Canon EF 50mm 1.4

[Daniel Matthews]

For about 7 months now I have been using the Canon EF 50mm 1.8 with my Canon 7D, it's a very cheap lens (paid £70) and produces fantastic images but I feel as though it's time I went up a level and considered buying the f1.4.

Does anyone else own this lens? What do you think of it? Is it worth the £300 tag over the 1.8?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I own the 1.4 - can't comment compared to the 1.8 as I've never owned that lens, but I do love the look of the images I get from the 1.4

I bought mine specifically because I had a mate's wedding to do - and it was recommended by a bunch of wedding photogs as a 'must have' lens - at least that's what I told my wife! LOL

I used it on the day, and it gave me the dreamy narrow DOF shots I was after, and allowed me to work without flash at the reception, in very low light - definitely a winner.

Since then it's done great service - mixed of people shots and more general stuff - even did a day out shooting landscape with it as a change of pace for myself.

Construction is ok - not an L lens, but it's a lot cheaper. AF is a little noisy, but seems to be fast enough - I use it a lot on AI Servo when trying to keep up with kids!!

When you're at f1.4 the DOF is almost nothing on a FF camera, slightly more on a crop sensor - although still wafer thin, so extreme care is needed to get the right bit in focus.

BOKEH is lovely - which is the whole point I think.

Any way, picture worth a thousand words etc etc - some samples:

From the original wedding day shoot -

And other stuff:

 

[Daniel Matthews]

That is exactly the review I hoping for, the 1.8 does not compare to the photos you have displayed, definitely has helped with my choice.

As for the noisy AF, I am very used to that with the 1.8 as it is a cheap lens it does make a lot of noise during focus and often misses the focus point. Which leads me to switch to MF and just do it myself!

Thank you Chris for your time to write and post pictures.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

No probs - I think you'll be very happy with the lens - especially with the image quality you have from the 7D.

Also makes a great video lens, with the narrow DOF possibilities.

Believe I had to buy the hood separately if I remember correctly - worth checking - ES-71II

 

[Hamish Gill]

just to throw a spanner in the works ... since you already have a very fast 50mm lens why not look at another focal length ... im not expert on canon lenses but why not look to get a 35mm prime or 85mm prime
the difference between 1.4 and 1.8 in terms of light gathering power is negligible

 

[Pete Askew]

And 85mm might suit your subject matter a bit better. Choices, choices!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Ah, but with the 7D crop factor, 85mm becomes too long for inside work...

 

[Pete Askew]

Of course, I keep forgetting about that. Ignore me Daniel, the 50 would be better in that case I would think (looking at your Flickr stream).

 

[Hamish Gill]

135mm(approx) makes nice portraits though

 

[Tim Pindar]

I have the 50mm 1.4.

Some pictures of mine with the lens were in this thread:


http://www.realphotographersforum.com/threads/333-Photo-s-taken-with-Canon-50mm-f-1.4-Lens

and here

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/threads/736-My-niece

I've grown to love it now.

Just be aware that at fully open aperture the depth of field is very narrow indeed. Great for when you want or can cope with the effect, but can be hard to get used to. However the overall quality of the lens - and bokeh - is great.

A good comparative review is here:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-50mm-f-1.4-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

 

[Darren Bradley]

I also have this lens, after originally owning the 1.8 you have. Quality of this lens is excellent and I really have no complaints. Granted, trying to shoot fast moving children with it wide open is a bit of a challenge due to the wafer-thin DOF, but otherwise it's great. But frankly, the 1.8 was also very good. I think there IS a difference. The f1.4 has creamier bokeh to my eye. But that difference is subtle. I'll let you be the judge:

Here's the 50mm f1.8 wide open






And here's the 50mm f1.4 wide open...

 

[Darren Bradley]

Oh, and I also own the 85mm f1.8, which is an excellent portrait lens in its own right. I don't use it much, but when I do I wonder why I don't use it more often. Here are a few shots of that, wide open at f1.8:

 

[Pete Askew]

Love no 5 Darren, bit of a '50's icecream bar look going on there! The PP / colour temp matches the feel beautifully.

 

[Darren Bradley]

Thanks, Pete. That's exactly the sort of effect I was shooting for here.

 

[Dennis Ernst]

I've used the Canon 50 1.4 for a couple years and do like the results I get with it. I too, wanted something built a little better than the 1.8. I hate to say it but I do have friends with the 1.8 that do just as well to even a little better than my copy.

I think that every lens comes with some small errors and so does every camera. If they happen to sync it very cool and you get very sharp result but if they don't it's like they are always a shade off great. A friend of mine used my 1.4 on his 7d and it was amazing what he got. It was noticeably better than his 1.8. I think both lens were well within spec but the 1.4 happened to be a little more in sync with his 7d.

I'd be thinking of looking at something other than the 50. Take a look at what you shoot and see if there is a lens that expand your photography horizon just a bit.

Dennis

 

[Mike Milton]

My philosophy in lens buying is to gain the greatest expansion in the scope of my shooting for the money I'm spending. I've never found that upgrading an existing lens fits that test. My second preference is to either buy at the low or top end as the mid-range equipment always seems to me to be a compromise.

I had the 50F1.8 and it was just fine except for the old-style motor (which didn't make the pictures any worse). My son now has it and is quite happy with it. For me the great advantage was price and weight.

The best 50 I've owned was the FD50F1.0L but it was stolen. I presently use the 50F1.2Lii

Honestly, if I were you I'd keep the 1.8 and buy something that lets me do something new

 

[Hamish Gill]

Honestly, if I were you I'd keep the 1.8 and buy something that lets me do something new

yep, id agree with that!

 

[Randell John]

Whatever you do don't ever think about upgrading to the 50mm f1.2, I own one and to be quite honest after reading all the glowing reviews of this lens, I'm rather disappointed with it. It will give stunning bokeh, but generally it is very soft and shows an awful lot of vignette at low apertures.
It probably performs best at f5.6, but meanings that I bought this lens for is reported low light capability (Photographing weddings in small churches using ambient), I wish I had saved my self nearly a thousand pounds and bought the f1.4. Its a better lens and for the money you can't go wrong.
By the way I own an EF-S f1.8 that I used to use with my 450D, and I love it, I paid £80 for mine and value wise its the best lens I've ever owned.
Canon dropped the ball with the 50mm 1.2 and I am one very un happy photographer.
I have used the 85mm f1.2 (borrowed from a friend), and that is a totally different beast altogether - It does as it says on the can. (Focal length was a little long for me, otherwise I would have bought it before I bought the 50).

 

[Mike Milton]

Interesting.... that is not my experience with the 1.2 at least not with the mkii ('never had the mk1).

I did have the 85F1.2 mk1 and the mk2 is much better (the focussing motor on the mk1 died and CPS replaced the lens)

In any event, for the purposes of this thread, I'd not recommend any 50...

,

 

[Randell John]

Hi Mike, I also use the 5D Mkii, I just don't like the 50mm. Maybe I'm comparing it too much to the 85 I've used in the past, but these two lenses are in different classes, much reduced vignetting with the 85, and sharpness is absoulutely wonderful right down stops. I thought firstly that I had a back/forward focussing issue with my 50mm, but after the best part of 5 hours messing around with the micro adjustment I can't notice a difference in its performance. I don't think I've got a duff lens either, reading on some sites photonet etc... their testing also confirms that perhaps the 50 mm f1.2 is not the lens that Canon purport it to be. Last time I believe company blurb. Its been an expensive mistake for me and one I won't be repeating in the future. Thanks for your response.