This is an essential standard lens for EOS family. This lens starts with the optical design concept of the FD 50mm f/1.4, which has always been highly regarded for its superior sharpness and Color balance. Two high-refraction glass lens elements minimize flare at maximum aperture and eliminate astigmatism. Improvements in the quality of the focused image and a beautiful, natural Blur of the background are realized. A Micro USM (Ultrasonic Motor) provides fast, silent AF and full-time manual focusing. Color balance is virtually identical to the ISO recommended reference values.
Depth-of-Field Data for EF50mm f/1.4 USM
[unit:m]
D
F1.4
1.8
2
2.8
3.5
4
5.6
8
11
16
22
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
ND
FD
Inf.
52.74
Inf.
42.92
Inf.
38.25
Inf.
27.06
Inf.
21.48
Inf.
19.15
Inf.
13.55
Inf.
9.59
Inf.
6.80
Inf.
4.82
Inf.
3.42
Inf.
3
2.85
3.17
2.82
3.21
2.79
3.24
2.72
3.35
2.65
3.45
2.62
3.52
2.48
3.79
2.32
4.26
2.12
5.16
1.89
7.40
1.65
19.18
1.5
1.46
1.54
1.46
1.55
1.45
1.55
1.43
1.58
1.41
1.60
1.40
1.61
1.37
1.66
1.32
1.74
1.26
1.87
1.18
2.08
1.08
2.48
1
0.98
1.02
0.98
1.02
0.98
1.02
0.97
1.03
0.96
1.04
0.96
1.04
0.94
1.06
0.92
1.09
0.89
1.14
0.85
1.21
0.81
1.32
0.8
0.79
0.81
0.79
0.81
0.79
0.81
0.78
0.82
0.78
0.82
0.78
0.83
0.77
0.84
0.75
0.86
0.73
0.88
0.71
0.92
0.68
0.98
0.6
0.60
0.60
0.59
0.61
0.59
0.61
0.59
0.61
0.59
0.61
0.59
0.61
0.58
0.62
0.57
0.63
0.57
0.64
0.55
0.66
0.53
0.69
0.45
0.45
0.45
0.45
0.45
0.45
0.45
0.45
0.45
0.44
0.46
0.44
0.46
0.44
0.46
0.44
0.46
0.43
0.47
0.43
0.48
0.42
0.49
* D = Focusing Distance ND = Near Distance FD = Far Distance Inf. = Infinity
This is a really great standard lens, its sharpness is beyond reproach. I found the AF a little hesitant at times, but not really a problem. I used to own the Ef 50mm f1.8, which was Ok, but very lights due to all plastic construction. I ended up breaking it! This feels much more robust. Its a Bit more expensive, but to me its good value for money. I wish I had bought it first time round.
User Lens Reviews
Average user rating from: 228 user(s)
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.5
Build Quality
4.5
AF Speed
4.5
Value for Money
4.4
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
Great shots, just not as durable as I thought, Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
3.3
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
2.0
The main reason I chose the f/1.4 over the f/1.8 was because of the more solid build. I hate the feel of cheap, plasticky lenses so opted to pay a couple hundred extra dollars for something heavy duty.
I had it for about one month before I dropped it less than 3 feet to the ground. It landed on soft, almost shag-like carpet so I thought it wasn't a big deal. I turned it on and it no longer would auto or manual focus. When I give it a shake, you can hear tiny little broken pieces moving around. It really was as soft as a drop could be and do not see how it could have messed it up that badly, but it did.
It took amazing pictures and would be a great lens for someone who was not such a klutz. That's just not me I guess.
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Must have lens..., Sunday, 31 May 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
This is a must have lens... I originally bought this lens because I wanted to shoot more portrait style pictures of friends and family. But I quickly discovered it's a great lens for shooting just about anything. Especially useful for artfully making the "bland" in life look beautiful. I was originally looking at the f1.8 but decided to spend the extra money and get the f1.4, and i'm glad I did. The build quality is solid... It's fast and quiet, a world of a difference compared to my Sigma 18-200mm (in speed and noise that is). Discover what your SLR is really capable of and get this lens...
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
Good but not great, Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
2.8
Sharpness
2.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
3.0
I spent about a year researching which fast lens to get and once I had the money I chose this one. It's a fine lens. People love the pictures I take with extremely narrow Depth of field.
So what's not to like? Quality control!?!?! The first copy I got had a bubble in the glass! How can a piece of precision optical glass ever make it past quality control with a bubble in the glass? So I had to go another 2-3 weeks without the lens...missing a chance to use it in a photoshoot.
Other then that, the focus ring on both copies were loose. I really expected it to feel more solid.
Also a 50mm on a crop sensor is too much zoom in some situations. It definitely makes me want to save up for the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L USM II Wide Angle Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras. A wider angle for indoor shots and hopefully much higher quality.
