Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras film camera Reviews

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Very fast & at a fraction of the f1.2's price. 2008-11-16

I really like this lens. Focus is quick & sharp. Can't beat it for the money. Try pricing the Canon f1.2 lens and you'll see what I mean. For a huge premium all you get is a tad more speed and questionable improved sharpness. You will get slightly improved weather resistance but for most of us that really isn't a big deal.

In for a long-term relationship.... 2008-11-15

This was my first lens purchase other than the kit lens I got with my 30D. I've been using it for over a year now, and couldn't be happier with it. It's solid and fast, and is a real workhorse in low-light situations without flash--e.g., taking food shots in restaurants. Produces great portraits with beautiful bokeh.

Love this lens 2008-11-02

PROS: Super sharp images, great in almost any lighting condition, fast, sturdy build. 50mm focal length is a good compromise for most intimate shooting situations.

CONS: 50mm too close for some situations, need to aim carefully (difficult to autofocus correctly without careful targeting).

Hello again 2008-10-30

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

I'd had this lens and used it constantly. After 4 or 5 years of being treated to Maine's cold winters/hot summers/sand, fog, and seawater ... and dropped after all that ... it was obviously time to replace this little workhorse with another of the same. Great low light lens for basketball, close-up work and when you want to get the shot but not draw attention to yourself. Good quality, no aberrations. The fact that I immediately replaced the lens should let you know I consider it a necessity in my camera bag.

Love this lens ! 2008-10-24

Purchased this lens just before a trip west to the Balloon Fiesta and sightseeing in Santa Fe. Fabulous low-light shots inside chapels entirely without flash -- looked like daylight inside. Beautiful bokeh in front and beyond focal point. Just remember, it's a prime lens at 50mm -- "sneaker zoom" is required.

Love it! 2008-10-24

This lens takes beautiful pictures! Images look clean and bokeh is soft and buttery. Well built for the money. I'm thoroughly satisfied with my purchase.

Amazing! 2008-10-19

Granted, I am a very amateur photographer, but this lens is amazing. The build quality is great. The photo quality is outstanding. This lens really makes portraits pop, and in low light it really makes the colors pop without having to use any flash at all. I have used the f1.8 as well. There isn't a huge difference in picture quality. There is a noticeable difference in build quality though.

If you have the money I would buy this over the f1.8. The f1.8 is amazing too considering what you get for your money.

great price, average images 2008-10-12

OK so there's a lot of discussion on whether this is a "good" lens,and it's an OK to good lens for the money. The biggest problems is the chromatic aberration. Now this just could be this particular lens, though there is a lot of discussion on that, too. My experience is this: if you are shooting high contrast color with a lot of dark to light edges, the lens interprets the borders and shadows as a kind of deep green. My particular shot included a white traffic stripe on a black asphalt road, and I was shooting close at 1.4 so any aberration is bound to show up under these conditions. The green aberration appeared mostly in the bokeh, so that might be the final factor in a shot that would force the lens into bad behavior.

There was green fringing along the subject of the shot, and nothing I could do in Lightroom or PS could get rid of it minus a lot of color selection and masking that really should not be necessary.

So I spoke with a knowledgeable friend and showed him the shot and he said that this kind of aberration is not out of bounds for a 350.00 lens under the conditions I was using it in. So really, it ain't L glass but we knew that.

It is fine in the middle focus range of the lens and the middle of the aperture ranges, it will hunt a little (so focus on a contrasty edge because that's where all lenses like to focus), but otherwise it performs quite well.

My gripe is this: Canon, give me a 1.4 50mm lens in the 800 dollar range and I'll snap it up. The price disparity between the 1.4 and the 1.2, while understandable, is too much of a gap to justify spending 1400.00 on the 1.2 lens.

The lens is really just a plinker. Good for fun, but not for serious hunting.

Worth every dollar 2008-10-11

This is an amazing lens to buy. Granted, it seems a little on the pricey side, when compared to the 1.8, but the overall quality is worth the money. The physical build is much better than the 1.8 and it's sharpness is preferable over it's cheaper cousin (especially in the 1.x region - in comparison).

A great buy for anyone that needs a quick, all-purpose lens (great for indoors).

Fantastic lens 2008-10-07

The Canon EF 50mm F/1.4 is a fantastic lens! I love using it when shooting products, though I don't like using it for portraits, I prefer my 85mm f/1.2 to do that job, but overall this is a great lens and it's every photographers favorite and worth owning.

FABULOUS LENSE 2008-10-01

I can't say enough great things about this lense. I have 2 Canon L Series lenses that cost 6 times as much as this one. This lense provides equal quality to all of them. Unbelieve price for such a great lense.

Excellent lens 2008-09-18

This lens is exactly what I was looking for: FAST, LIGHT, gives SHARP IMAGES.
It worth every buck what I paid !!!

does what I hoped 2008-09-07

Looking for a way to take low-light indoor shots without flash, I considered the much more expensive Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras, and if money were no object, that would have been my choice. Maybe someday. For now, I'm very happy with the results this is giving me -- and I'll just have to cope with zooming in and out by adjusting my feet!

Excellent Portrait Lens 2008-09-03

This is an awesome lens that has elevated the level of my pictures. The pictures are just amazing. I am currently using this with my Canon Xsi. It is well worth the price.

canon 50 mm f1.4 lense 2008-08-30

so far the lense is doing what it was purchased for. Have not used it as much as I had hoped at this point but the pictures taken so far are really wonderful.

Why did I wait so long? 2008-08-28

I bought a camera with a kit lens, and I figured I'd learn the camera's ins and outs before I began investing in lenses. I still think there's wisdom in that decision, mainly because I've discovered what I like to shoot. Having said that, though, I have bought three new lenses, one of them the "middle" EF f/1.4 50mm, thinking that I'd probably beat up the less expensive one and break the bank with the L lens. I received the f/1.4 50mm today and shot with it all afternoon, and my opinion is that it's spectacular. I can do everything from very creative work with closely controlled depth of field to beautiful action-stopping photos with the lens stopped down. It's tack, tack, tack sharp, fast, and the color and contrast are so excellent and true that I've taken several like shots just to make sure the beauty of them wasn't some sort of freak accident. I can't speak for the outrageoulsy expensive f/1.2L or for the heapo cheapo f/1.8, but this middle-of-the-roader is absolutely wonderful, and it just might become my very favorite lens of all. I own two L's, but I like this one just as well. I like the focal range because what I see in the view finder is nearly identical in size to what I see with my naked eye, so composition becomes a different and fun challenge. Run don't walk to the "add to basket" button. You won't be sorry.

This lens should be marketed as a "sharp 50mm f/2.0" 2008-08-22

Set the lens at f/1.4 and you will be rewarded with precise isolation of the subject matter at portrait distances bathed in a buttery bokeh with some halation. You won't get that similar bokeh with the more expensive Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM. Getting the precise isolation of the subject matter with the camera hand held would require you to stay as motionless as possible. Otherwise, you would start to get off-focus issues.

The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM is a great choice in low light situations. But, you must realize that the centre of the images at f/1.4 to f/1.8 are not as sharp as f/2.0.

This lens should be marketed as a "sharp 50mm f/2.0."

From f/2.8, the images are jaw-dropping sharp edge to edge on my full frame EOS 5D. No present Canon mount zoom will match the 50mm's resolution at this focal length.

Non L lenses do not come with the lens hood. I purchased a Canon OEM hood online for $25 USD.

Nothing beats the versatilty and build quality of an L glass zoom. So far, this lens is being used as a greatly respected specialty portrait lens from time-to-time.

My Favorite Portrait Lens 2008-08-20

This is without a doubt the lens I grab first when heading out to a portrait shoot.

This lens has been reviewed accurately a few thousand times online so I won't give the lengthy version. But the highlights:

This lens is extremely sharp for portraits but gives an incredible background blur for a fabulous professional look.

Many people compare it to the f/1.8 at under $100 and wonder why you would spend over 3 times as much for this one but the reason is simple. This lens is built like a tank. The f/1.8 takes very good pictures and if $350 isn't in your budget, it's a good alternative. But if you can afford the price difference, go for the f/1.4. It performs beautifully, even in very low light, and will last forever.

I use this lens on a 20D and a 40D body to take professional portraits, and I love the results. You won't regret adding this lens to your collection.

Fast lens! 2008-08-08

Canon's 50mm f1.4 is a great lens for the price. I'd recommend stopping down to about f1.8 or 2.0 to gain sharpness, but that still allows for fast shutter speeds even in low light. It can be a little hard to focus at its widest apertures, but that is to be expected with any lens with such a shallow depth of field. There aren't many surprises with this lens. The simplicity of a prime lens is nice, and I tend to keep this on my camera for much of the photojournalistic work I do.

Celestial Lens 2008-08-07

The first time I used this lens was on a wedding shoot. I read some in-the-mouth advice somewhere that said every photographer needs a 50mm prime lens to be happy. So I thought to myself "I'm every photographer!" And plopped down the $300+ for this.

I was beginning to regret the decision until I used this puppy.

Pictures so crisp and clear and beautiful came out of my camera that day. Pictures that need no sharpening, no photoshopping, no curves adjustments or contrast adjustments. Just honest to goodness dead sexy clar pictures.

I was so happy with the pictures that I composed a poem about this lens on the spot! It goes:

Oh I think that I shall never see
a lens so ripe with clarity
Then the 50mm which sits abreast
Upon my camera's lovely chest.

I now don't mind 'walking around' more, or ditching a zoom lens. This lens is Empyrean.

