehto wrote:
The price of 50 f1.2 might drop suprisingly soon: The largest (?) Finnish on-line retailer who presumably buys their camera stuff from Germany offers now these binding (= binding to them) prices for the new Canon stuff:
- EOS 400D: 800 EUR
- EF 70-200 f4L IS: 1250 EUR
- EF 50 f1.2L: 1250 EUR (yes, I got an e-mail confirmation from them that this is their correct price at the moment)
Having the EUR price numbers matching 1:1 the USD price recommendation for the 2 first items is unfortunately as expected, because of about 7% customs and 22% value added tax in Finland, which approximately equals EUR and USD price numbers, as long as the exchange rate is in the 1.25-1.30 window. (This retailer also lists 85 f1.2L II as 2000 EUR, while the de-facto US street price is 2100 USD before US tax.)
What I try to tell here is that their equal price for both of the new lenses is a pretty clear indication of downward price pressure for the global street prices of 50 f1.2L.
They claim 2 to 5 weeks time before availability for the new lenses, which is not very credible. ...Show more →
Am I missing something in this post? When I multiply 1250 times the current conversion rate of 1.28, I get US $1600.00. How does this represent a price drop
Roger Ramjet wrote:
Am I missing something in this post? When I multiply 1250 times the current conversion rate of 1.28, I get US $1600.00. How does this represent a price drop
The part that I didn't explain is that the Finnish retail prices include the value added tax of 22%, which has already been added to a non-taxed price. So I really can order this particular lens in Finland for about $1600 including the tax and the customs. If I would order it from US, I would need to pay both the customs and value added tax on top of the US price (= $1600 x 1.07 x 1.22).
But the easiest way to cope these calculations goes like this: The list price of EUR 1250 in Finland for 70-200 f4L IS is in correct proportion to the recommended US price, while the same list price for 50 f1.2L has a rather supprising equivalent of $350 discount embedded.
I am not trying to say that it would make sense to anyone outside EU to even consider ordering the lens with such high value added tax, but it hints to a good chance of global non-taxed street prices to drop very soon to much below $1600.
Actually it's always slightly misleading when comparing US prices with European one's since in the USA prices are shown BEFORE ADDING Sales and other taxes which might add another 10% or so on the price.
In Europe you usually get the prices with VAT (and other where applicable) taxes added.
However with the USD dropping a bit against the EUR it might make sense to source your supplies from the USA through somewhere like Guernsey which has no VAT.
