Canon 50mm f1.8 prime lens

Steve Randles

Steve Randles

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Do you own or have you owned and used one of these lens? What are your thoughts on it, how well does it perform?

I've heard mention of it being called the "plastic fantastic" or "nifty fifty" before now is it really worth its money or should I keep saving for the f1.4 50mm prime? ( its taken all of 6 months to save for the f1.8..will take another 6 to go for the f1.4 )

Steve...:)
 
The Photo mag I get did an article on this the other month.

Basically, the 1.2 L is great, but not really worth the huge difference in cost over the 1.4. But, they did rate the 1.4 over the standard 1.8 and felt it was worth the extra £200 (ish) - with both lens set to apature (1.8 etc) - the 1.4 provided better results and they also said it felt a better quality of lens.

Hope this is of some help :thumbs:
 
that's unfair!!
at 1.8 the cheaper lens is wide open!
however, I've seen a review which pushes them both to f2.0 , off from the edge of the cheaper version and the 1.4 does come out on top, but not hugely.
not really for £200 more imho
however, if you really like this sort of photography then the 1.4 is great
faster, sturdier, better focusing ring and looks better on the camera quite frankly.
I only bought it as I shoot a lot of low light and really wanted the 1.4 and other benefits.
if you're only using it a bit or using it at f2.8 ish for portraits then stick with the cheaper one. why spend so much more.
having said that I had the 1.8 bought 2nd hand and traded up...the 1.8 didn't lose any value in that year. there is no down side I think
nice lens to own :)
 
I have owned the 1.8 and still own the 1.4.

The 1.8 looks and feels horribly cheap and plasticky at first but delivers super results, even on my 5D.

It is noisy and the focus ring is not that nice or practical but usable once you get used to it...no MF override though. It does focus reasonably quickly and I think my copy was a bit on the cool sidewhen compared to my 1.4.

The 1.4 is rumoured not to last long as it has the micro USM AF motor. I bought mine 2nd hand and it is going strong.

It is a bit larger and heavier than the 1.8 but better constructed and with a metal mount.

It is a bit on the warm side compared to my 70-200 but if you shoot RAW this is no worry at all.

Purely a matter of handling them both and if the budget is seriously tight you wouldn't make a huge mistake by going for the 1.8 (MkII)

HTH:thumbs:
 
for 1.6 crop bodies, i prefer to use the 35/2 over the 50/1.8
 
for the money there is no chice in the matter well worth every penny if you can get for around 80 or below.

if you expect miricales then pay more, expect what you pay for then you will be blown away by the 1.8.

sorry but there is no way that you can compare a 1.8 against the 1.4.

the money difference should tell you that.

purchased it and was very very surprised by the IQ provided, but you have to make the choice, do you need it now or can you wait?

simples init mate
 
I owned a 50mm F1.8 until recently. Optically I thought it was spot on, and IMO was not far adrift from an 85mm F1.8 (which is rated as the dogs gonads). Having said that, performance at F1.8 and F2.0 was somewhat soft (great from F2.5) and the AF was seriously hopeless on my 5D unless used in good light on a nearly static object.
In short, depends on your needs. For the dosh, optically it's a bargain.
 
fleaz said:
for 1.6 crop bodies, i prefer to use the 35/2 over the 50/1.8
Click to expand...

I would imagine this would be to get the "true" traditional 50mm perspective?
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
I owned a 50mm F1.8 until recently. Optically I thought it was spot on, and IMO was not far adrift from an 85mm F1.8 (which is rated as the dogs gonads). Having said that, performance at F1.8 and F2.0 was somewhat soft (great from F2.5) and the AF was seriously hopeless on my 5D unless used in good light on a nearly static object.
In short, depends on your needs. For the dosh, optically it's a bargain.
Click to expand...

Agree with all except that mine was quite good on my 5D...

From f/4 the 1.8 is about as sharp as any scalpel. I have found it to be quite acceptible wide open and no softer than the best I have seen on my 17-85
 
Got a f/1.8 nifty mk1 (which isn't marked as such) but benefits from the metal mount.

Bought it for £50 a year ago and delighted with it. In fact it always comes with me.

Pecking order seems to be

f/1.8 placcy mount
f/1.8 with metal mount (the mk1)
f/1.4


I have no experience of any of the others but I wouldn't be without mine unless the fairy godmother replaced it with the f/1.4 - but then I think the point of the nifty is value for money, which brings you back to the f/1.8

Go on, buy one, play with it for a fortnight and tell me I'm wrong!
 
The f/1.8 is a little duff in low light, but apart from that I can't really fault it.
 
DizMatt said:
that's unfair!!
at 1.8 the cheaper lens is wide open!
Click to expand...

But you don't use every lens wide open for the sake of it, you use a lens to shoot a specific aperture. If you're going to shoot at 50mm f/1.8, the lenses to compare are the 50mm f/1.2, 1.4 and 1.8, at f/1.8... Of course, the f/1.2 is uneconomical for most people.

The 50mm f/1.8 is a great lens, perhaps too long for general purpose photography. Which lenses do you have already? If you already have a general purpose lens and you know you like the 50mm focal length, go for it. You can always sell it and buy the 50mm f/1.4. You might take a £30 hit, but you'll have had it for 6 months!

My advice would be to buy one second hand if you're unsure, they pop up quite often.
 
I purchased the 1.8 last weekend as I wanted a prime lens that was reasonably priced. I have tried a few shots with it at f1.8 and at f2. Good results a f2 which is what I was expecting for the price and I think it's a good piece of glass and meets my needs. :thumbs:

Denis
 
I won't be without my 1.8 until I get a 1.4, but I am getting cross with it lately.

The AF hunts a lot in low light (my f2.8 L gets a lock when the 1.8 hunts - and thats a whole stop to play with)

Yesterday I was playing with strobes and had it stopped down to f5- f7 and it looked soft to me, the only thing I was comparing it to was my 80-200 f2.8L so I know that will be sharper but it still didn't blow me away even stopped down.

Definitely going to pick up a 1.4 might keep the 1.8 to leave on my film body though .........
 
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