The one prime you should have 2008-08-02

Why get a prime (fixed-focus) lens? Because they usually beat variable-focus ('zoom') lenses in performance and image quality. And if there is one prime lens you should have, it should be a 50mm one. This is because the image you get is pretty much the same as the eye sees it, making taking pictures very intuitive. The images you can snap with these lenses are just great.

Yet, even with prime lenses there are huge differences even at the same focal length. Canon currently has three different lenses at this length: the f/1.8, f/1.4 (the one I'm reviewing here), and f/1.2L. They have vastly different prices, and the question is if the difference shows. The f1.8 lens is a very affordable (it costs less than a high-end circular pol filter), very good fixed-focus starter lens, and is already very sharp. So, is the f/1.4 at almost quadruple the price worth it?

This rather depends on what you intend to do with it. Generally, image quality of the f/1.4 is better than the f1.8, and the bokeh (background blur) is much, much better (although this seems a trivial point at first, try it at low light, and you'll easily see the difference). For me, however, the most important advantage it has over it's more affordable sibling is the much improved low-light capabilities, and the incredible sharpness this lens exhibits at f/1.6 (and even stunningly at f/1.8 and above). You'll wonder how you ever got by without it. For example, at f/2.8 it really puts to shame my (much more expensive) 17-55 f/2.8 lens (at 50 mm), which is renown for it's image quality.

As a lens, I enjoy its small size and light weight. It feels nice and much sturdier than the f/1.8. I don't know if the f/1.2 is worth the additional price, as I never felt it necessary to try it out -- there just may be a reason why this lens is one of the most favorite for professional photographers (which I am decidedly not - I am still an amateur). The capabilities of this lens lie past my current capabilities, and I happily await the time when I graduate to the L. Until then, this lens hits the sweep spot between starter and professional. There is no better prime lens, and if you have started with primes, make this your next one.

light, sharp wonderful all around lens 2008-07-31

I first bought the 50 f1.8 lens and it is a pretty decent one but then I tried a friend's 50 1.4 and sold my old one to buy this. It is a huge improvement over the 1.8 in that the AF is quick and accurate. I had problems with the AF on the other lens; it frequently hunted in low light. With the Canon 50 f1.4 you can take great photos in rooms with very little light; I have taken everything from pet photos to portraits of children and outdoor scenes with this wonderful lens. Because it is small, it's easy to have in the camera bag at all times. A real bargain in the Canon line-up. I also own the 3L, 135L, 24-105L, etc and use this one frequently. Buy it.

Perfect Lens 2008-07-28

The lens is a light vacuum, it has a sturdy metal build, more aperture blades, is incredibly fast, very quiet, and smooth. The bokeh is like butter.

I recommend it over the cheaper f1.8 if you are serious about the details in your pictures. Tiny depth of field - with f1.4 I can focus on someones nose and their cheeks are out of focus. Worth every penny.

Excellent lens 2008-07-25

Excellent lens. In my Canon 5D I use it as a standard lens and in my 30D I use it as a short telephoto lens, perfect to take pictures of my baby. Don't forget to get the lens hood. Not only protects the lens but improves contrast and color saturation.

Buy the best tool for the job that you can 2008-06-26

After researching this lense, I quickly decided to acquire it.

I must say I have a regret..........

That I did not grab it a LONG time ago!!

I've had the 50 for a couple months now,and it has not parted ways from my cam body at all..and after a rather large event this past weekend, where I was shooting w two cams, one w the 50 sans flash, & one w a 28-135 tele w' flash....I ended up ditching most of the flashed pics,but am busily cranking out large prints of 3/4 of the pics acquired with the 50....

..............

Something to think about while reading thru info/reviews..... I come across statements sprinkled thru-out various forums about people raving about their kit lense is good enough and look at the pictures they got with them,... and why anyone would ever spring for expensive glass is beyond their comprehension....

A little comparison.

Carpenter Joe builds houses w a $10 wood-handled hammer,a 12 inch ruler, and a shovel.

Carpenter Jim builds houses w a $50 composite hammer, a measuring tape and a power auger

Carpenter John builds houses w a $200 air powered hammer,a laser level, and a backhoe.

Their houses all get built,,,but I'll leave you to decide who's house is finished first, with straighter floors,ectect...

Tools may not make you a better carpenter ( or photographer ) but they sure can help!!!

....And really,,anyone who has ever built something with a hammer that sends shock waves thru their hand w' each blow, and the head falls off after every 20 nails..vs the person using a airgun...one of those folks is going to enjoy their work a WHOLE lot more,,and that always helps improve workmanship and quality,,would'nt you think ?

Cheers

~Julius Kuziemski

I love this lens 2008-06-16

After using the f1.4 for several months and then holding a friend's f1.8, I am so glad I chose this lens over the f1.8. The USM is so quick and quiet, the bokeh is gorgeous... I have gotten several wonderful prints with this lens. If you can afford this lens over the 50mm f1.8 I would strongly recommend you make the investment.

great lens, great price 2008-06-16

i was preparing to buy the L series lens for 3-5 times as much when a friend who owns both advised me to get this one. i have been using it every day and it has become my standard lens. the autofocus can be slow, and you need to make sure, at the f/1.4 setting, that you have your focus correct, because the depth of field is so thin, but with a little practice this creates the most amazing images. i have done portraits with it and my sitters all cannot believe how great the final product is. i strongly recommend this product.

Sharp as a tack 2008-06-15

I love this lens. It wasn't sharp as a tack when I first got it though. I had to have Canon calibrate it and there was something they needed to fix.
But now it's great!
Even before they fixed it I like it a lot.
Almost painterly in low light. Primes kind of rule!

A WINNER! 2008-05-22

If you are in the market for a lens that takes AMAZING low light shots, this is your lens hands down. I have yet to get a bad shot with this camera. As an assistant, I took better reception pictures than the primary photographer who was using a flash and all purpose lens. You will need to make sure that you use the white balance setting either in the camera or in Lightroom because out of the camera the color tends to be even more yellow from the tungsten lighting than with other lenses. The price is great and you will be very satisfied with the results!

Excellent lens, extremely sharp, great value 2008-05-22

My first lens for the 40D. It took me a few days to get used to this lens and once I fully figured out how to use it with my DSLR I was completely blown away with the image quality. It's great in low light as well.
I highly recommend it.

Great Pictures 2008-05-22

This lens is made with quality, and produces great pictures with my Canon 40D. Great Portrait photographs, with a professional look. I would definitely recommend this lens to anyone looking to not spend a ton of money on a lens. You cannot beat Canon lenses.

Value for money 2008-05-21

The 50mm 1.4 is a good value for the money. It shoots in less light than the 50mm 1.8 and is better all around. The focus is a bit more accurate and consistent, the contrast and color are more reliable as well. That should be no surprise though, you're paying for an improvement over the 50mm 1.8. It still leaves something to be desired if you have L quality taste, but if you're coming from the 50mm 1.8 you'll find this a fantastic lens. I get 30 percent or so more keepers with this than the 50mm 1.8 due to more consistency in focus and cleaner more consistent color. If you own the 1.8 you should appreciate this as an upgrade, but if you own L glass you will probably find yourself wishing for something even better eventually. The AF is not really fast enough for great action performance in low light like the 85mm 1.8, but some will still shoot with it with a few less keepers and reach. The design is relative to it's price so I can't fault it for some of the extras that come with more expensive lenses. Still a useful lens until Canon upgrades the USM and FTM focus to the real deal in a value package. This lens is Canons only lens to supply FTM (full time manual focus) with a conventional focusing motor. Those that followed went to ring USM and perform slightly better for it. The 50mm 1.2L is Canon's next step above the 50mm 1.4 and is several times more expensive, so the 50mm 1.4 will hold it's own unless Canon does decide to give us an updated Mark II version or a 3rd party steps ahead of Canon to fill that gap.

Beautiful shots 2008-05-19

I'm not a professional by any means, but I do love photography. I bought this lens after lots of consideration because of its qualities as a good macro lens and potential portrait lens.

This lens is so much more. Because of the relatively short distance necessary to create close shots, there is a sense of intimacy created in my photographs that has surprised me far beyond my original expectations.

Portraits do have the tendency to be fairly "in your face", depending on the lighting, and again, depending on the lighting, the skin of your subject's may be a little too "hi-def", but I just attribute this to the macro-quality of the lens. Overall I have been really pleased.

The lens does tend to hunt a bit depending on the light, from my experience, but re-positioning of your own body fixes that.

I have this lens on my Canon K2-- a 35mm camera, and used in combination with different types of films, the results can be spectacular.

Great buy!

Beautiful lens! 2008-05-15

This is an absolutely fantastic lens. Every picture comes out looks professional. The f1.4 is amazing!

Great Portrait Lens 2008-05-13

This lens takes amazing portraits. It is sharp, you can use available light, you can get great background blurring which is creamy and the colors are beautiful.

On a cropped sensor camera like my Rebel XTi, it isn't so good for landscapes - the 20mm 2.8 or 35mm f2 are much better, and for trying to get more distant details the 85mm f1.8 is great. I have forced myself to shoot with this lens at times because it is so good - but I find that it works best as an amazing portrait lens. And that isn't so bad.

If eventually I get a full-frame sensor, this lens may well stay on my camera as much as the 35mm f2 does.

If you are looking for a great, multipurpose lens on a cropped sensor, buy the 35mm f2 - even with its funny sound. But on a cropped sensor, this 50mm f1.4 will give you awesome portraits -- or you're doing something very wrong.

