50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8

[dennykyser]

Ok, I am going to get another 50mm lens but now which one. This will most likely be my PRIMARY portrait lens so I dont want to try and save a little bit of money and give up sharpness. Right now I am leaning torwards the 1.4 unless someone convinces me otherwise.

Has anyone used them both?

[CyberDyneSystems]

The 1.8 is not any less "sharp"
The biggest difference is the USM motor on the 1.4 and the metal construction. It also offeres a little more aperture,. but that does not equal sharpnes.

[dennykyser]

I did find an interesting post on this for others who want to read it.

http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/ef50/

[karusel]

Excellent link, thank for sharing! :wink:

[dennykyser]

Although its a great link still not sure which way I should go, maybe get the 1.8 and a 28 f/2.8 or a 35 f/2.0 ??

Actually if I do go with the 1.8 I will probably pick up one of the other lenses. but that just leads me to another decision.

[karusel]

My answer is this: get 1.8 and when you'll feel that its lack of quality inflicts photos that would otherwise look much better, go for 1.4. And even if you decide to get rid of the 1.8 at half price via e-bay, you'll loose only 35 bucks.

[RichardtheSane]

Is 50mm long enough to be a primary portrait lens?
I would have thought maybe the 85mm F1.8 would be a better choice...

[dennykyser]

Which one do you own?

[scottbergerphoto]

I recently posted a focus test of the 50mm f/1.4:
http://www.pbase.com/scottbergerphoto/50mm_f_14__focus_test

MTF tests of both lenses are available at:
http://www.photodo.com/nav/prodindex.html
Scott

[DaveG]

Ok, I am going to get another 50mm lens but now which one. This will most likely be my PRIMARY portrait lens so I dont want to try and save a little bit of money and give up sharpness. Right now I am leaning torwards the 1.4 unless someone convinces me otherwise.

Has anyone used them both?

I was looking at the same choice last spring and I decided that the f1.4 was the wiser decision, at least for me. First off as lenses go the 50 f1.4 isn't all that expensive. It gives very good speed in a 80 mm effective focal length, and it's built a lot better than the 1.8 with the plastic lens mount.

I expect that this lens is going to be with me for a very long time and will be used along with L series lenses. I just didn't want any possibility that I would be using an inferior lens - and can a plastic lens mount be anything but inferior?

[dennykyser]

Very helpful reply, and I too believe this will be a lens that gets lots of use.

[karusel]

DaveG I beg to differ. When you show your photos to other people, they will not mock you for using an inferior 1.8 plastic lens instead of a super duper metal 1.4. But hey, if you feel bad using lens with plastic housing, I understand. Funny that only the cosmetic differences bother you... Personally I don't really care if the lens is plastic, metal, white, black with a red ring, a Canon, Sigma or Tokina, as long as it delivers top performance, at a reasonable price.

Dennykyser I've got the 1.8.

[DaveG]

DaveG I beg to differ. When you show your photos to other people, they will not mock you for using an inferior 1.8 plastic lens instead of a super duper metal 1.4. But hey, if you feel bad using lens with plastic housing, I understand. Funny that only the cosmetic differences bother you... Personally I don't really care if the lens is plastic, metal, white, black with a red ring, a Canon, Sigma or Tokina, as long as it delivers top performance, at a reasonable price.

Dennykyser I've got the 1.8.

First off there's far more than cosmetics involved when you compare a 50 mm f1.8 to an f1.4. First there's that pesky extra stop of light that gets captured. The second is build quality. The 1.4 is just made a lot better than the 1.8, it focuses more quickly and has on demand manual focus.

On the day it's purchased the 1.8 may well be a fine lens. But you'll care when the lens is a couple of years old and the plastic is wearing out and the lens isn't mounted with the same precision as it was when it was new. Canon replaced their original breech lock lens mounts on their old FD lenses because they had problems with the thing wearing out in time and THAT was a metal based system. And if you don't understand that there is a difference between the quality of different lenses then just ALWAYS, ALWAYS buy the cheapest ones you can lay your hands on.

The only lens I've ever had trouble with was a Vivitar Series One 200 mm f3 lens. Optically it was a rival to my Nikkor 180 f2.8, but mechanically it started to break down after just a couple of years. My 180 has gone through 14 years of professional use, inclusing eight years on a daily newspaper, without a problem. I really don't think that the f1.8 would hold up to wear like this but I'm reasonably confident that the 1.4 will.

[nosquare2003]

Dennykyser, I read your previous posts and it seems that you have sold your 50/1.8 MkII. If you really like the 50/1.4, just go for it.

Personally, I prefer the low cost of 50/1.8 MkII. DaveG, the build quality of 50/1.4 is certainly better. But the replacement cost of 50/1.8 is low. And I seldom hear a 50/1.8 breakdown. IMHO, under a limited budget, a 50/1.8 may be a better choice.