50mm 1.2L First Impressions.

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CT

CT

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Lovely natural colur.

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There's a new anti -flare coating on this lens. I spent ages this morning trying to induce some flare but it looks like the lens will cope with shooting into the light very well indeed.

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A more extreme test, and still no flare. There's some noticeable CA to the left of the sun, but this is a known issue and this is a pretty severe test.

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50mm 1.2 wide open.

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It's early days but I think I'm going to like it. :D
 
I agree, number one is lovely!

As for number four, good to see you are keeping yourself looking beautiful, as we all like to be fresh faced!!! :lol::lol::lol:

:exit:
 
LOL. Nowt to do with me - that's her indoors tool kit. :D
 
CT, why the 50mm f/1.2 when you also have the awesome 85mm f/1.2? Just curious...
 
Sorry, I just couldn't resist! :lol:

It certainly seems to be a lovely lens and I am sure you will both be very happy!
 
Organic said:
CT, why the 50mm f/1.2 when you also have the awesome 85mm f/1.2? Just curious...
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Primarily for the wider field view, particularly when used on the EOS3, but still an improvement on a crop sensor.

Awesome is a good word for the 85mm 1.2. The 50mm 1.2 doesn't quite have the (to use Canon Bob's words) jaw-dropping appearance of the 85mm, but it's an impressive lens and just as extreme. They're not easy to use wide open, but stunning when you get it right.
 
Thanks for the insight CT.

I was going to purchase the 85mm L but have opted for a 24" 4GB iMac instead with PhotoShop CS4 as I need to refine my image editing and I've had enough of my old PC and unstable Elements 6.
 
Organic said:
Thanks for the insight CT.

I was going to purchase the 85mm L but have opted for a 24" 4GB iMac instead with PhotoShop CS4 as I need to refine my image editing and I've had enough of my old PC and unstable Elements 6.
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Needs must eh? Money money. I don't blame you, you need a powerful machine really, the size that files are getting now, and the 85mm is daft money with the latest price rises.
 
I need to sort out my image processing so that swayed the decision, and I have the focal length covered (minus some impressive f/1.2 bokeh) with my 70-200 f/2.8 L IS which I'm sure you'll agree is a splendid bit of glass.
 
I drool over the 1.2 lenses, I have the 85 1.8 and the 50 1.4 and love them to bits. These shots just prove there is still n improvement over the very sharp lens i already have.
 
It's the out of focus quality of this lens that attracts me to it. It's been on my list to purchase for a while but the recent price increases have put an end to that, I'll wait until the economic cycle comes round again.
 
There are some dodgy copies of the 50mm 1.2 about with back focus issues at the close focus end of the range, which is why I was pleased to see pic 4, which was hand held with flash bounced off the ceiling.
 
CT said:
There are some dodgy copies of the 50mm 1.2 about with back focus issues at the close focus end of the range, which is why I was pleased to see pic 4, which was hand held with flash bounced off the ceiling.
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I tried one at Focus yesterday and couldn't get it to misbehave.
 
It's no so much dodgy copies as focus shift at apertures wider than f2.8 and in the 0-10 meter focus range. It's part of the way this lens is designed and they all do it. Something to be aware of.
 
Radiohead said:
It's no so much dodgy copies as focus shift at apertures wider than f2.8 and in the 0-10 meter focus range.
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How does this manifest itself when you are using the lens. The one I was using focussed happily at all close ranges, or am I missing the point?
 
That's the odd thing - it can be hard to replicate.

One way it manifests is shooting at, say f2 and focussing on a subject closer to you and then switching focus to a subject further away immediately. Sometimes you'll see focus shift which will appear as a soft image despite the camera telling you it's focussed. I saw it with 2 that I tried and just about everyone who uses this lens will run into it (it's oft-discussed on a wedding forum I'm a member of). It bothers some and not others (usually when it's a paid shoot).

Beautiful lens though, fabulous colour, contrast and bokeh.
 