BUY THIS LENS! 2008-05-09

I can't understate the usefulness of this lens. Sure, it's not a zoom lens. However, it "sees" the world about the same as your eye (same magnification), so it's great for just capturing scenes as they were.

But what's really outstanding is the F-stop. F1.4 is INCREDIBLE. This allows you to use shutter speeds many times faster than, cheap "kit" lenses. Even among the "L" series lenses, you can't find a telephoto lens with an F-stop better than F2.8, which means this lens allows you to take pictures in relatively low-light conditions that you simply cannot take with most other lenses (without getting blur).

Plus, mount this lens on a tripod and take pictures in almost zero light and you'll be able to see things your own eyes can't capture. I was at the profile location of Mt. Rushmore at 3 am on a moonless night and couldn't see where the mountain was at all - pure black sky and mountain. I mounted my rebel xti with this lens on a tripod and guessed, and there was George Washington. Sure, you can do delayed exposures with other lenses, but this lens will do them faster or produce brighter results than anything but the "L" series F1.2 (if you want to pay double the price).

Also, a better F-stop usually means better, faster auto-focus, meaning you get more good, clear shots.

Finally, the booka. Go look at the sample photos taken with this lens. The blur you can achieve with it is stunning, especially if you compare it to a cheap lens you might have gotten with your camera, like the 18-55mm one. With this lens, almost anyone can take photos that look like they were taken by a seasoned professional - REALLY! Just get used to how your camera body sets the f-stop and metering (turn your flash OFF!!) get your exposure and ISO settings set to give you a generous amount of light, and start taking pictures. You (and your subjects) will be stunned by the results.

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 lens 2008-05-08

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Amazing Portrait Quality at about 6 feet from subject. The cost is abot 4 times more than the 50mm f1.8 lens. I think this lens is well worth the money.

it's ok 2008-05-07

It's a good lens but limited on capabilities like some other lenses but really good for the $$

Excellent Lens 2008-05-05

This is a terrific lens. Sharper than the kit lens that I got with my 30D by far and terrific for portraits. I couldn't be happier.

My favorite new lens 2008-05-03

The 50mm 1.8, MKII was wonderful. For the price, you cannot do better. However it was somewhat toy-like and I recently upgraded from an XTi to a 5D so I wanted to to upgrade that lens as well. I'll tell you that there is a difference -- to me it is mainly in the bokeh quality. There is such a thing as the quality of bokeh and this lens' bokeh quality is amazing. It's also very sharp wide open at 1.4 (for me, I've heard people dispute this but I think they're being way overcritical). I was trying to decide between this and the 1.2, and I'm glad I got this. The 1.2 bokeh quality is out of this world, but this one comes damn near close enough for me! It's also light without being toy-like. Highly recommended, this is my new everyday lens

Amazing lens 2008-05-02

This is a great lens - perfect for close shots and it really pulls a lot of light into the picture. It's been great for pictures of our new son.

AWESOME lens! Crappy shipping package. 2008-04-30

Wow, what a lens! However, I probably won't order from Ace Photo again. The lens was packed in a deflated bubble wrap case which sent my heart beating like mad- I thought I'd be dealing with a broken component for sure. Luckily, Canon's box was packed well and my lens suffered no ill will...

Do not hesitate to buy this over the f/1.8! The pictures it paints brought tears to my eyes.

Great lens for Portrait 2008-04-29

I used this lens to take photo of my 1 year old boy. the lens work great under low light conditions. Sometimes, It got some focus issues but not sure if it is due to the camera or the lens. Anyway if you shoot under low light, be sure you get the right moment. Outdoor, it is a great lens, amazing sharp.

Best portrait lens at that price 2008-04-18

Wonderful lens. I could make most of the indoor pictures without flash due to 1.4 aperture. Perfect lens for portraits with its very narrow depth of field and good bokeh. Very sharp picture, fine details.

Fast and Clear 2008-04-18

I bought this lens for low light photography well the plus is it allows more light in than my EF70-50mm F.8 IS lens or my Sigma EX 18-50mm F.8 but it hunts in dark spaces in AF that is the minus. It will lock but by then it is usually to late. When shooting near wide open if you can't focus fast and accurately in concert photography you are sunk. I often use MF instead of AF. I can't use flash so I am forced many times to use MF. It is however very well built not L series well built but compared to the F.8 version it is a tank. It is also crystal clear too. So for me it is a trade off. The hunting in the lowest light is why it does not get the Th star.

terrific lens; limited use on a 1.6x crop camera 2008-04-17

Review is focused on people using crop cameras; full frame users can ignore this review.

I tested the canon f/1.4 50mm lens and found it to be very fast and sharp. At f/2.8 however, my Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 fixed aperture zoom was just as sharp as this lens. I soon found the 50mm to be too restricting on a rebel xt and returned it. I bought the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 instead, and it is really the ideal 50mm for crop cameras. I am aware of quality issues with the Sigma and the fact that it is a DC lens, but its worth every penny if you manage to get a good copy. Unless you exclusively take portrait shots, or are switching to full frame pretty soon, this lens is always going to keep you feeling limited. Pair the sigma up with the cheaper 50mm f/1.8 and you will have an excellent pair of lens to start off with.

A suggestion to all large aperture lens users. It is best to set the focus point to center only, focus on the object and then frame the shot. Using multiple focus points in the f/1.4-2.0 range is asking for trouble.

Current list of lens I use with my Rebel XT (never bought the kit lens):

Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 (wide angle/general purpose shooting)
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 (low light, DOF shots)
Canon 50mm f/1.8 II (portrait)
Sigma 70-300 f/3.5-5.6 APO Macro (occasional macro/telephoto)

I love lense! 2008-04-10

As an amateur photographer, this lens makes me look like a pro.

It quickly became my favorite, trumping the kit lens that came with my Canon 40D.

Bravo Canon!

My favorite lens 2008-04-08

I'm new to SLR cameras, but so far this is my favorite lens. The pictures come out sharp and clean. More so than my zoom lens. I have used it for portrait distance, closeups, and even for landscape shots with good results. Very good in low light. It's an easy lens to carry around attached to the camera. I highly recommend this lens.
I had heard primes were better lenses and in my limited experience it seems true.

Incredible value, the extra stop makes a difference 2008-04-07

The classic question about this lens versus the next one down, with a stop less and twice the cost, is whether or not its worth it. My opinion is that it is.

The very short depth of field at f/1.4 is incredibly dramatic. It's also a little tricky to use. There's a slight learning curve here to consistently get what you want in focus. I had to first set the camera to use just one of its focus points, and then use that, focus, and recompose. I'm still learning to look very carefully then at what I'm seeing in the viewfinder, and try not to move forward or back because what I wanted to have in focus will move out.

But with practice and subjects that aren't moving, getting that focus right on the reflection in an eye is priceless. I'm using a 5D, so I have the full 50mm view, but remember that with most of the DSLR's you're going to lose some of that with the field crop.

Amazing sharpness and color reproduction! 2008-04-05

Pros:

* Superb sharpness in area of focus
* Nice smooth bokeh/blurring on shots with a shallow depth of field
* Has amazing color accuracy
* very lightweight
* at f 1.4 you can slow down your shutter to 1/40 and produce excellent shots in dark indoor type areas

Cons:

* Occasionally has a bit of trouble focusing when too close to the subject in low light situations
* The amount of bokeh at lower f-stops can take a little getting used to
* Lens cap is a pain to put on while the hood is attached

Overall: An amazing lens that captures incredible images. Highly recommended!

Stunning Lens!!! 2008-04-01

This EF 50mm f 1.4 USM Canon lens is absolutely stunning! The pictures are razor sharp and color saturation is excellent. There is no noticeable distortion in the top corners. I owned several excellent Olympus lenses over the years and only recently switched to Canon digital with advise from several professionals. I wanted to start with a non "L" lens to see what Canon cameras were like and I chose a Rebel XTi. I've shown my pictures to friends and family and now they want to switch to Canon to get the same sharpness in their pictures. Unfortunately, they keep forgetting that it's not a point and shoot digital camera. I thought about the cheaper f1.8 but after hours of looking at reviews all over the internet, everyone steers you towards the 1.4 (1.2 is too expensive for what it is) and it was well worth it.

If you get only one thing from reading this, know that I did a ton of research and if you have a limited budget, don't get the stock lens, get a better quality lens (it doesn't have to be a "L" series either). And if you're looking for a great and affordable portrait and scenary lens, this does a really nice job. Keep in mind, however, that with the less expensive SLR's, it's not equal to a 50mm film lens but rather closer to a 80mm.

Good luck.

Amazing!!!!! 2008-03-30

This little thing is AMAZING! I get some of my very best pictures with this lens, the bokah or blur is just buttery and beautiful, it was everything I hoped it would be!

This lens rocks! 2008-03-24

I absolutely love this lens. I have L lenses as well and this is still a favorite of mine. For $300 buck range....you cannot go wrong with this lens. Tack sharp, great for low light, yum yum yum!

Excellent lens 2008-03-18

I got this lens in the mail the same day my friend got a new puppy. So, I borrowed the puppy and did a photoshoot in my studio. This gallery http://paulacobleigh.smugmug.com/gallery/4478068_vkMnS#263381214 has two of the shots from that photoshoot. I was very happy with the results!

Superb lens 2008-03-18

I've been in and out of photography for many years. I've recently compared the Canon EF f1.8 and f1.4 lens with each other (I currently own both) and made comparsions to the excellent Canon 28-135mm IS lens.

