40mm Pancake, or Nifty fifty?

Man, what a tough competition. The 40 is built better, but 2.8 compared to 1.8, and even if the nifty gets a tad sharper at F2, it's still faster than the 40. The 40 cost a tad more, but go in to the Nift Fifty sample thread and those pics look just as amazing to me as the pics in the 40 sample thread. The 40 has better bokey supposedly, but I'm just sayin, go to the fifty sample thread and there are some absolutely great pics, and this lens is faster while the 40 has the better build. So which one to get for my 5D2. I already have the tamron 28-75 and it covers 40mm at 2.8, so the nifty is the one that would give me something that I do not have, namely 50mm at 21.8, 2.0, 2.3. Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are.

I'd rather have the 50mm f/1.8. They are cheap enough to get both and then sell the one you like least (or even keep both for different purposes).

On Full Frame the 50mm f/1.8 is in my opinion the better option.

Strangely Brown wrote in post #15403485
On Full Frame the 50mm f/1.8 is in my opinion the better option.

Starting to think so too. 1.8 vs 2.8 is just faster for those situations you need speed for, and I would rarely shoot at 1.8.more like F2 and 2.3 or whatever and the pics in that nifty fifty sample archive are astounding, every bit as good as the 40mm sample thread.

The 50 would be more useful because of the 1.8. I would like to add that Canon is running a sale on refurbished lenses right now. You can pick up the 50 1.4 for just over $250. So it is not much more than the pancake.

http://shop.usa.canon.​com …uct_10051_10051​_269493_-1

Go with the 50mm. It's great at f/2.2 or so.

Get the 50mm, and I'd recommend the MkI over the MkII.

It's a tough choice because the 50 is not sharp at 1.8 and has to be stopped down. It also has unreliable focus and is badly build and very fragile. The 40 is sharp wide open and more reliable to focus and is a better build. The main advantage of the 50 is the speed, but it's only about 2/3 stop if you want sharp. It's also dirt cheap so there is little reason not to own one.

Of course the 40 is replaced by most fast zooms, so the 50 is probably the one you will keep in the end. But it is a tough choice. Get the 50 first anyway. It's fine at 2.2 or so.

50mm at f/2.2 is very usable. Great portrait lens for traveling.

50mm and f/1.8 on full-frame, no question about it.

never used 50 1.8, but I used 50 1.4 and I rather have the pancake than 50 1.4. Shooting 5d mkii with the pancake is a liberating experience. The color, contrast and bokeh of the 50 is not as good as the pancake.

I was stoked about my 40 and thought it was awesome, but I might never use it again haha.

Get the 1.8. Hands down the better lens. I will go so far as to say that unless you really want a pancake lens, don't get the 40 haha.

I take that back, the 40 is better..... wanna buy mine?

i have both, i personally like the f/1.8 factor more
otherwise they're both great lens to own =)

Really? The colour on my 50 is very rich. Shorty forty holds up though, love it.

vaflower wrote in post #15403890
never used 50 1.8, but I used 50 1.4 and I rather have the pancake than 50 1.4. Shooting 5d mkii with the pancake is a liberating experience. The color, contrast and bokeh of the 50 is not as good as the pancake.