Another one bites the dust, well soon anyway.

I think my 50mm is on the way out, for the 2nd time!!!!!! I had it fail just after the warranty expired but after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing of emails Canon agreed to fix it "as a gesture of goodwill". I've now had it just over 3 years and it's started freezing up on me, and then being rather noisy as it grates back and forth trying to focus. I'm so disappointed. I wont bother sending it in for repair, if and when if finally goes completely kaput. I'll be looking for another brand to replace it with. Just had to have a little vent.

Any recommendations for a replacement. I've heard Sigma is good, IF you get a good copy, I dont know how true this is.

Which 50mm?

Whippeticious wrote in post #13740248
I think my 50mm is on the way out, for the 2nd time!!!!!!

[GIFS ARE NOT RENDERED IN QUOTES]

[GIFS ARE NOT RENDERED IN QUOTES]

I had it fail just after the warranty expired but after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing of emails Canon agreed to fix it "as a gesture of goodwill". I've now had it just over 3 years and it's started freezing up on me, and then being rather noisy as it grates back and forth trying to focus. I'm so disappointed. I wont bother sending it in for repair, if and when if finally goes completely kaput. I'll be looking for another brand to replace it with.

[GIFS ARE NOT RENDERED IN QUOTES]

Just had to have a little vent.

Any recommendations for a replacement. I've heard Sigma is good, IF you get a good copy, I dont know how true this is.

i figure you can get the 50 1.4 for about $300 - $325. my last one got noisy and i sold it for like $225, and i had multiple guys that would take it as is.

i recently bought another for $325. that's the way i'm going to do it with this lens.

i'm thinking about selling some of my older lenses and when i find excellent deals on replacements. it's hard to part with a reliable lens, though.

you know the story on the 50s. you'd think there would be one perfect choice but there isn't. good luck.

ed rader

Is this the nifty-fifty or the 1.4? I have a Sig 50 1.4 and absolutely love it! I've had both of the Canon's way back when, and as you see, I went with the Sigma..

i assumed he meant the 50 1.4.

ed rader

I dumped my canon 50 1.4 before it craps itself and went with Sigma, been happy ever since

I might go back to canon, but it's the 50L or nothing....

ed rader wrote in post #13740311
i assumed he meant the 50 1.4.

ed rader

Yep, the 1.4 sorry I meant to put that in, oh BTW I'm a she.

The Sigma is tempting but I'm also thinking maybe I should just buy a couple of 1.8's. When the Aussie $ is strong against the Yen, they can be got new for $80. At that price I could just throw it way if it dies on me. I paid almost $600 for the 1.4, what a waste of money that was!

Wow, sorry to hear this. I have heard and read many stories of others having problems with the 50mm 1.4. It is a real shame because it's a pretty good lens. The Sigma is a great lens if you think it is ok to have to send it in as soon as you buy it. I how ever see that as unacceptable.

If you don't mind mf you could always go for the best 50 IMO and buy the Zeiss. This is what I ended up with after trying out many of the offerings out there. The Zeiss is just and amazing lens.

Hi Whippet, the Sigma is fantastic. Beautiful, well built but you have to get a good copy. I tried 3 of them, never found one I'd keep but that was shortly after it was introduced. I'm considering trying it again - right after you do.

Also had a bad experience with the 50 1.4. AF was crap, had it repaired several times, same problem. Canon replaced it with a new one, no difference. I gave up and sold it.

I dont think I could sell this lens with a clear conscience. I suppose it will still work as a manual lens.

Whippeticious wrote in post #13742023
I dont think I could sell this lens with a clear conscience. I suppose it will still work as a manual lens.

If you disclose any problems then someone will buy it, as the lens models issues are well known and IIRC not overly difficult to repair. Then get the Sigma.

K6AZ wrote in post #13740281
Which 50mm?

The only Canon that consistently bites the dust

To the OP: if you have the patience, play the Sigma lottery, I've heard when you hit jackpot it's worth the hoops you have to jump through.

moonshadow wrote in post #13741683
Also had a bad experience with the 50 1.4. AF was crap, had it repaired several times, same problem. Canon replaced it with a new one, no difference. I gave up and sold it.

Yup, had two...both were massive disappointments, gonna steer clear of that lens 'till the 50 1.4 II comes out (providing they make it at least as good as the 85 1.8, for example).

LowriderS10 wrote in post #13742139
The only Canon that consistently bites the dust

Well the AF in the F/1.4 dies. The F/1.8 just self-destructs into at least a couple of reasons for no apparent reason. It leaves Canon's only reliable 50mm as quite an expensive lens. You'd think they would have addressed the issue by now but non-L primes are quite rare from Canon these days.