The f1.8 lens is very good as well, but lacks the build quality and lowest level light gathering power of the f1.4. Additionally the f1.8 lens has a 5 vs. an 8 blade iris and accordingly blurred point light sources tend to be pentagon shaped instead of round.

When compared to the 28-135mm IS lens, the difference is notable at the edge of the lens and in depth of field. Also stabilized (IS) lens reduce camera shake but do not freeze action. Accordingly, the f1.4 lens is superb for baby friendly flash free indoor photography.

Bottom line is that the f1.4 lens is about as good as it gets. It has superb low light capability, is light weight, has razor sharp images and deep depth of field, produces great contrast, is very well made, very quiet and fast focusing.

Good lens, ok bokeh. 2008-03-15

The lens is great in terms of sharpness, color, contrast, distortion & resistance to flare.

I have to say I'm disappointed with its bokeh. When used wide open, the lens produces circular bokeh, where the rim is brighter than the center making blurred edges sharper. Some other lenses I own(ed) have much better (not-edge-heavy circular) bokeh: Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS, Canon 24-70 f/2.8 L, Sigma 30mm f/1.4.

You should get 50mm f/1.2 if you want real good, truely creamy bokeh. This one is just ok, despite what all the reviews say.

I also owned 50mm f/1.8. That one has smoother bokeh, when used wide-open. However, it produces elliptic (some kind of asymetric) out-of-focus regions, which is not that great either.

One bit of advice: the real use of this lens on x0D, x00D bodies (APS-C sized sensor) is portraits. Don't expect a general purpose all-around lens from this one. Buy it if you need a good portrait lens.

Beautiful portraits, and great in low light 2008-03-12

I've been using this lens almost exclusively for about a month now, and love it to death. For the stuff I like to shoot, this lens is perfect. Because of the very wide aperture, you can get amazing portraits with very shallow depth of field, and can also take shots in low light environments without destroying natural light with a flash.

I really have no complaints. It's very well-built, focuses quickly, and takes amazing pictures. Easily the best lens purchase I've made yet.

An absolute must, even for a beginner. 2008-03-04

I had just used the kit lens that came with my dSLR and I was often frustrated by either having blurry shots or having to use the harsh flash. I wish I would have had this before the birth of my first son so I could have gotten non-blurry delivery room photos. I won't make that mistake for our second child!

I bought this lens about 9 months ago and it hasn't left my camera since. It's fixed focus, so you've got to do some moving around to get the right shot ("zoom with your feet!!!"), but once you're in position, you *will* get the right shot. The lens is super fast so you can capture amazing action outside or take some great low light shots indoors. I don't think I've used the flash more than a dozen times in the thousands of photos I've taken since I bought it.

If you've got a dSLR, you have to get this lens or at least the f/1.8. Our fancy cameras are just being wasted with the f/3.5 lenses Canon includes in the kits.

excellent lens, above excellent for the price 2008-03-01

the latitude that the 1.4 aperture gives is absolutely top-notch. Obviously, the L-lens would be that much faster but considering the cost differential, Canon's 50mm 1.4 prime lens is a must-have for anyone wanting to take photography seriously.

And for those of you walking around with a 24-70 or other zoom lens - you'll really love the weight difference!

Despite the fixed focal length, this could become your primary lens very quickly. And there is an added benefit - it will force you to get closer to your subjects. If you've been using your longer zooms to get away from getting up close and personal, you'll see an immediate improvement to your photos, particularly your portraits!

Priceless images! 2008-02-18

Great portrait lens! Exactly what I was hoping for, great control over images. I've had friends ask me to take photo shoots with their kids and/or pets since they have seen the quality images that can be made using this lens. The depth of field effect really gives the photo's a great professional quality.

Great lens for photographers 2008-02-17

I started out cheap with the Canon 50mm f1.8 lens. It is fine for basic shots in average conditions but falls short in contrast and sharpness compared to my zoom lenses. That lead me to get the Canon 50mm f1.4 lens. Wow! Sharpness is fantastic. The crispness, color and detail are unsurpassed with this lens. I am very pleased with this lens and wish I had just spent the money for it to start with. I also found this lens focuses faster than the f1.8 lens. I am using it on my Canon EOS30d.

Outstanding Lens 2008-02-14

I used to shoot with a Canon 50mm F1.8 lens and the Canon EF 50mm f1.4 is an exceptional lens to supersede it. Even in low lighting conditions, the lens is fast and accurate, allowing the photographer to open the aperture and use a faster shutter. This is a huge plus if you are like me and primarily photograph indoors.

Excellent quality 2008-02-03

I bought this lens mostly for portraiture work and it serves that purpose very well. It is excellent in low light situations indoors and you can take faster shutter speeds outdoors. It provides excellent bokeh effect. I believe it pays to spend the extra money on quality lenses because you will have better satisfaction with the results. Now I prefer a wide angle lens for general walk-around purposes and I use this one for people shots.

A wonderful lens for the price! 2008-01-28

I was looking for a portrait lens for my Rebel XT (my backup camera) and kept coming back to this lens. But as I had previously owned the f1.8 version I was somewhat leery of it.

I'd been using the marvelous Canon 85mm prime but it was just too long for indoor work. I kept reviewing my work done with zoom lenses and found that I spent a lot of time around the 50mm area. I read a lot of reviews by other folks on this lens and as the feedback seemed to be pretty favorable I decided to give this lens a try.

I spent the first day it arrived taking a hundred or so shots with it and loved every one of them. I've since used it at a concert where it gave me some stunning photographs.

While the build is clearly not 'L' quality it is head and shoulders over the f1.8 build and well worth the amount charged for it. As long as I am careful with it I suspect this lens will be in my bag for a long time.

I'll be using this lens on my XT and my 40D for years to come.

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
Canon ES71II Lens Hood for EF 50mm f/1.4 SLR Lens

Update 02/15/2008 --
After several weeks extensive use of this lens I find that I love this lens even more. It's great for product or stock shots, landscape and a great walk around lens.

This lens has a shallow DOF so you have to pay particular attention to your focus point but that is the only 'problem' I have had after 1000 or so photos.

I bought this lens for my Rebel XT and so far I have not been able to get it off the 40D to try it on the XT. This lens has a fast AF, produces great color with excellent image quality.

Buy this lens when you can you will not be disappointed.

50mm 1.4 2008-01-23

Canon makes three 50 mm lenses at three different price points. The 1.4 & 1.8 are regarded highly relative to their cost. A major difference between the two is overall quality of the build. The less expensive 1.8 is very light and uses a plastic mount, no distance window and an older, slower, AF motor. What I like about the 1.4 is, while it is light, it feels more solid, uses a quieter ultrasonic focus motor, has a distance window, more aperture blades and a more durable metal mount. It is also faster.

So far using the lens, it performs very well. Image quality is very high, great dof control, and images are very sharp. expect a "glow" or halation wide open but this is common I think with the other 50mm options.

Broke 6 months after purchase...but 2008-01-21

This lens takes beautiful photos. Unfortunately, it stopped working 6 months after the warranty ended, requiring a $100 repair. For the price, I suggest the 50mm f1.8 lens available for less than a hundred dollars. This is not my first repair of a Canon item; in my experience, Canon products work great when they are working, but they are not very durable and require frequent, expensive repairs.

Canon fixed this lens for free after I explained the situation. This company stands behind its products. I would change this review to four stars if I could!

fine lens 2008-01-20

I"m happy with this lens because I photograph in museums where flash is not allowed. I got good portraits at the gym, also, under average fluorescent lights. It does beautiful outdoor scenes at night. I never liked using a flash so this is the right lens for me.

Very nice lens 2008-01-18

This is a great lens. I'm not a professional but I enjoy taken a lot of pictures. I have a Canon 40D that came with a zoom and I needed a faster lens. This was the answer to that. I still think I'm going to need a fast wider angle lens to take pictures in my house. But they are very expensive. I'm going to have to leave with what I have for some time.

Beyond my expectations 2008-01-18

I really had a hard time deciding between this lens and the f1.8 lens. I decided that I wanted to take a step into a higher quality lens than the entry level standard zoom and telephoto that I had already.

My first impression upon receiving it was that it is very solid feeling. My other lenses feel like plastic and weigh very little. This one feels like it's been constructed solidly, everything is tight fitting, and the finish is much more professional looking.

Once I started using the lens, I could not believe the results that an amateur, like me, could achieve. At f1.4, I don't have to worry a whole lot about my backgrounds, because the DOF and bokeh produced by this lens is incredible. I've now had this lens for about 2 months, and learning to use it has been a lot of fun. If you ever take a look in my camera bag, there's about a 95% chance that this lens will be on my camera. It's my new favorite lens and not having a zoom doesn't really bother me anymore.

Worth Every Penny 2008-01-16

I've owned this lens for a couple of months now and this is by far my favorite lens for low light and portraiture. The images I get with 50mmm 1.4 are by far the sharpest of any lens I've ever used and the bokeh (background blur) is beautifully smooth. The construction is also solid, lightweight and VERY quiet.

Working in a theater, I often get the chance to sit in the front row for shows and take shots of my friends... The colors that this lens picks up from theater lights are simply unbelievable. As so many others have written, If you are debating between the 1.4 and the "el cheapo" $80 1.8, do yourself a favor and spend the extra bucks on the 1.4. I guarantee you will be happy you did so and, like me, you'll probably smile a little every time you put this lens on your camera.

It works 2008-01-15

Purchased it from Amazon last Summer to shoot indoors without flash. It works under most conditions. In really low light, the focus may get slower.

