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Its definitely the best of the 50mm lenses. But it is 3 times more money than the 50mm 1.4 and I would not say it's 3 times as good

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Camera: Canon 550D with battery grip
Lenses: Canon 24-105mm f/4L, Canon 50mm f1.4, Canon 18-55mm, Tamron 70-300mm,
Accessories: Manfrotto 055XPROB with 808RC4 head, Canon 430ex II speedlite, Lowepro Nova 180AW and Lowepro Pro Runner 450AW

Oh that is so lame, every hot girl who can aim a camera thinks she’s a photographer -Stewie Griffin

I am so new to DSLR photography that I wanted to know if I would even like a 50mm prime in the first place on my crop frame camera. So about a week after I got my camera I ordered a 1.8 II, I figured I could gamble $99.95 to see how I felt about a 50mm. I also wanted a lens that I could use in low light, without a flash.

The verdict is yes,I do like the focal length with my 1.6 FOVCF camera and I like the fast aperture even better.

The other thought I had prior to ordering this lens was that I figured if I ended up liking the lens, when it came time to upgrade I would most likely skip past the 1.4 and wait until I could afford the L lens.

At this point I love the 1.8 II and I haven't even used it a ton. I think it is very adequately built, although it surely won't impress anyone. The focus is loud, I must admit I thought maybe folks were exaggerating but its clunky. It doesn't really detract from the overall value of this lens because the investment is so cheap.

So for me, for now its the 1.8 II

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Canon EOS T2i/550D
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Manfrotto 055XPROB

I chose that one mainly because

1) I cannot justify paying for the f/1.2
2) The build quality is *much* better than the f/1.8
3) It gather twice as much light as the f/1.8

Well I bought the Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX.

It had good build an image quality for quite a low price.

But I dont really Like it. The AF is very inconsistent quite slow however the HSM is silent. Well sigmas are known to make lenses with horrible AF.

A Canon 50mm 1.2L II would be an ideal replacement for it.

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http://www.AnderssonPhoto.com
Cameras: Leica M8, Nikon FE-2, Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, 5D Mark II, 40D
Lenses: Voigtländer Nokton Classic 35mm 1.4, Ultra Wide Heliar 12mm 5.6 ASPH II, Nikkor AI-S 28mm 2.8, Canon 24-70 2.8L, 85mm 1.2L II, 300mm 2.8L IS, TS-E 45mm 2.8, Sigma 105mm 2.8 Macro
Canon 1.4x/2X TC II, Canon 580EX II X2, Gitzo + Manfrotto.
Wishlist: Leica Monochrom, Summilux 50 ASPH, Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 ASPH II

I bought the Sigma 50mm 1.4. I find that it is very difficult to focus and keep your focal point with too small a dof. I find that at 2-2.2 I can get great low light shots. Normally you need to go up 2 stops or so to get the best image quality in a lens.

I don't believe that I have an AF problem but I did have to set the micro adjustment near max to eliminate BF.

It has a nice broke.

hi guys.lets revive this thread i really wanted the 1.4 but as my budget is not enough for the 1.4, i bought the 1.8.good sharp photos.i mainly use it as a walk around lens. and getting used to it gives me the rush to get the creative juices flowing when only using 1 lens

I have the 1.8 mk I as a hangover from my film days and it has sat at the bottom of my camera bag for years. You guys have inspired me to get it onto the 40D and give it a whirl

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EOS 40D / Ixus 500 / S95, Canon 24-105 F4L, 50 F1.8, Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS, Canon 10-22 IS, Speedlite 430EX II, 580 EXII
My flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/hairyfrog/

I just purchased the 50mm 1.2L USM, and after stumbling a bit at first with it, am really starting to love it. This gives me weather-sealing, which is relevant at work, where I must shoot in all weather, and in the backyard, where there is a pool, and at my nephew's swim meets. I will not normally shoot wide-open, but the option is certainly there, when I want the shallow depth of field, or want to freeze action in low light.

