Canon 50mm f/1.4 - soft pictures?

[scottbergerphoto]

I've been doing alot of Camera/Lens testing lately. I figured at some point I should check all my lenses in AF and MF to see if I had the dreaded "focus issue". I found that my AF and MF all turned out to be the same. I guess that was good. On my 50mm f/1.4, I found that using a test target, my pictures in MF and AF were pretty soft until about f/5.6. Has anyone had this experience with this lens, or the 1.8?
Thanks,
Scott

[Pekka]

It's the sharpest lens I have. It's ok in 1.4, sharp in 2.2 and extremely sharp up there.

[scottbergerphoto]

Pekka,
Thanks for your reply. I looked at the shots again and with some sharpening they looked alot better. I then repeated the test head on instead of 45 degrees and used flash to make sure inadequate light wasn't affecting the outcome. This time the shots were all very sharp. I think my initial tests were flawed as my focusing point was a strip of paper with high contrast b/w at a 45degree angle to the target paper. I can't find the original on the web any longer. It had the address: http://www.hkdotcom.net/Francis%20Photography%20channel/AF_Test/index.htm
I should also mention that in all my tests the AF and MF shots looked the same.
Thanks,
Scott

[Andy_T]

Hi Scott, your post is a bit unclear on your method - but as far as I remember, you should focus on the plane that's 90 degrees to your camera.

The 45 degrees strip is only to judge where the camera focused.

Regards,
Andy

[scottbergerphoto]

Andy,
There are a couple of different focus tests around. The one I linked to, you fold a high contrast strip of paper with b/w markings at a 45degree angle to a set of measured markings, wth the camera head on to the focus strip. So you are at a 45 degree angle to the marking scale to measure depth of field and straight on to the focus target.
Scott

[jazt]

Does anybody notice that the EXIF data for the 50mm does NOT show subject distance? or is just me and my 10D.

[maderito]

Does anybody notice that the EXIF data for the 50mm does NOT show subject distance? or is just me and my 10D.

You can relax. It's the 10D (or more specifically, the 50/1.4), not you 8). See my post http://photography-on-the.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=132352#132352 and check the entire thread.

[scottbergerphoto]

Pekka,
I just went back and reread your post on the 10D focus issue. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/viewtopic.php?TopicID=10948
You specifically mentioned the test target I used and stated to not use the raised paper as a focusing point due to 3D issues. I wish I remembered that before I did the tests. I'll try again using the method you described.
Scott

[jkelley]

Scott,

I posted a similar question back in November http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=19785&highlight=. I had just purchased a new 50mm/1.4 and also thought it seemed soft wide open. I also found that it didn't really seem to sharpen until f5.6, but some of the replies suggested some things to try (like shooting with a tripod to eliminate camera shake effects, etc). I'm still not convinced I have a lens that is as "good" as it should/could be.

Please let me know if you reach any conclusions with your lens...

[scottbergerphoto]

Scott,

I posted a similar question back in November http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=19785&highlight=. I had just purchased a new 50mm/1.4 and also thought it seemed soft wide open. I also found that it didn't really seem to sharpen until f5.6, but some of the replies suggested some things to try (like shooting with a tripod to eliminate camera shake effects, etc). I'm still not convinced I have a lens that is as "good" as it should/could be.

Please let me know if you reach any conclusions with your lens...
I plan to do some more tests this weekend. What I can tell you now is that I did a series of test shots using a flat target, head on with flash. The pictures were very sharp at all apertures. This is a picture of my dog, hand held at f/1.4, with ambient lighting. The depth of field is very narrow:
http://www.pbase.com/image/25457142.jpg
More to follow,
Scott

[jkelley]

Thanks Scott. I'll do some similar tests this weekend with my lens and post the results.

Great picture of your dog (I'm assuming it is your dog). Although the dof is narrow, the portion that is in focus seems very sharp to me. I haven't seen this with my lens, but I will do some more tests.

[Fried]

Hello Pekka,
would you change a good 1.8 50mm against a 1.4?
The main thing I want is faster AF, and how "precise" is the manual focus ring? That the bokeh is nicer I know, but what I really need is good fast AF (I shot animals, often my coal black Flat Coated Retriever) so AF always has been a problem. Also I will upgrade to a 1DII probably, same AF issue. Thx, Fried