If you like the Canon 50mm F/1.8, you'll love the F/1.4 !! 2008-01-07

This has got to be my favorite portrait/low light lens. I first got the 50mm f/1.8 (Nifty Fifty), I loved the bokeh it produced but was annoyed at the cheap build quality, terrible focus ring design, loud and slow auto focus motor. I was told that the 50 F/1.4 would solve my problem if money wasn't an issue.

I'm so glad I decided to upgrade because it was definitely worth it. The bokeh that this lens creates is silky smooth, and it's now a even better low light shooter at f/1.4!

If you have the money...don't hesitate to get the f/1.4, it will make you look, feel and shoot like a professional compared to the toy-like feel of the f/1.8.

Great Portrait Lens 2008-01-07

This lens is great. Takes very sharp photos even in low light conditions. Perfect lens for portraits. No wonder it is rated #1 lens.

professional quality lens for reasonable price 2007-12-30

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras I love this lens. There are only a few lenses under $1,000.00 that are available for the digital canons and also capable of really top quality performance. This is one of them and a big step up from the standard zoom that came with my Rebel XT. It is exciting to be able to shoot in low light conditions again (I had a F 1.2 lens for my old AE-1 film camera). I even shot some great stuff at night.

The focal length is a very useful one and I LOVE the bokeh but sometimes the short focal plane is a little too confining. For detail shots you have to switch to manual settings and stop it down to get enough depth of field to keep your subject all in focus.

The Workhorse - The Best 2007-12-25

There is a reason why this lens is the workhorse of the industry. The 1.4 is sure fast in low light. Couple that with the ISO 1600 on a Full Frame, you can tackle pretty much any lighting condition near complete darkness with little noticable noise. The bokeh is surreal (almost fluffy), the butter smooth USM focusing is dreamlike. If I were forced to choose one lens and only one lens, this would be the one.

So good. It's just so good. 2007-12-15

I did a LOT of research before buying this particular lens. I was stuck between this, the 85mm, the 1.8 and the 1.2 versions, and also zoom lenses that covered the focal range I was looking at. I finally decided to go with this one because of the price difference between the 1.4 and the 1.2, and because I take a lot of pictures inside my house, which doesn't have the best lighting situation. I could not be happier. My images, even in my crappy light, are sharp as can be in the foreground and super smooth and buttery bokeh in the back. It's incredible, fast, great in low light, and the price is nice. Do yourself a favore and start taking fantastic portraits in any situation.

My favorite lens...... 2007-11-28

Tis lens took the best shots at a wedding that I was paid to shoot...better than my L lens. I've used it in many low-light situations, and it always delivers. Just be careful wide open. If you're not on top of your focus point, you may be soft where you want to be sharp. 1.4 means a tiny field of view, so you need to mind where you're focusing. Other than that, absolutely nothing to complain about.

Great lens 2007-11-21

If you need a lens for your new Canon SLR this is the one to get. A friend of mine that is a professional photographer recommended that I consider buying this lens and she was right. It gives you a great control of depth of field and you can shoot in very low light with out a flash. The lens is solidly constructed without adding too much weight to your camera. Overall this is one of the best lenses for the money and has become the lens that I use for most of my shots.

Why spend more? 2007-11-14

I was torn between the 50mm f/1.4 and the L series versions. I wanted a good lens but for no alot of money and thats what you get here. I have fallen in love with this lens, is fast, sharp, the background blur is spectacular, and focus is accurate. I've done some test shots and there are some things you should be aware of. It take a much more skilled hand to keep the subject in focus at f/1.4. Also this is not even close to a macro lens if your looking for a macro look at the 100mm f/2.8. This lens is quiet but not super quiet. Over all i love this lens and i am happy that i purchased it

Excellent Lens Quality -- but the wrong lens for me 2007-11-13

This is an incredible lens, delivering consistently great photos. Auto focus is fast and accurate. Of course, the bottom line is what kind of image quality will it dish up -- sharp, crisp, brilliant, excellent. People look at the pix I shoot with this lens and say, man, this looks professional. The only problem is, I can never back up far enough to get the right shot with this lens. Inside the house, crops are always too close. Walking down the street, if I want to take a photo of a nice house, I have to stand all the way across the street to get the whole house in the frame. I'm using a Canon D20 with the 1.6; that means this lens is a 70 mm or more. The 1.4 is great for natural light photos indoors, but it's kind of hard to make a semi-telephoto lens work for a birthday party or what have you. After a year with this excellent and beautiful lens, I'm now looking at 35 and 30 mm alternatives, because I can't make a 70 mm work for my needs.

EF 50mm f1.4 USM - very good 2007-11-08

Nice lens, and full metal mount, unlike the 50 mm f1.8 II, which is plastic. I wanted the lens for field work, and it has worked well. Also, very fast, and great for low light. I am shooting with D20. I believe it is work the extra money to step-up from the f1.8. Also, auto-focus is much faster with USM lens vs. the non-USM.

One of the best Canon lens ever... 2007-11-07

My first prime lens was the 50mm 1.8 Mark II, without this lens I would have never dreamed of spending this much on the 50mm f/1.4. The only way I can justify the added cost is the full time manual focus, distance window, USM, 58mm filter thread, and a 1.4 (8 blade) aperture. The 50mm 1.8 is the best lens Canon makes for the price, but if you tend to out grow this lens the only option is the 1.4 solution. I would reccomend 1.8 lens to anyone that wants to have the best image quality for the lowest price, but if you want 'more' this is a great lens to keep where the 50mm 1.8 just felt temporary.

The only draw back I can mention with this lens is some chromatic aberation is present under 2.8 with certain extreme lighting conditions.

Do not get caught up with all the reviews, buy the 50mm 1.8 and if you need 'more' you can always upgrade later (as I did). The 50mm 1.4 is one of my favorite lenses, and I wouldnt trade it for the world.

A good-quality prime for indoor shots and portraits 2007-11-05

I had intended to use this lens as a general-purpose lens with my XTi, but the conversion factor of the XTi makes this lens effectively 80mm, which is more of a telephoto. The fact that it is f1.4 at its widest makes it a great indoor lens. I can take photos in nearly any indoor lighting situation without flash. It has very narrow depth of field at f1.4; you can see examples in the product images. At 20 inches the depth of field is something like 1/2 inch.

The construction is sturdy. I appreciate the built-in focus meter, since I like to shoot at night and it has a good infinity reference. The full-time manual focusing is very useful as well, since the depth-of-field is so narrow. If you're trying to get eyes into focus it's invaluable.

Superb lens but watch that depth of field! 2007-11-03

I purchased this lens on the basis of the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. I have not been disappointed. The lens is sturdy, well-constructed and provides excellent optics. With its ability to open up to a wide aperture and its excellent bokeh effect, a photographer can take natural light pictures (no flash) even in remarkably low light situations.

BUT if you're shooting indoors under those very low light conditions, this is not a lens to use in fully automated exposure modes. Depth of field at the widest apertures (f/1.4, f/1.8) can be VERY short. If you let the camera choose an aperture for you, it may open the aperture so wide that although your subject's nose is in clear focus, his or her eyes are blurred. That's short depth of field!

Either use aperture priority mode in low light situations so you can control depth of field or, if shutter speed is also essential, let the camera choose exposure settings but first increase the ISO value yourself. Raising ISO creates more image grain but should allow you to shoot at higher f-stops with faster shutter speeds.

Overall, I highly recommend this as a portrait lens.

Canon user 2007-10-28

Great EF 50mm f/1.4 lens.

My test:
Comparison between this Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 prime lens and Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom lens.

Finding Result:
SPEED:
I set both lens to 50mm focal length, apperture 4.5, ISO 100, EV compensation 0. On a tripod, aim at same object, test at the same time for same sunlight intensity. Finding: Same speed 1/125 per camera meter reading. So speed is the same. This is good. Optical scientific make sense. There should be no different in light flowing for the same setting.
BROKEH:
The EF 50mm f/1.4 giving more noticeable due to its wider aperture for shallower depth of field at f/1.4 at 50mm.
The EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 giving less blurring due to narrower aperture, max at f/4.5 at 50mm, more coverage distance for depth of field. Then again, optical scientific make sense.
PICTURE COLOR AND DETAIL:
A subjective of opion depend on individual. I find picture color in this EF 50mm is more pleasant with or without polarized filter. Detail different is not much noticable between the two lens, even I zoom up large in computer to see the different.
LOOK AND FEEL:
A subjective of opion depend on individual. I like the EF 50mm f/1.4 due to its lighter weight, more apperture stops for more controlling from 1.4 to 22. More shutter blades for smoother blending.
I find the EF 50mm f/1.4 inconvenient that I need to do moving to get to the picture frame I need, or when shooting something I can not move to reach such as squirel on the tree, fruit on tree, ...

This EF 50mm f/1.4 lens is great general purpose, walk around lens, great detailing picture taken lens. It is about 75% of time attach to my camera.

Great lens... got it great time. 2007-10-25

THis lens is great. I had the 50mm that was made of plastic and could only open up to 1.8 but with this lens being able to open up to 1.4 is awesome. The shots are fantastic and the motor is great in Auto Focus, but i find it works better for me to use it in manual. I like that the focus ring is in the middle of the lens. My other 50mm was at the end of the lens and I sometimes caught part of my hand in some shots. The focusing is very smooth, and the lens has good weight to it. It doesn't feel cheap, very solid. It is a great lens to use in low-light conditions, and I have been VERY happy with almost all the shots that I have taken from this lens. I don't regret purchasing, I highly recommend it!!!...

