canon 50mm 1.8 classic vs II

Scuba · Oct 18, 2011

So Is there a difference optically? It seems the II version was a downgrade from the classic. Was this to make room for the 1.4? The classic and the 1.4 look farely similar. I have had a budget change since my wife now wants to keep my xsi body for her but I need a lens for my 5D classic for a couple months. So I am looking at the 1.8 now and a guy has the classic for sale on CL for $90.

mrelsewhere · Oct 18, 2011

Regarding price, you can get the 1.8II for $104 on Amazon right now.

BuS_RiDeR · Oct 18, 2011

Not sure of the difference between the classic and the II.

I own the Canon 50mm II and am VERY satisfied with it. Especially considering the price.

Here is an example of the results I get...

Sw1tchFX · Oct 18, 2011

optics are the same i think, it's just the exterior. Of the two, the classic is built more like the Nikon and at least has focus scales.

dakkon76 · Oct 19, 2011

I love my Sigma 50mm f/1.4, granted it's a little more spendy. If you plan on using the 50mm a lot, the 1.8 will bug you. Very noisy and clunky and just feels really cheap. It retained it's value fine when I re-sold it, but I outgrew it pretty quickly, for what it's worth.

Dao · Oct 19, 2011

If the lens is in good shape, $90 is a good price.

I used to own the MK I and the MK II version at one point of time. I really did not notice any different between them as far as image quality concern. I bought the MK I and sold the MK II later simply because of the following ...

- Better build
- Manual focus ring is not at the front of the lens (MK II)
- Metal Mount (I prefer metal mount)

Of course, there is a distance scale on the old one but I do not use it much at all. AF speed is about the same, nothing spectacular.

I sold the 50mm mk I lens later on for over $120 on CL after I bought a used f/1.4. The f/1.4 is a little bit bigger and the AF is better than both f/1.8 version. And it has the full time manual override focus as well.

Scuba · Oct 19, 2011

Dao said:
If the lens is in good shape, $90 is a good price.

I used to own the MK I and the MK II version at one point of time. I really did not notice any different between them as far as image quality concern. I bought the MK I and sold the MK II later simply because of the following ...

- Better build
- Manual focus ring is not at the front of the lens (MK II)
- Metal Mount (I prefer metal mount)

Of course, there is a distance scale on the old one but I do not use it much at all. AF speed is about the same, nothing spectacular.

I sold the 50mm mk I lens later on for over $120 on CL after I bought a used f/1.4. The f/1.4 is a little bit bigger and the AF is better than both f/1.8 version. And it has the full time manual override focus as well.

Yeah the metal mount appeals to me as well and the focus ring. And like I said it seems to be a better build and looks more like the 1.4. If the optics are the same I don't see why they changed it for the II

Scuba · Oct 19, 2011

dakkon76 said:
I love my Sigma 50mm f/1.4, granted it's a little more spendy. If you plan on using the 50mm a lot, the 1.8 will bug you. Very noisy and clunky and just feels really cheap. It retained it's value fine when I re-sold it, but I outgrew it pretty quickly, for what it's worth.

Yeah I have looked at the sigma 1.4 and really liked it however right now with my wife wanting to keep the other camera now it has ate up my funds for glass so for now I will be stuck with the 1.8. The only thing I don't like about the sigma is the size. It is quite a bit bigger then the canon 1.4. However it is marginally better optically and has the larger filter size which I like. The price difference hurts though from the canon 1.4.

Scuba · Oct 19, 2011

mrelsewhere said:
Regarding price, you can get the 1.8II for $104 on Amazon right now.

True but if the optics are the same and the classic has a better build to it I will take that for $90.

Big Mike · Oct 19, 2011

I think they changed the design/build of the II model, to keep it cheap. The 50mm F1.8 has always (I think) been Canon's cheapest lens and even though it's cheap, it has decent optics. So in order to keep this lens as inexpensive as possible, they changed the lens mount to plastic, took out the distance scale etc.

If you see the I version for $90....jump on it, if it's in good shape. I was just looking around and I've seen it listed for well over $200. That seems like a lot for this little lens, part of it is probably the 'cool' factor...being able to say that you have the 'reto version' of the 50mm F1.8. :lol: