Comments on: EF 50 f/1.4 II USM [CR2]

By: Gary Martin

Gary Martin — Sun, 02 May 2010 20:27:36 +0000

I really hope this is on its way more than any of the other lenses on the poll above.. Everyone should own a 50mm,But a decent one at least.. This upgrade is badly needed..I tried 4 copies of this lens in a camera shop and it put me off the way it was really soft wide open on all of them..I have had 3 50mm 1.8 mk II’s and they all have had fantastic detail wide open…
Hurry the hell up Canon and listen to what people want and just do it..
The 14-24mm L would be lovely in 2.8.
:)

By: foram

foram — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:22:10 +0000

Seems like it’s not on backorder anymore :P. Maybe I will win the lottery then have no regrets with my current 50 1.4

By: rk

rk — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:00:16 +0000

Just like your “good source” had on the 1.2.0 firmware for the 7d lol…

By: Nicholas Giaquinto

Nicholas Giaquinto — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 03:06:29 +0000

This may offer some proof:

http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10051_10051_171467_-1

The lens direct from that canon website is on “backorder”…

By: Yury

Yury — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 06:40:30 +0000

Have been using this lens for about 6 months and already have problems with the manual focus ring, before had f/1.8 – no complaints, yeah it’s cheap built, but it was working!
Hope there would be a new one coming… Better built-quality is needed…

By: foram

foram — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 21:36:01 +0000

I just bought the 50 1.4 TWO weeks ago (used, mint). It is my very favourite lens, it is a “sharp” copy, but when I pixel-peep, I get more depressed.

The Micro USM very similar to 1.8 II AF except quiet. Really often it slightly back-focuses on my 450D. Dang! I use slow Live View when I can’t have that. The chromatic aberration (purply)

I almost wanted to switch cameras to use Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G which has much better AF results, but worse bokeh.

I just want to know from cr folks: should I re-sell mine immediately before the 1.4 II pressrelease and 1.4 pricedrops, or the price won't drop?

By: bearcat

bearcat — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:58:30 +0000

“Don’t rise your hopes too high, if Canon makes the 50mm f/1.4 any better than it is now they’ll kill their 50 f/1.2L I don’t expect this upgrade before they upgrade 50 f/1.2L and make it sharp wide open (like the 85mm f/1.2L Mk2) and eliminate the focus shift. Then a new f/1.4 will make sense.”

I tend to agree. Canon is in a difficult spot because the 1.2L is not that great. I think they would be best off doing both at the same time.

The other alternative is to make the 1.4 an excellent lens, just below L glass, but then double the price. I’m not keen on that either.

By: 123

123 — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:55:32 +0000

and for the record i’ve never spoken with anyone in person who has had the AF fail on any other lens ever even lenses 15-20 years old. And yet every person I’ve spoken to in person who has ever had the 50 1.4 has had the AF break!!!! It’s a scam design!!!

By: 123

123 — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:53:04 +0000

I think he was just being silly. The fact is it breaks very easily, even if never dropped. Everyone I know who has had the lens has had it break within three years! My first copy had sticky clutch out of the box and my next copies all went bad in 2-3 years. The lens has the worst build ever to the point they could almost be in danger of class action. The clutch-USM design is horrible. This is the only lens that has ever had such a design.

The Mechanism is hideously imprecise for an f/1.4 lens as well. Even after calibration it still needs a differet MFA at different distances to subject, as well.

By: 123

123 — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:49:47 +0000

you haven’t heard much then!

The lens build sucks! The AF is crazy imprecise, not that fast, is sometimes broken straight out of the box and not uncommonly breaks after a only a couple years of modest usage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So many similar comments all over the net and just in general in person discussions with other Canon users.

By: brandon

brandon — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:49:11 +0000

So with the release of the EF 50 f/1.4 II, will there be any chance of the old version being marked down? I am new to DSLRs, but I have been thinking of buying the 50 f/1.4 for a while now. If the release of a new version would drop the price of the old any I think I will wait.

By: vicina.info

vicina.info — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:04:27 +0000

A better (more detailed) review of this lenses can be found here: http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/392-sigma_50_14_canon

I can’t see any bad things on the wide open end (F1.4 -2) from the sample photos.

By: vicina.info

vicina.info — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 01:53:21 +0000

You can find the size information of Sigma 85mm F/1.4 on this page: http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/english/news/100222_85_14_ex_dg_hsm.htm

By: ennis

ennis — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 20:05:53 +0000

I’m pleased to learn the Canon 50mm f1.4 is being
re-designed. I love the glass in it but in the 30 years
I’ve been a photographer, I’ve never owned such
a poorly built lens.

Thank you Canon! I hope you will repair or upgrade
my current Canon 50mm f1.4 for free. I never knew
a lens could be damaged so easily. Had I, I would not
have bought it. I assumed (my mistake) that Canon’s
reputation was so respected that I didn’t need to
concern myself with questioning the quality of their
products.

For those of you who don’t know here are URLs:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/canon_50mm/discuss/72157603775874649/

http://www.fotomozaic.ro/artikel.php?idstory=225&s=1

http://www.flickr.com/groups/canon_50mm/discuss/72157623037580068/

Thanks

- ennis