This fits perfectly in the Lowepro Lens Case 1 (Black) with the lens hood attached(both ways). Don't waste your money on the Canon lens pouch.
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Amazing lens!, Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
This is one of the best lenses that I own and for the price, that is just unbelievably great!
I shoot with a Canon 30D FYI.
-The bokeh in the background is heavenly. -It focuses fast and crisp; relatively quiet too. -No image stabilization is needed. -There is slight distortion and loss of focus at extreme low apertures (~<2.5). -Great for all around image taking, but be sure that you wont need to have the ability to shoot wide angle if this is all you are carrying. It goes without saying that as a prime you are stuck with 50mm. Even though I know this, I have found myself frustrated a few times trying to pull out to grab a quick opportunistic shot and realizing I can't. -If you can find this for $360ish, you are good to purchase.
Hope this helps!
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Very sharp lens, Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I've had this lens for a little over a month now and it is a huge improvement over the 50 f/1.8 II. The f/1.8 served me well for a few years, now I have passed it on to a friend when I bought this lens. The f/1.4 has very nice bokeh for portrait work. If used outside in bright light you will definitely want to buy the hood, this lens is very susceptible to lens flare. The full-time manual focus with the micro USM is very nice, although it is not quite as smooth as ring-type.
For the price, I highly recommend this lens.
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Perfect, Sunday, 17 May 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I love this lens. Bright, clear, and sharp. I've hardly had it off my 10D since I bought it. Also, the price is in range with the quality of the glass. I feel this lens is a must have for everyone's kit.
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Great!, Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
Great lens to have together with my 70-200mm L & 24-70mm L lenses. A very light lens and good quality for my money! Highly recommend it and no problem with my purchase.
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Step from a great lens to an even greater lens..., Saturday, 25 April 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I've already got two 50mm prime lenses. The Canon 50mm f/1.8 II and the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG AF Macro. Why purchase another 50mm (see my review of the Canon 50mm f/1.8)? Several reasons, 1) I never much cared for the plastic body of the Canon f/1.8 not very strong relatively speaking. 2) The Canon f/1.4 body is metal and as a result the tooling is considerably better allowing for more exacting focussing, etc. 3) The f/1.4 has USM drive while the f/1.8 is only standard and Sigma drives tend to be comparably unreliable when used with Canon cameras. 4) For image clarity and sharpness the Sigma lens is a hair better then the the f/1.8 but then again the f/1.4 is a hair better then the Sigma lens, (a hair difference in clarity and sharpness is a lot of difference to a pro). 5) The obvious, the f/1.4 has an f/stop advantage over the f/1.8 and an even greater f/stop advantage over the Sigma lens, allowing for a greater diversity of use in low light. 6) If your working as a pro it's wise to have backup lenses in case an often used lens is accidently damaged while on a job. 7) I've a total of six different Canon cameras to outfit for possible use with lenses while on some jobs, thus on some occasions all three lenses, may be used at much the same time, (hay, what can I say I was once a Boy Scout with the motto "always be prepared".... ~~~~~~ In the end, I can only add the f/1.4 has become one of my most used lenses and that I feel the lens well worth having, especially if your more then just a novice, even tough the f/1.4 cost more then three times as much as the f/1.8. ~~~~~~ I must admit even know I'm considering even another 50mm; either the Canon 50mm f/1.2L a hair sharper then the f/1.4 or the newly released Sigma f/1.2, which after comparative test against other 55mm lenses by trade mag. was said to be a hair sharper then all commers... Yet again, Zeiss (best glass), is now making lenses calibrated for digital camera with Canon EF bayonet mount and they have a 50mm prime (no AF), which was not included in the aformention comparative tests. ~~~ Happy trails to you until we meet again.
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Step from a great lens to an even greater lens..., Saturday, 25 April 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
I've already got two 50mm prime lenses. The Canon 50mm f/1.8 II and the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG AF Macro. Why purchase another 50mm (see my review of the Canon 50mm f/1.8)? Several reasons, 1) I never much cared for the plastic body of the Canon f/1.8 not very strong relatively speaking. 2) The Canon f/1.4 body is metal and as a result the tooling is considerably better allowing for more exacting focussing, etc. 3) The f/1.4 has USM drive while the f/1.8 is only standard and Sigma drives tend to be comparably unreliable when used with Canon cameras. 4) For image clarity and sharpness the Sigma lens is a hair better then the the f/1.8 but then again the f/1.4 is a hair better then the Sigma lens, (a hair difference in clarity and sharpness is a lot of difference to a pro). 5) The obvious, the f/1.4 has an f/stop advantage over the f/1.8 and an even greater f/stop advantage over the Sigma lens, allowing for a greater diversity of use in low light. 6) If your working as a pro it's wise to have backup lenses in case an often used lens is accidently damaged while on a job. 7) I've a total of six different Canon cameras to outfit for possible use with lenses while on some jobs, thus on some occasions all three lenses, may be used at much the same time, (hay, what can I say I was once a Boy Scout with the motto "always be prepared".... ~~~~~~ In the end, I can only add the f/1.4 has become one of my most used lenses and that I feel the lens well worth having, especially if your more then just a novice, even tough the f/1.4 cost more then three times as much as the f/1.8. ~~~~~~ I must admit even know I'm considering even another 50mm; either the Canon 50mm f/1.2L which a few claim is sharper then the f/1.4 (unlikely) or the Sigma f/1.4 EX DG HSM AF, which after comparative test against other 55mm lenses by Pop. Photo. was said to be a hair sharper then all others... Yet again, Zeiss (best glass), is now making lenses calibrated for digital cameras with Canon EF bayonet mount and they have a 50mm prime (no AF), which was not included in the aforementioned comparative tests. ~~~ Happy trails to you until we meet again.
