So far my initial impression are that the 35L is faster focusing and has better bokeh wide open. At f/1.2 the 50mm has a very strange character to the bokeh, with almost a lensbaby-type quality. I think this is related to the issue people have pointed out with the oval-shaped highlights (which I'm seeing as well), which radiate out from the center. There's a marked change between f/1.2 and f/1.4 though, with the bokeh being not quite as strange there.
I'll try to use both this weekend at a party we're throwing - should have lots of opportunities to use them in similar conditions.
So, the 35/1.4 has faster AF, has better bokeh, has true IF design and is about 400$ cheaper. Case in point: The 35/1.4 is one of my dream lenses for years and when the 50/1.2 was announced I was wondering if I should get that one instead. I will now stick to my original plan.
Yakim Peled wrote:
So, the 35/1.4 has faster AF, has better bokeh, has true IF design and is about 400$ cheaper. Case in point: The 35/1.4 is one of my dream lenses for years and when the 50/1.2 was announced I was wondering if I should get that one instead. I will now stick to my original plan.
Yeah, but the 35L is 35mm and the 50L is 50mm. Soo... For what I want to use the 50mm for, I cannot use the 35L for. So in the end, the relative performance between the two is moot.
Yakim Peled wrote:
I actually prefer the 35mm FoV......
I actually prefer lenses that actually exist!
I still wonder why there are so few copies out there. Anyone know how Canon makes these lenses? I would expect several hundred to show up all at once at B&H, Adorama, etc. It's very surprising to see just a handful of copies show up at a few outlets. Makes we wonder if the existing copies are final production.
In the past, have new release lenses trickled out like this, or did they just show up everywhere at once in quantity?
When did FredMiranda.com become a representation of the entire population of camera owners? I reckon there's plenty of lenses out there, but most of them are in the hands of professionals who have better things to do that shoot tests shots of Christmas ornaments, pill bottles and camera boxes.
I appreciate your posting analysis re 50L. I have the 35L and want to add the 50L pending results = cost. At $1100 my order would be in, but $1500 is over my threshold right now.
CMOS,
"Makes we wonder if the existing copies are final production."
I share this thought with you, My hope is that 50L is in same class as 35L when in final production.
The 35-50-85 combo appeals to me for walk around shoots, one lens on camera, other 2 in pockets. My goal is primes, with quality results on these three I would sell my 24-70L.
I was on multiple waiting lists for the 50L and received 2 of them. My second lens was sold to a member on this forum, but there was over 25000 serial numbers of difference in one lens versus the other. 653xxx vs 679xxx. Both lenses had UU1000 date codes.
However, this may not mean that 25000 of these have been produced, as there may be some incremental skipping of serial numbers, instead of being consecutively numbered. But it probably does mean that many many have already been produced.
As for final production
I think you can be assured that Canon had "final production" on this lens or they would not have shipped it. But, this does not mean that they cannot or will not make adjustments / modifications to future production runs however.
Sam Bennett wrote:
When did FredMiranda.com become a representation of the entire population of camera owners? I reckon there's plenty of lenses out there, but most of them are in the hands of professionals who have better things to do that shoot tests shots of Christmas ornaments, pill bottles and camera boxes.
Yeah!
Im sure the pros unwrap their new lens on location and start shooting away.
DOH
Then they find out the lens is back focusing 6 inches and blurry. Sounds logical to me.
mbailey wrote:
Where are these lenses now? No one seems to have one in stock and most dealers I contacted have not had one yet.
As far as I can tell, the dealers that got them were the ones that specifically ordered them. My local dealer only received one - the one that I had ordered through them.
Interesting that both of those lenses had date codes of UU1000 - for two reasons. This suggests the lens was in production in October. So the lens was in production at least 5 weeks ago and possibly as long as 9 weeks ago.
In the recent past, I've purchased two date-coded lenses that had date codes exactly one month behind the then-current month.
Interesting that the Canon internal code portion of the date code (the last two digits is 00. The meaning of this code is a mystery.
As for dealers needing to specifically order the lens, my dealer said they've had an order for 12 of them in for some time. Still no lenses.
CMOS wrote:
As for dealers needing to specifically order the lens, my dealer said they've had an order for 12 of them in for some time. Still no lenses.
Doesn't mean much in of itself. The truth is that not all dealers have an equal relationships with Canon for a variety of reasons (the biggest one revolving around the ability to pay your debts in a timely manner) - there's one pro shop here that has a very hard time getting new Canon gear, the other is about as well stocked as your average Calumet on a regular basis. 3 years ago this wasn't the case, and it all has to do with their relationship with Canon which has improved immensely over the past few years. You can walk into this (relatively small) pro shop and buy just about any Canon L glass you want at any time, it's incredible. It's one of the reasons I continue to pay a premium for the convenience they provide me over what I could get online.
I reckon there's plenty of lenses out there, but most of them are in the hands of professionals who have better things to do that shoot tests shots of Christmas ornaments, pill bottles and camera boxes. 
