This was taken with the mkI version I have had since 1990 when I was shooting with an EOS 630. This image was taken with my 5D @ f10 1/640 100-ISO. I own the following standard primes:
The Canon is solid and give good results. The Nikon is sharpest overall, while the Contax is sharpest in the center. I have not had the Olympus very long but what I have shot with it looks crazy sharp - perhaps the sharpest of them all -- the downside of course is the f3.5 -- but for macro work it is really sweet. If you can get one, I would suggest getting the mkI Canon f1.8. I think it is just as sharp if not better and the build quality is similar to the f1.4 and does not feel like it will break if you breath on it. The mkII is cheap and replaceable. For the price it's hard to beat even if soft at the edges wide open.
- Canon 50mm f1.8 mkI
- Nikon f1.4 (1964)
- Pentax f1.8 (m42)
- Contax f1.4
- Olympus f3.5 (macro)
The Canon is solid and give good results. The Nikon is sharpest overall, while the Contax is sharpest in the center. I have not had the Olympus very long but what I have shot with it looks crazy sharp - perhaps the sharpest of them all -- the downside of course is the f3.5 -- but for macro work it is really sweet. If you can get one, I would suggest getting the mkI Canon f1.8. I think it is just as sharp if not better and the build quality is similar to the f1.4 and does not feel like it will break if you breath on it. The mkII is cheap and replaceable. For the price it's hard to beat even if soft at the edges wide open.