Amazing 2007-10-25

I bought this lens about six months ago and I gotta say, it creates one of the most beautiful images. I also own the 24-70mm 2.8 L and the 70-200mm 2.8 L IS, but I often find myself putting on this lens over the other two when taking portrait photographs. During the summer, I took a trip to China and this lens was on my camera about 75% of the time. It produces really sharp images and the bokeh is just amazing. The images are less crisp at 1.4, but still sharp and anything above 2.0 is simply amazing. I have a canon xti so the actual focal length becomes about 80mm with the crop factor, which is great for me because I don't have to get too close to my subject. This lens is totally worth the price and it is light and compact so it's really easy to carry around. If you want to take portraits this lens is for you! Now, stop reading reviews and go get one.

Fine lens for the price 2007-10-21

Others have written pretty extensively about this lens. The praise heaped on it is well deserved, and I won't go into depth about it and risk repeating what everyone else is saying, except for the following points.

Without spending more than $1k, it would be tough to find a better deal. The 50mm f/1.4 USM works really well in low light conditions, and does have a really fantastic bokeh. I use this lens most often to shoot food in restaurants with available light, and the images can be pretty stunning.

The so-called "thrifty-fifty" is also a decent lens, but the quality difference in construction between the two really shows. The thrifty-fifty feels a little cheap compared to the f/1.4 lens, and is noticeably smaller and lighter. That makes it useful for some situations, such as when you want to pack light, or have a smaller profile on the camera.

This is the lens that practically lives on my camera. Although I have many other lenses, I've found that this is the most-used lens in the kit, and it's easily my favorite.

Great Lens 2007-10-17

At 1.4 this lens is really tricky to get the plane of focus right where you want it. It's helped me learn to move around my subjects more instead of relying on my zoom to get in and out. It's more expensive than the $79 2.0 50mm, but it's a lot more solid and should last a long time.

canon 50mm f/1.4 is a great lens! 2007-10-11

Not looking to break the bank but still have a sturdy lens? Everyone buys the nifty fifty (50mm f/1.8) but this is definitely worth the upgrade if you plan on doing a lot of shooting w/the 50mm prime.

Good for flash-less shooting 2007-10-09

I am using this on my EOS400D (this is called the Rebel XTI in US).

I bought the lens primarily to be able to do candid indoors shooting (mainly of people) without using the flash.

And it does the job! In some particularly low-light conditions (some restaurants) I still have to rely on the flash, but in normal indoors lighting, cranking up to F2 and bumping up the ISO produces some good results. Up at F1.4 it can be a little tough to get a good candid shot as the Depth Of Field is so shallow - but you can't get over the laws of physics! Still, for more posed shots or still-lifes the widest aperture works a treat - and gives good quality shots.

The build quality is good, and I also bought the lens hood, but find that I tend not to use it (as it doesn't fit in my case).

As an amateur photographer I was pretty hesitant to splash out on this lens, but am now glad that I did. In terms of cost, looking at the alternatives, I think it is excellent value for money.

lens that is on my 40D the most 2007-10-05

I bought the 40D body only and got this as the first lens with the camera. Great lens, I love how fast it is and the bokeh that you can get with it (one of the main resons I switched to the 40D). The speed is great for taking indoor shots without flash (I was surprised that at how much you need to open the aperture in order to take a shot with indoor lighting).

a great lens! 2007-10-05

If you enjoy taking portraits, this is absolutely a must lens for everyone. Love it and really recommend it!

The lens is working perfectly! My only concern is regarding the delivery.. it was delivered by UPS.. we were not home and the lens was left at the front door, in the hot Florida sun. Fortunatly we just missed the person, so we must have arrived minutes after because the package wasn't extreamly hot, but I was very mad about it and if anything would have happened to that lens because of it, it would have been a big problem.
In the future Amazon should make sure such incidents do not happen again, otherweise I will have to think it twice about buying my stuff here!

Great lens for creating more captivating photos 2007-09-27

I bought this lens because I wanted a low f-stop lens to use with available light rather than using flash all the time. Most of my pictures are of my kids and dogs and I get blur with other lenses when shooting in natural light. I was also attracted to this lens because of the background blur effect the low f-stop creates.

I've been shooting with the lens for a few weeks now and am very pleased in both regards. Focusing is fast, subjects are not blurred, background does have a nice blur. The lens is pretty compact and the metal construction is solid.

I also considered the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens because of the lower price point but ultimately chose the f1.4 due to the lower f-stop and more solid construction (the f/1.8 has more plastic), but it would probably be a good compromise if price is a concern.

low-light savior 2007-09-24

My first lens after the kit lens since I wanted something for low light (presumably, that's the main reason someone is looking at this lens). It is sharp, fast, focuses pretty well and fast even without much to focus on (small object on a white wall), and it obviously works better than zoom lenses. I use this for people in doors as well as for taking pretty much any pictures indoors. I used it outdoors as well to get sharper images than the kit lens offers.

Many of my favorite pictures have been taken with this lens in places no other lens would have worked. No regrets. The build feels pretty solid (why I didn't get the 50mm f/1.8... I wanted it to last for several years).

Updated: Still going strong in December. I used this for Christmas Eve when everyone was opening up presents. It was difficult in the low light with so much movement but I was able to capture images (without flash) that I would have never gotten with either of my other lenses (the kit lens and the 24-70mm f2.8L). As I typically do, still did some noise reduction (shooting at ISO 800) but that's a small price to pay. When my sister's wedding comes around next month (indoors), this 50mm prime is the lens I will still turn to over the other lenses. It is about 3 times as fast at f1.4 than at f2.8 (ex, 1/200s to 1/60s, where it is 1/60s in both the 50mm f1.4 and the L lens).

Superb lens 2007-09-08

A remarkable lens for a remarkable price. Rivals "L" lenses. It gives the shots a great look, the shallow depth of field works really well. It's hard to imagine a better lens for this kind of money -- and it's better than many lens that cost a lot more.

GREAT LENS 2007-09-06

I been shooting some pictures with my new Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM mounted on my 30D. The results are beyond my expectations. Very fast, clear, sharp edges, etc. something hard to describe with words! This lense worth each penny you pay for it!

You have to try it!
Daniel

Great lens 2007-09-05

This is one of the best lens you can buy at this price. Enough has been said about this lens. I'm keeping this one.

Fast prime lens, great glass 2007-08-20

I bought this as the third lens for my rebel XT (I also have the 17-85 EFS IS and the 70-200 f4 L. I sold the kit lens). It would not be a good solo lens because as a prime, it is less versatile than a zoom. It means getting closer or further from the subject rather than changing the zoom setting to get the framing you want. Remember, though, that in many conditions you get distortion from a wide lens, so maybe you should move back.

However, primes outperform comparable quality zooms at a given focal length. This one is very fast at 1.4. On the Rebel XTi this lens is equivalent to an 80mm on a 35 SLR. This is a very useful length for portrait, flattering to most subjects. It is very sharp. I have not noticed the softness or focusing problems noted in other reviews.

Is this a good lens for you? If you have a Rebel XT or XTi, and a lot of your pictures are in this focal range (you can tell by looking at the Exif or shooting information in Image Browser), then yes, by all means. It will outperform your zoom in lighting conditions where either lens works, and will perform in low light where your zoom may not work at all.

terrific lens 2007-08-14

This is the third "add on" lens I bought to use with my Canon EOS 20D and it is quite amazing. Unlike most other lenses, this is a prime lens, meaning you cannot change the focal distance. So you need to learn how to frame your picture by moving closer or further from your subject. I have used it for both portrait and garden close-ups with great results. For these types of shots you will want to be between 3 and 10 feet from your subject depending on its size. The very wide f/stop means you can shoot effectively in low light and also get a very shallow depth of field, great for capturing the detail inside a single flower.

Great optics, fraught with AF failure issues 2007-08-13

This lens makes great pictures. There's no doubt about that. But what is in doubt is how long it will make those great pictures.

I bought this lens, and as soon as it was out of warranty, the autofocus failed. I took it in and had it repaired (at about half the original cost of the lens) and a few months later the AF failed again.

I researched this issue, and it turns out many people have experienced the exact same problem.

This lens does not have an UltraSonic Motor, as Canon would like you to believe. The word they glaze over is "MICRO". It is a MICRO USM lens.

What does this mean? It means that while the autofocus is fast and quiet, and it has full-time manual focus, the motor is actually made of PLASTIC and is prone to wearing out VERY QUICKLY.

So, if you plan on buying this lens and not using it, by all means, buy away. But if you plan on actually shooting with it, I'd recommend saving for the EF 50mm f/1.2 L, or (more realistically) a 50mm f/1.8. That lens is a quarter the cost of the f/1.4 and 80% of the optical quality.

This is what photography is all about... 2007-07-26

*Update* Just tried DxO Optics Pro version 5 with this lens and 5D body. The results are simply amazing. Thought about upgrading to 50 1.2 lens before I tried DxO. Simply awesome. Download demo (dxo.com) to see what I mean!!!

Some of the greatest photos ever taken were done with the 50mm lens. Some say it is boring but I find it awesome and so darn flexible. It has tons of speed for low light capturing.

I bought the Canon 5D because of this lens. The full frame makes this a true normal view. The pictures I have taken are simply amazing. Recently, I took pictures of my daughter's friend birthday party at an art zone place indoors. I didn't use a flash at all and shot in RAW. All I could say was WOW when I opened the files. I'm hooked to this lens. Never disappoints..however, I do wish it had a ring USM instead of a micro.

