Your dream 50mm f/1.4

[Z]

But if you want to "speed up" the aperture, then you need to make it bigger. My original post was to re-design the 50 f/1.4, not turn it into a 50 f/1.x, where x is <4. I understood what the guy meant...in that context it just didn't make sense. Of course, it could have been a language issue, as I understand that CR attracts readers from all over the globe.

The comment was a facetious observation that the title of the thread says f/14, not f/1.4.

Move along folks.

[EOBeav]

But if you want to "speed up" the aperture, then you need to make it bigger. My original post was to re-design the 50 f/1.4, not turn it into a 50 f/1.x, where x is <4. I understood what the guy meant...in that context it just didn't make sense. Of course, it could have been a language issue, as I understand that CR attracts readers from all over the globe.

The comment was a facetious observation that the title of the thread says f/14, not f/1.4.

Move along folks.

+1  Didn't even see the mistake! Fixing it now.

[drjlo]

There was that 40mm pancake rumor / patent a couple months back. Who knows perhaps you'll actually come close to getting this wish granted  - stranger things have happened.   

If I had to choose between a 40mm 1:2.8 pancake or the 50mm 1:1.8 II, I would choose the nifty fifty.

After thinking about this awhile.  Give me the nifty fifty optics or better with a Retro build, metal, hard stop, accurate infinity, great manual focus and weather sealing - the works.
Most of all I want that silky smooth feeling of craftsmanship ( bordering on being a fetish  )

You mean like the Canon 55mm f/1.2(!) all-metal body?  This thing is built so much better than the 50L and 50 f/1.4, it's not even funny.  One shown has the EdMika EOS adapter.


IMG_0753 by drjlo1, on Flickr

[wickidwombat]

There was that 40mm pancake rumor / patent a couple months back. Who knows perhaps you'll actually come close to getting this wish granted  - stranger things have happened.   

If I had to choose between a 40mm 1:2.8 pancake or the 50mm 1:1.8 II, I would choose the nifty fifty.

After thinking about this awhile.  Give me the nifty fifty optics or better with a Retro build, metal, hard stop, accurate infinity, great manual focus and weather sealing - the works.
Most of all I want that silky smooth feeling of craftsmanship ( bordering on being a fetish  )

You mean like the Canon 55mm f/1.2(!) all-metal body?  This thing is built so much better than the 50L and 50 f/1.4, it's not even funny.  One shown has the EdMika EOS adapter.


IMG_0753 by drjlo1, on Flickr

hows the image quality?
i have a Fd 50 f1.2 coming with the edmika adapter
gonna be like a kid in a candy store when it gets here

[drjlo]

I'm still getting used to manual focusing with these useless "modern" focus screens, e.g. not exactly fun.  The Dandelion chip that comes with EdMika adapter is REALLY off, and I had to microadjust to +13 to get near.  No great scene, but here's one shot from FL55.


DZ3C2525 by drjlo1, on Flickr

[wickidwombat]

nice colour and contrast these older lenses really are impressive

i got a brightscreen for my 5Dmk2 which is going to become my MF body and i gotta tell ya it is really worth it if you are going to be doing lots of MF i have the EG-S screens and while better than the brightscreen they are not even remotely close. i have the brightscreen with the split center and the gridlines so i can get stuff straight
even using my sigma 85 f1.4 it is sooo much easier to MF than with the standard screen.

I have a feeling once i get the FD50 f1.2 Its pretty much gonna live on that body

[drjlo]

Unfortunately, Canon decided to make 5D III focus screen "not replaceable," so I'll have to see how that pans out with third party screens and Canon warranty, etc.
I do love manual focusing with TS-E 24mm II, which is just so much easier with massive and smooth focus ring and great DOF at 24mm.

[wickidwombat]

Unfortunately, Canon decided to make 5D III focus screen "not replaceable," so I'll have to see how that pans out with third party screens and Canon warranty, etc.
I do love manual focusing with TS-E 24mm II, which is just so much easier with massive and smooth focus ring and great DOF at 24mm.

yeah hopefully katzeyez do a screen they install similar to that which they did for the 7D

[Neeneko]

Well, in the 'no one else really cares' direction...

Non-UV absorbing materials... quartz, fluoride, etc
No focus shift from 300nm-1200nm.  Is just ONE FREAKING EF LENS THAT CAN DO THIS asking too much?

[kdsand]

Well, in the 'no one else really cares' direction...

Non-UV absorbing materials... quartz, fluoride, etc
No focus shift from 300nm-1200nm.  Is just ONE FREAKING EF LENS THAT CAN DO THIS asking too much?

Er what?

[Neeneko]

Er what?

I do a lot of stuff in IR and UV.  There are lenses for Nikon that keep a constant focus across the full spectrum and are made of materials that pass lots of UV.  Pretty much all the lenses like that are F-Mount, C-Mount or M39.  While I know Canon doesn't really care about that market (I am surprised they even gave a nod to the astrophotographers) it would be nice if they made at least one lens that would give Canon users access to UV stuff.

But that is pretty far out there wish-list stuff (hey, the topic said 'dream') since it is no where near mass market, and most of the significant (no hobbyist) markets that DO buy such lenses would probably not consider Canon anyway since Canon doesn't have a historical connection to scientific or industrial imaging.

[Razor2012]

Er what?

I do a lot of stuff in IR and UV.  There are lenses for Nikon that keep a constant focus across the full spectrum and are made of materials that pass lots of UV.  Pretty much all the lenses like that are F-Mount, C-Mount or M39.  While I know Canon doesn't really care about that market (I am surprised they even gave a nod to the astrophotographers) it would be nice if they made at least one lens that would give Canon users access to UV stuff.

But that is pretty far out there wish-list stuff (hey, the topic said 'dream') since it is no where near mass market, and most of the significant (no hobbyist) markets that DO buy such lenses would probably not consider Canon anyway since Canon doesn't have a historical connection to scientific or industrial imaging.

Canon has for astronomical purposes, the 20Da and the 60Da.

[Neeneko]

Canon has for astronomical purposes, the 20Da and the 60Da.

Yep, which is why I said "I am surprised they even gave a nod to the astrophotographers".

Though even there, they are not scientifically useful cameras and in some ways (depending on how much the individual cares) they are not all that good for astrophotography in general.

[jkmaster]

I sadly seems as though 2.8 is Canon's preference lately though. 

The concept of primes with f/2.8 maximum aperture and IS should make a lot of sense in low light, and I can't wait to see results for the new 24mm and 28mm f/2.8 IS. Although I like my EF 50mm 1.4, and fully open is nice for playing around, apertures wider than f/2.2 have hardly ever been useful to me.

What to improve in a 50 f/1.4? Less noise and nicer build quality at the same price. Leave the rest to the f/1.2 L.

[coldcaption]

My dream 50 would be sharper at wide apertures and have less green fringing. Those aren't really big issues though; f/1.4 is a utility aperture and the green isn't that bad. I'd want to keep the price the same, since it's got one of Canon's best price/quality ratios. What I would change is its size, but I feel that way about lots of Canon's gear. If they started switching to bigger ground-glass viewfinders in their prosumer (**D) models so I could manually focus, that'd be a big step toward making my existing 50 into my dream 50!