Your dream 50mm f/1.4

[EOBeav]

You get to redesign the 50mm f/1.4 from the ground up. What do you leave in? What do you leave out? What improvements do you make and features do you add? And what's your realistic price point, given all of these features and the population you're targeting?

[Z]

My dream 50mm f/1.4... hmm.

It should have better sharpness wide open, a proper ultrasonic motor and should be able to destroy a small planet around the size of Alderaan. It should be fully operational within 3 months of its announcement.

[drjlo]

It's already pretty good.  I would only add rounded 9-blade for better bokeh and same lens coatings as current-generation L glass.  Add real USM, but please don't add silly IS to jack up the price and size. 

[michi]

Better bokeh, slightly sharper and better USM motor.  I still don't understand why IS should be so expensive.  The 55-250 and 18-55  are dirt cheap and have IS.  May not be the newest generation, but even two stops would help a lot.  But Canon lost track of its biggest customer base (those who don't want to spend thousands on new lenses) and I doubt we will see a new lens which will be affordable (and with affordable I mean $500 or less).

[Matthew19]

MY dream 50mm 1.4 would have a 1.2 aperture.

[moreorless]

Better bokeh, slightly sharper and better USM motor.  I still don't understand why IS should be so expensive.  The 55-250 and 18-55  are dirt cheap and have IS.  May not be the newest generation, but even two stops would help a lot.  But Canon lost track of its biggest customer base (those who don't want to spend thousands on new lenses) and I doubt we will see a new lens which will be affordable (and with affordable I mean $500 or less).

I'd say that often its the first three things that you mentioned aswell as things like build quality that are infact more expensive and tend to get overlooked in favour of IS.

My guess is that the new 40mm 2.8 pancake thats been rumoured will be Canons atempt to target the lower end of the market.

[!Xabbu]

My dream 50mm f/14 has a faster aperture...

Sorry, I could't withstand to respond to the title of the thread... 

[Ew]

Build quality. Center sharpness wide open. Hard stop manual focus.

[EOBeav]

My dream 50mm f/14 has a faster aperture...

I guess I don't understand this statement. Aperture is a size, not a speed...

[EOBeav]

Ha ha...One of the best responses I've ever seen in this forum!

My dream 50mm f/1.4... hmm.

It should have better sharpness wide open, a proper ultrasonic motor and should be able to destroy a small planet around the size of Alderaan. It should be fully operational within 3 months of its announcement.

[wickidwombat]

You get to redesign the 50mm f/1.4 from the ground up. What do you leave in? What do you leave out? What improvements do you make and features do you add? And what's your realistic price point, given all of these features and the population you're targeting?

Build and materials as per the 100mm f2.8L IS macro
keep the size similar to the current 50 f1.4
as in hybrid IS as per the 100mm would be awesome
full weather sealing as per the 100mm f2.8L
non extending with focus
sharp wide open
make is L series but keep it tough and light
8 or 9 circular aperture blades

I'd pay $1000 for that lens bah who am i kidding if they released that i'd probably pay whatever they damn welll wanted  

[pwp]

1. IQ to match 85 f/1.2
2. Size/weight close to current EF 50 f/1.4
3. IS
4. Rocket fast AF
5. Under $1k
5. Accepts my Mastercard.

Paul Wright

[Radiating]

You get to redesign the 50mm f/1.4 from the ground up. What do you leave in? What do you leave out? What improvements do you make and features do you add? And what's your realistic price point, given all of these features and the population you're targeting?

I'd like to see a 50mm 1.4 L that is fully APO corrected (no purple fringing) with much better IQ than the current version.

Shneider already makes a similar lens with a slower aperture and it would not be difficult to create this design. I'd be willing to pay $1000 at launch and $800 a few years down the line. IS would also be nice

[Ellen Schmidtee]

One of the reasons I like the 50mm f/1.4 is the low price.

What I want is improved IQ wide open, esp vignetting & higher MTF, USM (= non micro), and price under U.S.$500.

[ruuneos]

1. Improved build quality, metal body?
2. Sharper at f1.4
3. Quicklicious AF
4. IS (not necessary, but would be nice feature)
5. $500-$800
(6. Including lens hood...)

Let's make it 50mm F1.4L IS USM