Thanks for the reply. It's still top of my list. :D
 
blinkerz said:
Its weird cause the 50mm F/1.0 lens doesnt shift, but they couldnt get it right for 1.2?
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Are you sure it didn't? I can't find any info to confirm that one way or another. I'd be surprised if it didn't, unless a floating element was used to correct the problem. They've used a floating element in the 85mm 1.2L, but not the 50mm 1.2L for reasons best known to Canon, although it would no doubt have contributed more weight, not to mention cost. It's been suggested that Canon could solve the problem with a software upgrade for the lens.

To be fair though the F1 is a legendary lens of more value to collectors and investors than photographers. Used wide open it was pants, and even stopped down to around 1.4 it wasn't as good as the substantially cheaper 50mm 1.4, which is no doubt why it was discontinued.

Canon set out to remedy those issues with the 50mm 1.2 and to be fair they've succeeded I think, in that it's slightly sharper than the much respected 50mm 1.4 from f1.2 to about f2.8 and so fills the bill for those who want a fast sharp lens.

The focus shift problem doesn't occur wide open anyway, it's when you focus at full aperture, but then stop down to a moderately small aperture - say f1.4 to around f4. The actual focal plane of the lens shifts on stopping down, throwing the image slightly out of focus. Stopping down further to around f5.6 or f8 eliminates the issue.

I haven't been able to create the effect in a couple of days of messing about trying to, but that doesn't mean I wont experience the problem at some stage oif course. It's an issue I'll happily live with anyway. :D
 
Didn't realise you had one Chewy? With both the 85 1.2 and the 50mm 1.2, used wide open you can forget any idea of focusing with the centre AF spot and then recomposing - focus would be miles out. If you want an off centre subject, then you have to select the appropriate AF point. Or focus manually of course.
 
Actually very interestingly I recently knocked the lens and was worried I had damaged it, so popped it into the local Jacobs, who claimed that actually the 30d and battery pack are struggling to deal with the AF on the lens.... Seemed odd to me!

Essentially the lens struggled on AF to find a point of focus.
 
Ah now you mention it..
 
chewyuk said:
Actually very interestingly I recently knocked the lens and was worried I had damaged it, so popped it into the local Jacobs, who claimed that actually the 30d and battery pack are struggling to deal with the AF on the lens.... Seemed odd to me!

Essentially the lens struggled on AF to find a point of focus.
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Is it OK now? The AF is moving some pretty heavy glass around remember.
 
You seemed to have nailed the focus on the last picture (wife's toolkit) - did you apply any sharpening?

Like yourself i just couldn't resist in getting a 50 1.2 to accompany my 85 1.2 - i still like using the 85 more :)
 
ps2user said:
You seemed to have nailed the focus on the last picture (wife's toolkit) - did you apply any sharpening?
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Only normal sharpening from reducing the image to web size.
Like yourself i just couldn't resist in getting a 50 1.2 to accompany my 85 1.2 - i still like using the 85 more :)
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LOL No real argument there. :D
 
Hey CT, don't suppose you'd consider posting a pic here of the 50mm F/1.2 on the camera body, would you :)?

I know that I'm a "N***n fan-boy", but I don't think that there's a sexier looking lens on the planet than that Canon 1.2L :thumbs:. Pure glass porn :naughty:!


I really am a terrible geek, aren't I :shake:?
 
Naboo32 said:
Hey CT, don't suppose you'd consider posting a pic here of the 50mm F/1.2 on the camera body, would you :)?

I know that I'm a "N***n fan-boy", but I don't think that there's a sexier looking lens on the planet than that Canon 1.2L :thumbs:. Pure glass porn :naughty:!


I really am a terrible geek, aren't I :shake:?
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LOL. Well it is kinda sexy and it definitely deserves the nomination: -

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But really - there can only be one real contender for that title :- :D

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(Buttons up trousers and smokes a cigarette) :whistling:

Wow! :eek: I really needed to see that! Sure there are some Canon 50mm 1.2L images on the Internet, but it's always good to see an "in the buff", "real world" shot :love:.


OK :shake: ......................................................... :coat:



Thanks for posting CT ;)!
 
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