I hope I can add something meaningful...I am by no means a professional or even advanced amateur (bought my first DSLR a few months ago).
Pros:
Solid
Quiet
Fast Auto Focus
Full Time Manual Focus
Beautiful Bokeh
Amazing colors
Sharp
Cons:
More expensive than 1.8 (how much does full-time manual focusing, construction, quiet auto-focus matter to you?)
Lacks IS (I know it is not a huge deal but I think it could be helpful)
Should include a free lens hood
This is my first lens besides the kits lens that comes with the T2i so I hope this review might be helpful to those deciding to branch out beyond the kit lens. The lens is amazing just not perfect... maybe I had too high of expectations (or more likely I am just an ignorant novice photographer). Nevertheless, as soon as I took this thing out of the box I told my wife, "I am never using the kits lens again". (I have had this lens for a couple of months and did put the kit lens on once to take an indoor group picture because there just wasn't enough room at 50mm... however as soon as the picture was taken this lens was back on my camera.)
First off this lens is amazingly solid (makes the plastic kit lens feel like a toy). I swear it doubles the weight of my camera (not in a bad way)... I now understand the reviews which said that the T2i feels cheap.
I don't do a ton of videography but like taking an occasional video and was hoping the quiet auto-focus would eliminate the annoying sound picked up by the internal mic when focusing... it doesn't (it might be slightly less but still just as annoying). Nevertheless the silent auto-focus is very nice and makes the kit lens sound like a semi (that might be too drastic but you get the point).
Before this lens I was still familiarizing myself with the camera and only shot in the basic modes. If you have no intention of branching out beyond the basic modes you may want to hold off on purchasing this lens since most of the benefits come with learning the manual modes and using a low aperture. Expect a little bit of frustration as you try to learn the advanced modes and get non blurry photos that are completely in focus. It can be frustrating but well worth the learning curve. When this thing hits the photos are beautiful the bokeh is awesome, the colors pop, and everything is perfectly sharp.
I thought the full time manual mode would be incredible no longer having to flip a switch on/off. I was wrong... maybe I am stupid but searching the web I found other people would try to manually focus in AI Servo. Don't be an idiot like me and others. AI Servo focuses continually so you have to change modes to manually focus (unless you want to grind against the gears). Maybe it is just me but it would be nice if the camera could tell you were manually focusing and disable the auto-focus regardless of what mode you are in. Don't get me wrong the manual focus is nice just not as perfect as I thought it might/could be.
The low aperture although very helpful will not do miracles... I find myself desperately longing for a flash (I hate the on board flash) in some lighting conditions. The low aperture helps a lot but is only one piece of the puzzle. The low aperture does more for bokeh than it does in eliminating the need for light. If your primary concern is crappy lighting ... get a flash. If your primary concern is crappy quality (sharpness, bokeh, color) get this lens. Or get both (which I plan to do shortly). Some people state they no longer need a flash with this lens which may be true for some but I find in my horrible lit apartment it is almost impossible to get decent pictures without using one even when the lens is stopped down to 1.4.
Part of me really wished this lens had IS (except for the increase in price that would go along with it) it really would make this great lens incredible. The kits lens although having far worse image quality and color is a little more forgiving with the IS. I think this may be why some people complain about non sharp photos. I have found the camera can take amazingly sharp photos even when wide open at 1.4 but it requires a lot more skill (steady hands or a tripod and spot on auto focus). A random tip I found helpful when taking pictures of my daughter was to use AI Servo but to track her movement for a second or two before taking a picture. It gives the auto-focus time to properly track her constant movement and results in a ton more sharp pictures than taking a picture immediately after focusing.
I also purchased a filter (included for free with purchase) and a lens hood. The filter is close to a waste of money and I could only see myself using it if I was in a harsh environment and seriously worried about particles getting into the lens since it destroyed image quality. The lens hood is amazing (I bought one of the non name brand hoods)... I could be wrong but I think it helps the lens auto-focus quicker in some lighting conditions. Additionally, it looks good and provides a decent level of protection without loss of photo quality (pick one up).
