What is everyone's opinion of this lens?

[subscuck]

Nobody has mentioned yet how achingly slow it AF's, or how loud and clunky it is when it AF's. Or how it's low light AF reliability falls well below that of Canon's 1.4 and Sigma's 1.4. I've owned it, it met an early death and I upgraded it. Looking back now after owning my Sigma for a couple of years, if I had it to do over, I'd have bought the 1.4 right off the bat. The optics are good, but I find too much lacking that a 1.4 has.

I'm with Derrel on this. People make far more of this lens than what it really is. Is it better than no 50 at all? I suppose it is, but it ain't manna from heaven. But if you have the money, or know you'll upgrade it down the road, wait on the 1.4. It's money much better spent, and spent only once.

 

[Dao]

I currently own the EF 50mm f/1.4 usm.

Before that, I owned EF 50mm f/1.8 II and then EF 50mm f/1.8 mk1

Prefer f/1.4 > f/1.8 I > f/1.8 II

I bought the 50mm f/1.8 II new for $71 with a coupon from adorama in 2008 and later sold it for $78
I bought the 50mm f/1.8 I used for $65 and sold it later for $135.
Now I have the 50mm f/1.4. Bought it used for $275.


My point is, lens upgrading may not be wasting time and money as long as you know what you are doing. If you shop around, the used price for the 50mm f/1.8 II lens is around $80 (plus or minus $10). Use it and do not abuse it, so by the time you save enough money and ready to the f/1.4 version, you can sell it back on the market for about the same price you bought it for. It is because the demand for the popular lenses and the cost for the new one keep going up. So why wait until you have the cash for the f/1.4?

A brand new 50mm f/1.8 II was about $90 back in 2008 for most of the stores. (brick & mortars or online stores) But now, it is around $120. And that is why the used market is around $80. So if you are able to pick one up used for around $80, how much do you think you can sell it back for a year or 2 later? (I assume the new one will cost higher than $120)


So, if you find a used on in good condition and price is right, don't need to think, just buy it. If you don't like it, sell it back. But then again, I know some people do not want to go through those hassle of buying and selling. But that is how I lower the cost of my camera gears (man .. they are expensive even I do not own any top of the line lenses and cameras)


As for the 50mm lens itself. Yes, it is very plastic. It has a plastic mount, the manual focus ring is at the front of the lens (I don't why Canon need to do that), it has only 5 aperture blades ...... ... But it is quite sharp and most important it cost a lot less.

 

[iNick]

Dao, this is my philosophy to affording gear as well. just curious why you prefer the mk1 to the II?

 

[Dao]

Dao, this is my philosophy to affording gear as well. just curious why you prefer the mk1 to the II?

Mk1 is better than mk2 (Canon 50mm f/1.8) because (my personal opinion)
- Better build quality. Or say, better quality plastic.
- Metal mount instead of plastic.
- It has a distance scale.
- Manual focus ring is not at the front of the lens.


Other than that, they are pretty much the same. You cannot tell the different in the photos. So MK1 -> MK2, I will consider a downgrade. Even if Canon going to release a MK3 soon, not sure which direction it is heading to. Maybe another cost saving / corner cutting *upgrade* from Canon, who knows!

 

[dallasimagery]

Quality: Outstanding - I took some of my very favorite shots with it. It's great for 3/4 length portraits.
Bad: Autofocus is HORRIBLE! Lol

 

[fokker]

Is it better than no 50 at all? I suppose it is, but it ain't manna from heaven. But if you have the money, or know you'll upgrade it down the road, wait on the 1.4. It's money much better spent, and spent only once.

I don't think anybody in this thread has claimed that it's manna from heaven or anything along those lines - the general concensus is that it's a good lens optically for the money, and while flawed in some ways it is still a great way to get into fast prime lens territory without breaking the bank, plus as others have said, you basically won't lose money on it selling it on down the track, unless you manage to break it. And despite the poor build quality, if you manage to break a lens just because it's made of plastic then you're probably better off sticking to cheap lenses instead of upgrading to something that costs many times more.