Now, with two 7D bodies, and 100mm and 50mm weather-sealed L lenses, I will rarely have to switch lenses.

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Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro

@hairyfrog,

The mark 1 is actually superior to the mark 2 due to it's construction. To my knowledge, it uses the same optics. Because of this, it actually goes for more than a new mark 2 on the used market. If you have this lens collecting dust somewhere, by all means start using it and post some pictures. The learning curve on a prime is fun.

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Canon 5DIII, Rebel XTi/400D
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II, 24-105mm f/4L, 50mm f/1.4, 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DO, 85mm f/1.8
Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX Macro
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
Canon 430EX II
Opteka 13mm, 21mm, and 31mm extension tubes
Vivitar 50mm f/1.8 for OM System

I recently purchased the 50mm 1/8 for my first piece of glass over the usual kit Lens. I cannot however experience the potential good & bad has i haven't yet purchased a camera...that's next on the list.

50mm f1.8
My first buy after 550D with kit lenses 18-55mm and 70-300mm
50mm takes much sharper pics than above mentioned kit lenses.
Not so cheap for me as it amounts 1/4 of my monthly salary. Build quality is really terrible, and focus keeps hunting in low light. Anyways good for me

But the focus hunting in low light is more a camera's problem than a lens's.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon EOS 33v
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Okay need some help here please.

I have a 1.4 and the following HUGE problem:
Just performed this test: 60d on tripod with 50mm 1.4 on it, aimed at an open book about 1.5m in front. Selected upper right focus point and made a shot with a 2sec timer at f1.4. At 100% magnification the letters are completely blurred and unreadable. Focused on approximately the same area using liveview contrast focus. As expected - tack sharp. Repeated test on upper left focus point. Same results. Then used center focus point. The text was readable but still not as tack sharp as in LV. Repeated test with these focus points at f4. Difference is a lot less visible thanks to DOF but it is still there...

Can anyone advice on this? Do I need calibration and if so has anyone got experience in doing it on their own?
I do not think it's the camera problem, since it works great with my two other lenses, AND it's my second body and the first one also often delivered blurred shots with this lens.
And I really don't want to do expensive calibration. I'd rather sell the lens if it's impossible to calibrate it at home..

I'd appreciate any help, and am sorry if it's a little off-topic

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Canon 60D (+Magic Lantern)
Canon EF-S 18-135mm IS, Canon EF 50mm F1.4, Tamron SP 70-300mm VC USD, Helios 44-2
Canon Speedlite 430EXII
Benro A300F Tripod + BH1 Ballhead


History:
Canon Rebel T2i

Sounds like a classic case of focus adjust, and unfortunately for you the 60D doesn't have that function. If you had the 50D or 7D you could, but not the 60D. As it stands, you would be looking at a lens and/or body calibration. I don't have proof but anecdotally Canon will do one calibration free within warranty.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Update.
Well, my lens (and most painfully camera body) spent about a month in local Canon Service Center. And in a few days I'll collect it same as it was. Apparently their "engineer" was completely unable to fix the problem, moreover he assured me that he had known this problem and that any lens brighter than f2.8 will always be out of focus on ANY 60D.
This Canon service center is the only one there is in my city (Yekateriburg, Russia) and though it doesn't have Canon written on its front door, they do claim that they are "Authorized ..."

Few things I learn from this (And a word of advice to everybody):
1: Next time I realize I have a bad example of lens I'll just sell it ASAP.
2: Buying this kind of gear from e-bay is not such a great idea (even though lenses and digital cameras on ebay are 20-50% cheaper than from local retailers).
3: Canon really has to open their own proper store and service center in Yekaterinburg,a city with about 2 million people. Nikon has been here for a while now.

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Canon 60D (+Magic Lantern)
Canon EF-S 18-135mm IS, Canon EF 50mm F1.4, Tamron SP 70-300mm VC USD, Helios 44-2
Canon Speedlite 430EXII
Benro A300F Tripod + BH1 Ballhead


History:
Canon Rebel T2i