Purchase Price: $346.00 Brand New
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Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras - Fixed (Renewed) $296.99
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| Customer Rating | (4967) | (215) | (489) | (39) | (1542) | (399) |
| Price | $399.00 | $296.99 | $1,399.00 | $1,148.99 | $738.00 | $588.00 |
| Sold By | Amazon.com | Electronics Basket | Amazon.com | CTMA Electronics | SoHo Camera | Premier Camera =Japan= Our Japanese staff will send you with care. |
| Item Dimensions | 2.01 x 2.91 x 2.91 inches | 2.91 x 4.61 x 2 inches | 2.6 x 3.39 x 3.39 inches | 2.6 x 3.39 x 3.39 inches | 3.94 x 3.35 x 3.35 inches | 2.48 x 3.07 x 3.07 inches |
| Item Weight | 0.64 lbs | — | 1.28 lbs | 1.26 lbs | 1.80 lbs | 0.74 lbs |
| Lens Type | Telephoto | Telephoto | Normal | Normal | Normal | Wide Angle |
| Maximum Aperture | 1.4 | f/1.40 | 1.2 | f/1.2 | f/1.4 | 2 |
| Maximum Focal Length | 50 millimeters | 50.00 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 35 millimeters |
| Maximum Aperture Range | F1.4 | — | F1.2 | — | F1.4 | F2.0 |
| Maximum Format Size | 35mm full frame | Full Frame | 35mm full frame | Full Frame | 35mm full frame | 35mm full frame |
| Minimum Aperture | 22 | f/1.40 | 16 | 1.2 | 16 | 22 |
| Minimum Focal Length | 0.45 millimeters | 50.00 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 35 millimeters |
| Minimum Operating Distance | 0.45 meters | — | 0.45 meters | — | 0.4 meters | 0.24 meters |
| Photo Filter Thread Size | 58 millimeters | 58.0 millimeters | 72 millimeters | 72.0 millimeters | 77 millimeters | 67 millimeters |
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From the manufacturer
Standard Lens
EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM delivers superb quality and portability. Equipped with a maximum aperture of f/1.4 and made with lens elements to help suppress distortion, it provides crisp images with minimal flare. With a fast and accurate focusing system, the lens brings high performance in a compact size.
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Maximum Aperture of f/1.4
Fast Maximum Aperture
The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM provides easy use in low-light venues and produces a shallow depth of field.
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Great in Low Light
The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM’s wide aperture means it can capture more light during low-light situations.
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Beautiful Background Blur
The EF 50mm f/1.4 USM is fast, making it easy to create beautiful bokeh and bring portraits to life.
1 Fast Maximum Aperture 2 Great in Low Light 3 Beautiful Background Blur
Fast, Precise Focus
To help capture every movement, the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM uses an inner focusing ring USM (ultrasonic motor) system to help deliver fast, precise and near-silent performance. For even more refinement, the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM offers full-time manual focus as well.
EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Compare Lenses
1:1.4 | Maximum Aperture | 1:1.8 |
7 elements/6 groups | Lens Construction | 6 elements/5 groups |
USM | Focus Drive | STM |
1.5 ft. | Min. Focus Distance | 1.2 ft. |
58mm | Filter Size | 49mm |
2.9 x 2.0 in. | Diameter x Length | 2.7 x 1.6 in. |
10.2 oz. | Weight | 5.7 oz. |
1:1.4 | Maximum Aperture | 1:1.2 |
7 elements/6 groups | Lens Construction | 8 elements/6 groups |
USM | Focus Drive | USM |
1.5 ft. | Min. Focus Distance | 1.5 ft. |
58mm | Filter Size | 72mm |
2.9 x 2.0 in. | Diameter x Length | 3.4 x 2.6 in. |
10.2 oz. | Weight | 19.2 oz. |
Great lens for both Crop and FF, but could be more durable
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2014
Four yeas ago I bought this lens for Canon T2i, and it has held up quite well despite some slight abuses. The plastic body of course doesn't has the sophistication or full-on tank brute-ish-ness of the L lenses, but it is well-built and stable. On a crop body, this lens is fantastic for portraits. On a full frame, this is the definition of a walk-around lens. Open it up to 1.4 and just watch the background become ice cream sundae smooth. Wide open, there is quite a bit of vignetting, and you will most certainly need to use your focus points. The focus and recompose method will not suffice most of the time. If you've have microadjust, put that to use. Otherwise, good eyesight and some manual focusing might be necessary to get the most out of this lens. Stop it down to 1.8 or 2.0, and this lens becomes pretty sharp. Stop it down to 4.0, and it is razor sharp. There are 8 blades to the aperture and you can create some fantastic looking eight-pointed stars on light sources.The focusing wheel does have some play to it, which leads me to a downside of this lens: the focusing motor. It's not the full-blown ring USM/HSM business that's on other lenses. The micro-USM focuses fast, but the reliability is more of a concern. The front element is recessed well and serves like a hood. Fully focused to infinity, the front barrel is completely flush. However, if you add on a filter, that filter ring will jutt out a little. I happened to have dropped the lens once on the filter. The lens was not scratched because the filter bit the dust and cracked. However, the trauma messed up the motor so it couldn't focus anymore. I sent the lens off to canon to get fixed, and they told me this is a common problem for the lens. After I got the lens back, I noticed that the focus ring was less stiff and easier to turn. Since then, I've been more careful with this lens, and it as worked well so far.Even though I am largely to blame for the len's short comings, I do think it's about time that Canon gave this lens an update (rather than constantly tweeking their L range behemoths). This lens was introduced in 1993. 