Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

[Dream Merchant]

This lens has one serious flaw, well, actually two.

It tends to flare - badly, and it has bad CA.

Other than that, it's a beautiful lens.

[hwchoy]

It tends to flare - badly, and it has bad CA.

absolutely. the very reason I had to get the 50/1.2L otherwise its a great lens although not as solidly built as I would wish.

[Dream Merchant]

Huh? How come our comments got chonged to another thread?

[hwchoy]

moderator insomnia

[victor]

Lens review threads are not meant for discussions...if you want to discuss about certain lens do it at this sub-forum.

Lens review are for people who have used the lens and wish to contribute a formal review on the lens.

[Dream Merchant]

Ah...righto. Thanks for sharing that Victor. 

But then shouldn't all the threads be cleaned up if that's the case?

Perhaps an 'auto lock' or some kind of auto restrict preventing any one else from posting on another's person's thread in the review section should be installed so that there won't be any messiness. Just a thought and suggestion. 

[victor]

If you have a personal experience on that particular lens, and which to express your formal view on the lens, you can add on to the review thread... I am looking through all the thread and cleaning them up.

[Dream Merchant]

Add on on the thread itself? But wouldn't that mess up the thread?

At any rate, my observations were from the lens I actually owned, which was why I shared so that other CGers would have the benefit of fore-knowledge, in case they might have needed the lens for possible work where they're face towards the light, or have the light source at the sides and a bit in front, and the lens may flare badly.

Thanks for taking the time and trouble Victor. Appreciate it.

CHEERS!

[victor]

I think if you look at how the lens is reviewed, people do give a rating to it, stating the pros and the cons (even if it repeats what others have said), your personal experience. Still looking at how I can apply certain templates to certain subforums when people post.

[Michael]

The 50 is a very nice range.

Having tried the 1.2, the 1.4 and the 1.8, I'd say go for the 1.8 for experimentation, the 1.4 for often use, and the 1.2 only if you need the flare resistant coating

[Dream Merchant]

It's a blardy conspiracy I tell you.

All the major manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Minolta and Pentax would have never made planned and staggered compromises in the old days, not even with their f/2 or f/1.8 lenses! I have non-exclusive samples of manual f/1.8 lenses that will whack the beez-juice outta the EF 50 f/1.4! BUT, and that's a huge butt, the EF is wonderfully almost razor sharp straight-out from f/1.4 and generally very consistent up till about f/11.

If truth be told, I loved it very much ... but the flare!!! 

[hwchoy]

If truth be told, I loved it very much ... but the flare!!! 

I sympathise with you *pat pat pat*

[Dream Merchant]

I suspect one day I'll get it again, and if or when flare is a problem, I'll have to revert to my manual lenses.    Blardy consipracy I tell you. The younger generations of Jap manufacturers have no honour anymore!

[Tetanus]

I am still looking for the very rare EF 50mm f/1.8, which comes with a distance scale.

[jediforce4ever]

I am still looking for the very rare EF 50mm f/1.8, which comes with a distance scale.

You mean the EF 50mmf1.8 MkI.
It comes with a distance scale and a metal mount.