Those with a crop body - xt, xti, 10d, 20d, 30d etc may find it tight and not so flexible. It would be a great portrait lens and still plenty fast. However, if you need a normal view so to speak, I'm not sure Canon makes a prime lens for the crop body at this price/quality. The Sigma 30/1.4 may be a better option.

Full frame users have something special because background blur is simply beautiful.

This lens is a steal for 300 bucks that no zoom lens can match in terms of contrast and sharpness especially by f/2.8

Great in low light. 2007-07-17

As a wildlife and outdoor photographer I needed a high speed lens capable of taking pictures in the early mornings and late evenings. The Canon EF 50mm f1.4 gave me an addition 45 to 60 minutes shooting time over my other f2.8 lens. The pictures of hunters during the early and late hours of the hunt are clear and sharp. The auto focus time is slightly longer than some of my prime lens but adequate thus the reason for 4 stars. It works very well indoors too without flash.

Nice lens 2007-07-11

I've heard (and read) many people putting this lens down, but the fact is, for the price, there is nothing wrong with this lens. It has full time manual focus, which if you've used a non-usm focus motor you probably know is annoying to not be able to tweak the focus when the auto focus fails. The 50mm 1.4 is whisper quiet which is something that I can't live without now, the 50mm1.8 ef noise is just annoying. As for image quality, stopped down to F2.8 this lens offers stunning images. Below 2.8 the quality is not always great, but the mere fact that you can go to F1.4 and get very nice images makes this lens more versital than many zooms in terms of the shots you can get in low light as well as the bokeh and subject separation you can achieve with background blur. Really, in terms of images, you don't see the differnce over a SLR and a point and shoot with small apetures, but the differnce is dramatic with a large apeture lens like this. It is more of a portrait lens with a 1.6 crop camera, but I like the length for candids, and on my film camera it is the classic focal length. Highly recommened.

Totally underrated 2007-07-05

This lens Rocks!
I can tell you that this is one lens you must have!
The images are awesome.
Get it now, no regrets.
Best money spent and I love it.

L-like quality at much lower price and weight, Great for portraits, family and social occasions 2007-06-25

I got this product from Amazon last week. I have a Canon 30D with a good number of lenses, including several form the L series. My favorite by far is the 24-70mm 2.8L, a great sharp lens that covers a very nice range that allows to go Ultra Wide or moderate zoom in addition to the standard range. The 24-70 is one of the favorites of pros all around the globe.

This is a much more affordable lens than the 24-70mm 2.8L (at less than $300 is a great deal vs the $1,300+ that you pay for L series glass). However, I decided to go to a couple of social gatherings with the 50mm installed on my 30D. And let me tell you, I didn't miss the 24-70 at all.

The 50mm 1.4 is very sharp and takes great pictures. In social gatherings it allows you to shoot great portraits of people or small groups (for large groups you'd need a wider lens). It is ultra fast to focus and can either work on a shallow DoF or with everything on focus nicely. The lens is very light, so you can be at social gatherings without a huge intimidating glass (like the 24-70) and without torturing your neck.

I highly recommend this for social occasions, portraits, shoothing kids and other family oriented shots. I do not reccomend this to shoot buildings as you will need a wider lens. For some group shots it can be a bit frustrating too as you have to move somehow far from the group, allowing room for people passing to interrupt.

good except shot at 1.4 2007-06-11

sharp, good color & contrast, especially at aperture f2.0 or above. It is soft at f1.4. It is OK with 4x6 prints, but the softness will be obvious with 8x10 prints. Stopped down to f1.8 or smaller, it is sweet.

great lens; staple prime for serious amateur 2007-06-07

Bought this with Amazon prime, got it the next day. I upgraded from the 50mm 1.8 and am very happy with this new one; you get quite a bit for your money.

WHY THIS IS BETTER THAN THE 1.8 II Lens:
-much better bokeh. more lens elements, bokeh is smoother, more lovely to my eyes. with the 1.8 bokeh can be much harsher, especially if you are shooting in daylight, on backgrounds where there are bold, bright colors. Buttery would be a good word for the 1.4's effect.
-faster, shallower depth of field. the 1.4 will give you much more control
-sturdier. the 1.4 is much better made. The 1.8 is cheapy. The feel of this lens makes picture-taking feel like more of an art; this is a tool, not a toy.
-more "serious"

Of course, technology is what you make of it. You can be a great artist using the 1.8, but the 1.4 simply gives you more of a range to work with, and is far more powerful. This is a great lens overall, and a pleasure to use. 50mm is a nice length on a crop sensor, you'll be pleased!

Not quite L, but who cares? 2007-05-19

Shakespeare once wrote something about names, roses and how a rose not called a rose would still smell just as sweet. Well, photography isn't exactly English 101 and this may not be called a L-series, but it doesn't need the name to be just as amazing as one. The price may seem dubious, being two or three times the price of the 50mm F/1.8 prime, but let me assure you, it's definitely worth it!

This lens has amazing bokeh, is versatile for a prime, and works well for beginner photographers to even the most experienced. I have used it for landscapes, portraits and even flower macros; I have also yet to be even slightly disappointed. Coming from a girl whose other lenses are L-series, Canon's top quality, this lens is actually my most used for its convenience, versatility and size.

In short, this lens is a bargain and any photographer who wants to move beyond the standard kit lens should definitely add it to their collection.

In love.... 2007-05-09

I just got the lens today, so I have not really had much of a chance to use it, but the first image I took was inside my office & I didn't use the flash and the image came out nearly perfect. AND IT WAS FAST! Can you fall in love with a lens? I think so. I searched around for this, I was going to buy the f/1.8 because it was only $80-but truly it is worth the extra $ to get this one. It's beautiful, looks very well made....oh yes!

Great lens 2007-05-02

This is the forth lens I had so far for canon eos. I loved it when I first got it because I took so test shoot in the street and the picture look must sharper than my other three lenses. The shallow deep of field is great. from F/1.4 to F/22 aperture, what can't you do? last month, I tried this lens on the sub-way station, and the lighting is just dam dim. but you know what? I can hand hold my camera and still get a 1/125s shutter speed in F/1.4. I snap shot people in the station and the auto focus worked quietly and fast. The picture is sharp.

I am not rich at all, but I never hesitate on choosing a F/1.8 or a F/1.4 because F/1.4 is what I know I need as a serious photographer. You really can't compare a 1.8 to a 1.4, not in the price and not in the built-in quality.

The lens you should be using on your film or full-frame DSLR 2007-04-27

Over 30 years ago, when I bought my first 35mm SLR, it came with a 50mm lens. It was considered the "normal" lens for 35mm at the time. I must admit, as soon as I could afford it, I started buying accessory lenses. First a 35mm, then an 85mm, then a 24mm, so it went. I didn't use a 50mm very much. I didn't want my photos to look normal so why would I want to use a normal lens?

Twenty-odd years later, I bought a used Leica M6 with a 50mm Summicron lens. Since I couldn't afford another lens for some time after that, I used the 50mm for everything. This opened my eyes to the possibilities of a normal lens. No longer did I depend on a lens to give my photos a "look", I was depending on myself to make them interesting. I saw things that I overlooked before and began to make photographs of them. Light and composition took on a new meaning. The character of subject matter became the overriding concern--not the angle of view. It was something of an epiphany for me after so many years.

Cameras today come with kit zoom lenses. Many of them are not very good, but they help to sell the cameras. I have nothing against zooms but I mostly use primes these days. Back when I bought the Leica, I also used Canons and I already owned several Canon EF lenses, including primes and zooms and L-series lenses in both prime and zoom formats. I did not own a 50mm. So I bought the cheap little f/1.8 II lenses. While it performed well optically, I really was not comfortable using it. It lacked a distance scale and the manual focus ring was a royal pain. I can appreciate lightweight equipment but the 50/1.8 II lens just plain felt like a toy. Since I was using the 50mm focal length more and more, I decided to spring for the f/1.4 version. I'm very glad I did.

The lens is a joy to use. It is well built and well designed. The autofocus seems a little slow compared to some of my other Ultrasonic lenses but it's still extremely fast. The f/1.4 aperture is truly awe-inspiring if you're used to using f/3.5 kit zooms. The out-of-focus portions of the picture (the bokeh) is creamy smooth and the in-focus areas are very sharp. The lens is already sharp at f/1.4 but it picks up even more sharpness and a considerable amount of contrast by stopping down a bit. I don't test lenses by shooting test targets. I shoot real pictures of the various subjects that interest me. In that type of real world testing, this lens gets top grades.

Although the 50mm may not be the correct normal lens for a reduced size sensor DSLR, for full-frame DSLR and 35mm film users, I recommend it highly.

Don't forget the Crop Factor! 2007-04-09

Bought this for the Digital Rebel (300D). 50mm translates to 80mm because of the 1.6 crop factor. Not an issue for me but something for the potential buyer to be aware of. Lens works great - solid build, sharp focus, quiet motor - no problems encountered so far.