20 years is more than past time to refresh this. Still, this lens sales by the loads, and I suppose that's why they aren't.Compared to the baby f/1.8 50mm, this lens is much better built. I've used the f/1.8 and it does feel rather gimmicky. The mounting is plastic and the front focus ring feels like an after thought. Image quality wise, the f/1.4 stopped down to f/1.8 feels a tad sharper than the f/1.8 wide open. Additionally, because the f/1.8 has only five blades on the aperture, the out of focus highlights aren't as pretty to look at as the f/1.4 (pentagonal highlights just don't look as cool as the octagon ones in my opinion).Compared to the beastly f/1.2 50mm L, this lens is a much, much better deal. Yes, the L lens feels like it can be thrown on the floor and cause more damage to the concrete than it. But for >$1K, I can't just justify can extra 1/3 of a stop for that. I do notice that the straight-out-of-camera images from the L lens is a bit more saturated. And when you really start stopping down both lenses, the highlights from the L lens is more 'rounded' octagon rather than those of the f/1.4. The bokeh does seem to be fancier and even smoother on the f/1.2, though that is to be expected for a lens costing nearly four times as much. The L lens focusing ring is indeed much better built. Still, canon does have other lenses like the f/1.8 85mm prime which shows that you don't have to pay a fortune to get a reliable and sturdy ring USM rather than a microUSM.All in all, this is an excellent lens. I do wish Canon would give us an update with a better USM. For now though, at least within the canon range, this is still the one to get. You can shop around for a used copy and that should knock the price below 300. However, the main drawback will the the warranty support.
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2014
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Top reviews from other countries
JohnL
This is a review for the EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 29, 2018Style: EF 50mm f/1.2L USMPattern Name: SingleVerified Purchase
lightcatcher
MUSS man mögen!?
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on November 25, 2019Style: EF 50mm f/1.2L USMPattern Name: SingleVerified Purchase
MUSS man mögen!?
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on November 25, 2019
Um dieses Objektiv bin ich ziemlich lange herumgeschlichen!Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on November 25, 2019
Habe Schärfe verglichen ( Sigma 50 1,4 Art ist schärfer)
Autofokus ( nicht rasant aber gut )
Preis ( Das reißt Löcher in die Kasse)
Konkurrenz (sehe ich keine bei Blende 1,2)
Ich sah mir auf flikr alle verfügbaren Bilder an, tagelang. Wenn du in den Abgrund schaust, schaut er irgendwann auch in dich...
Je mehr Bilder ich sah, desto mehr zog dieses Objektiv in den Bann!
Es hat etwas was, man nicht wirklich beschreiben kann, etwas „magisches „ !
Pathetisch? Sicher!
Man kann mit diesem Objektiv malen, mit Licht und Unschärfe.
Nur verstehen muss man es, Geduld und Muße benötigt es, ein wachsames Auge und Verständnis über Fotografie allgemein.
Es ist ein Gegenspieler unserer schnellen modernen Zeit, es fordert die ganze Aufmerksamkeit!
Aber dann belohnt es uns mit unvergleichlichen Bildern, voller Zauberei.
An einer Spiegelreflexkamera zickt es im Bezug auf den Autofokus auch mal rum (Diva), aber ist nichts was man nicht in den Griff bekäme.
Das „wirklich“ erstaunliche ist, das diese doch schon recht betagte EF Linse seine Stärke an der Canon Eos R Kamera ausspielen kann. Der Fokus sitzt, immer! Falls mal nicht, habe ich einen Fehler gemacht...
Mit dem optional erhältlichem rf-ef Adapter mit Einstellring, lässt sich prima die Blende wählen. Aber sehr sehr oft nutze ich es mit Blende 1,2 !
Ein Objektiv für bewusste Fotografie, ich werde es behalten, auf jeden Fall!
Ist jetzt etwas emotionaler geworden, sorry, aber ich bin der Meinung das es genau das ist: Ein emotionales Objektiv...
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JacksterD
Not up to "L" Quality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 28, 2018Style: EF 50mm f/1.2L USMPattern Name: SingleVerified Purchase
Pedram M.
My first ever non-kit lens and what a great decision
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 9, 2020Style: Lens OnlyPattern Name: SingleVerified Purchase
Annali Koskinen
Incredible lens
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 5, 2022Style: EF 50mm f/1.2L USMPattern Name: SingleVerified Purchase