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Huge Price Increase, Monday, 13 April 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
Based on everything I have learned about this lens, I was just getting ready to buy it from Amazon. Unfortunately, they raised their Amazon price almost $50 overnight...it is available from other Canon authorized retailers for much less...unfortunately, this is a trend I have been noticing with Amazon over the past couple of months.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Worth the bucks., Wednesday, 08 April 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
After having used this lens for a few months and seeing the results it produces, it is easy to see why so many photographers wouldn't be without it.
The build is very solid. Ultrasonic motor and metal mount give the lens a very proffessional feel. Granted, you can tell the difference between this lens and the much more expensive L version, but as far as picture quality goes, the difference is not so obvious.
Bokeh you obtain with such a wide aperature is terrific for portraits, at aperatures from 1.4-2.0 there is some softness to the lens which gives portraits a bit of a "dreamy" look. This is desired from many, but I don't particularly care for it. Nevertheless, shots become extremely sharp after 2.0 and continue to improve to f 8.0.
As far as whether you should purchase this particular lens or the less expensive 1.8 model, it really comes down to personal preference. Budget is an important issue as you can get one for less than $90 and the other for around 330. The less expensive one has a plastic mount, which wont last as long, and it just feels less solid. It also has a comparitavely loud and slower autofocus motor than the 1.4, and the focus ring is nearly non-existant.
It took me a while to choose between the two, mainly because of the cost, but finally decided on this one, I have not been dissapointed.
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Best lens I got!, Friday, 03 April 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
3.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
3.0
This lens is AWESOME. If you have some money to spend on good Canon lens, this is going to be cheap for what you get. But I had to rate it only 4 stars because the auto-focus system is slower then my 18-55 mm. But still, if I could go back, I would still buy that lens.
If you don't want to spend a lot of money on lenses, then get the 50 mm f1.8. It's pretty much the same effect, but for a lower cost (It's made out of plastic, but it does the work).
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Good Lens for low level lighting, Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
2.3
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
2.0
AF Speed
2.0
Value for Money
2.0
I take photos of Indoor Volleyball...a very fast paced sport with notoriously poor lighting. When I am allowed to roam around this lens works well when I can't I need a zoom but here is why I am really writing this review........
The autofocus ceased after a few weeks time. Amazon sent me to Adorama who sent me to Canon. Canon did not reply back but they did send me an email of a survey about their customer service!
Amazon helped me file an "A - Z Claim" which without informing me they denied. In all this time I have been waiting for a response the warranty expired. After another email pleading Amazon what I should do next they sent me to Adorama who in turn sent me to Canon who of course......did not reply back.
All part of Life's rich paegeant I guess.
Anyone want to buy a slightly used EF f1.4 50 mm? Manual focus works well!
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Beautiful photos!, Monday, 30 March 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
My husband bought me this lens and i absolutly love it! He has done his homework so well! I was looking for a descent portrait lens to take photos of our beautiful infant. I just started dabbling in photography but this lens has given me everything I wanted out of a portrait lens! The only down side is you have to have dead on accuracy of what you shoot, but overall, this is my favorite so far!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Fabulous 50, Sunday, 08 March 2009
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
Pros: IQ!, Aperture!, Bokeh!, FTMF! Cons: USM not ring-type ultrasonic, not fantastically sharp at 1.4
Review: I really like this lens. Unless you can bill clients to purchase the 50mm 1.2 II this is the 50mm to have. My use has been on a 1.6x crop body, I really like the results, I have found the bokeh excellent, and sharpness is fabulous when stopped down slightly. Great for mild zoomed shots or portraits. The view angle is a little tight for a walk-around lens. Also, the ultrasonic motor is not as smooth or quiet as a ring type USM, but it is still very good. A must have Lens. A great compliment to the 28mm 1.8. High quality optics, big apertures with reasonable cost.