Fast, great bokeh, good build, and CHEAP! 2007-04-04

I use it as my 'normal' lens on my 30D (despite the 80mm focal length). I'm quite pleased with the aperture's flexibility. The focusing is fast enough, though the front element does move back and forth. The filter-threads were a bit rough, even though I used official Canon filters and a nice B+W neutral density filter on it. This problem persisted even after lubricating the threads and cleaning them. I worry that a filter might stick or damage the threads by galling. My other lenses have better machined threads, but they are also a lot more expensive.

disappointment with early AF failure 2007-04-01

I purchased an EF 50mm 1:1.4 for my new EOS Rebel XTi about 6 wks ago. It worked great for about 70 shots, then the autofocus abruptly quit working and has not worked since.My other two lenses, the standard EFS 18-55,and an EFS 70-300mm, both work fine in AF mode.
The EF 50mm lens takes very good pictures in MF mode,but I am very disappointed that this lens failed so soon. I would otherwise rate it a 5 as far as quality is concerned.

changed my photography, changed my life! 2007-03-26

I am so glad I spent the extra money on this lens instead of getting the cheaper 50mm version. The lens opens up to a very bright f/1.4 aperture, making for great photos under difficult lighting situations. I love this lens and take it everywhere. It is great for portraiture, too, since the depth of field is so shallow when the aperture is open. The background blurs very nicely. This is a very sturdy, professional level lens and a must have for any serious photographer.

Great lens! 2007-03-08

I bought this lens to use mainly for indoor photos as I hate using a flash. With the f1.4 I rarely need a flash indoors as long as there is some lighting ie. a lamp, some natural light etc. This lens is amazing for portraits and just about everything else, really. The only problem I've had is with the use of a UV haze filter which I was leaving on at all times to protect the lens. Sometimes I would get a reflection back into lens - mainly when taking pictures where a candle is in the foreground. I'm not sure if this is due to the cheap quality of the filter or because the glass in the lens is recessed. Regardless, I just removed the filter and had no more problems.

Gotta get this lens! 2007-02-15

I purchased this lens for my Rebel XTI. It's cold here in the Mid Atlantic region now and I've had limited opportunities to use this lens thus far. Over the weekend I attended an indoor motor sports event. At the risk of appearing to be a redneck, it was actually a monster truck show at an indoor sports arena. I hadn't planed on using the 50mm lens as I had my 18 to 55mm f3.5-5.6 that came with the camera which at the wider end would give me a greater panoramic view of the venue and the participants within the arena. My problem with the zoom lens was that there was not enough light even at ASA 1600 to freeze the action. On program AE (P) the shutter speed was down around 1/15 and any motion came out blurred. I tried using the built in flash with poor results. The built in flash just doesn't reach out far enough to illuminate the action approximately 75 feet away. I switched over to the 50mm 1.4 and set the camera for TV and the shutter speed at 1/125. I shot over eighty photographs (without flash) of the event with spectacular results. The aperture ranged from a wide of f1.8 to about 2.4. Some of the photos were slightly blurry, which I attributed to camera shake but the majority came out fine. This lens is well worth the price if you do any shooting in natural light and need the faster shutter speeds.

It's worth the $300 price tag. 2007-02-13

I bought this to take portraits and also in low light situations indoors. I use XTi.

Initially, I was somewhat disappointed with the indoor shots because of the softness of the shots at low f stops (less than 4 perhaps), as well as the orange hue. I tried different settings but I wasn't entirely happy with the performance of the lens. Still, it was far, far better than the original lens that came with the camera (18-55mm). Canon should stop selling that lens, in my opinion, but I digress.

The day time shots (indoors and outdoors) came out very well with crystal clear focus with great bokeh. So, I don't think there's anything wrong mechanically with the lens. I am happier with the lens as I discovered that at least with my XTi, the indoor, low light shots come out really well at the factory preset mode (turn the dial to "no flash" mode). I am able to take shots with truer colors (no more orange hue) that are sharper than my own settings with this simple turn of the knob. Almost too easy, but I like the results. (Update: I've since figured out how to use my camera with apperture (Av) and shutter (Tv) settings which has solved the color problem. I am also finding out that the indoor shots are coming out with great clarity. I also bought an L lens 17-40mm recently, but I find myself using this lens over the L one for indoor shots w/o flash.)

I originally gave this 4 stars thinking that it was a bit pricey, but after using it for several months in various lighting situations, I am very, very pleased with the shots, and I think this is a 5 star lens.

I am happy with this lens. It's a very good lens. I am pleased with the photos that I am taking. I am also enjoying taking shots without disturbing the people since I can take shots in low light indoor situations without the flash.

(Update: I find the narrow field of focus on this lens and the great bokeh to be an execellent way to take close ups of people and objects. The photos have depth and are very pleasing. I am very happy with this lens and can't imagine not having this lens both indoors and outdoors. F1.4 is a must. I recently spoke with a friend who "saved" money by getting the F1.8 but regrets the decision. We both agree that F1.2L might be nice if one has the money, but at $300 to $350 level, the F1.4 produces great shots with clear focus and a very nice bokeh. It's worth the price tag and you won't be disappointed.)

Great sharp lens 2007-01-29

+: This lens is very sharp and USM is silent and fast. It is my favorite lens for low light situations and for portraits.
-: Build quality is not great and it doesn't come with a hood.

Wonderful lens 2007-01-19

Just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of those that think this is a great lens. Beautiful bokeh, sharp detail, and excellent overall quality makes this a wonderful lens. The image quality is comparable to my L series 24-105 and 100-400 lenses (of course, the 50mm is prime, so this was expected).

I have not used the 50mm 1.8, so can't compare it to that.

Excellent Fast Optics 2007-01-19

No chromatic abberations under any conditions. This is pretty good glass for the money. It makes me wonder what the 1.2 will do, other than the shorter f ratio.

Overexposure is easy with this lens, however.

Professional results at a budget price 2007-01-17

If you shoot portrait pictures with a half frame D SLR this lens is a must! I'm a serious budget conscious amateur photographer that owns several lenses but keeps away from the L-series due to the relatively high prices. This lens easily beats anything out there from ultra quick response, low distortion and portability. It is truly amazing in low light conditions and awesome in portraiture. Its only drawback: It overexposes images at very strong lighting such as in a typical mid-summer Mediterranean sunny day but you can reduce this effect by using an ND filter. I also tried the cheaper f1.8 lens and I'm also surprised in how good it performs given its price. I can hardly tell the difference. I finally went with the f1.4 because it is better build and professionally looking.

Good kit 2007-01-09

For SLR's w/ 1.5 crop factor this lens is gives you a 75mm which is great for portrate work. You can stay out of the models face like you would with a full frame SLR and an 85mm lense. Well worth the extra cash above the canon 50mm F1.8 and a hell of a bargin compared to the Canon 50mm-L F1.2 which is three or four times as much as this lense. A must have for Rebel, 10D,20D,30D (1.5 crop factor CCD's). A good value for the 5D and other Full frame crowd - But you probably make your living with your lenses and would pay the premium for the "L".

EF 50 1.4 2007-01-09

I bought this lens as an upgrade for the 50mm 1.8. I like the 1.8, but was disapointed by the build quality. I assumed the 1.4 would be like the 85 1.8, but it was not. Picture qualit is good and I have no issues with the pictures I get out of this lens

The AF motor is not true USM which makes everything a bit wobbly. The lens does extend when focussing. A solid and robust build is one of the things I like about primes and I do not find it here.

Excellent choice 2007-01-09

I have used this lens with a Digital Rebel XT/350D Canon camera. I found the lens especially useful for portraits and close-ups of natural objects - where focused detail becomes very sharp (such as individual hairs on the head), and background blurring produces a beautiful effect at low apertures. Unlike the kit lens, you can use this lens to take indoor photos in natural light; setting the camera to ASA 800 or 1600 allows flash-free photography at dusk, in museums et cetera, often with nice results. However, such indoor photography will be dependent on low aperture numbers, so focusing can be a challenge (if the camera focuses on the ears, then the eyes will become blurred and so on). In all, a 50mm low-aperture lens is a must to fully enjoy your camera and offers new opportunities. The 1.8 lens is probably also a good alternative.

Great lense 2007-01-04

I love this lense. It is an excellent portrait lense. I use it anytime I am around my grandchildren. I sit on the floor near them and shoot away. I can blur the foreground and background with a very narrow depth of field. I can shoot three pendant lights from a 45 degree angle with the first one blurred, the second on tightly in focus and the third one blurred. The large aperture makes all the difference in a photograph and a stunning photograph. You can make the subject definitively stand out. There are all kinds of creative photography uses for this lense. Provides a very clear and professional look.

Better build quality than the 50mm f1.8 2007-01-03

I am quite happy with this lens. It's reasonably sharp and lightweight. Build quality could be better, but the 50mm f1.4 is noticeably better built than the 50mm f1.8. The f1.4 has additional aperature blades over the 1.8, which gives more pleasing bokeh. On a 1.6x crop camera, this is a nice portrait lens.

If it felt a little more solid, I would give it five stars, and Amazon won't let me give it 4.5.

Images not sharp. 2006-12-28

After reading all the rave reviews, I decided to buy this lens for lower light environments. After taking a large number of pictures, I noticed that none of the images were sharp. I photograph everything in raw mode.

For an experiment I put the camera and lens on a tripod, locked the mirror, used delayed shutter release so neither I nor the camera were introducing camera shake. The inanimate object was photographed in a diffused sunny room with autofocus on. I photographed the static object with aperatures from 1.4 to 4.0. All photographs were shot in raw mode.

I then shot the same subject with a Canon zoom lens at the same focal length, also on autofocus. The results from the zoom lens were always sharper than the 50 mm lens regardless of aperature.

I tried this experiment several more times in different rooms with varying light situations. In each case, the photographs from the zoom lens were obviously sharper and less noisy.

The photographs were examined using Photoshop's Camera Raw at 300% magnification. Sharpening turned off on all images.

I had expected a prime lens to have performed equal to or better than a zoom lens. Maybe I got the one bad lens from Canon.