Canon 50mm f1.4 - first impressions

echo wrote in post #2128869
As a matter of interest, do any people here who have the 50 f/1.4 also have the 35 f/1.4 L - If so, how would you compare them? I only ask as I'm thinking about one, cough.

I have both. The 35 is considerably better in terms of color, contrast and overall sharpness across the field of view wide open. The advantage gradually diminishes as you stop both lenses down. There's a certain clarity with the 35 that's hard to beat.

Why do these threads always come back to the 35L ? Float, Florite, Ring USM ?

blam wrote in post #2126688
for those mentioning the 350 is bad with fast lenses vs. the 30D, I have a 400D with this lens and it doesn't seem to focus any better than some of the bad examples here.
.

I must admit i didnt have too many issues with my 350D and 50mm f/1.8II.
In fact the biggest problem i had was with my Sigma 30mm f/1.4 outdoors at smaller apatures like f/5.8+. once i had got rid of it and got a 35mm f/2.0 i had more keepers so it was the lens and not the AF system.
In fact at f/1.4 my Sigma was good (like this)

I got this lens the other day, I havn't used it too much yet due to bad weather but when I've had the chance to use it I've been very impressed. The shutterspeeds you can get at f1.4 are amazing it will take some time for me to get used to 5.6 on my 400mm again, here's a couple of pictures of my cat who was happy to pose when it stopped raining,

http://www.the-brothers-grim.com/photos/Holly/​holly.jpg
http://www.the-brothers-grim.com/photos/Holly/​holly2.jpg

2nd one has lots of CA it looks like

on the leaves? yeah it does, the sun was quite strong though, I would recommend the hood too btw.

I'm not doubting it's a good lens.

I'm pretty sure that all 50mm 1.4 lenses are subject to CA in contrasty situations wide open though. They're just not meant for that situation outdoors; if you're outside, it's unlikely you'll need the amount of light 1.4 will give you.

A hood will not prevent CA though.

There even seems to be CA on the first (on the cat's back)? That would be odd as it's not a high contrast boundary.

It's not CA on the first picture, his black fur catches the light funny sometimes and comes out a bluey gray.

here's a little example if you see what I mean - http://www.the-brothers-grim.com/photos/Holly/​hollyweird.jpg it's like that with the naked eye not just with cameras.

I agree that your unlikely to use 1.4 outside on a sunny day, especially pointing at the sky. But when you get a new lens you just want to play

according to the exif this also was taken at 1.4 on the 50mm ?

: yeah it was, that was the first image that I found that showed it clearly. Here's one taken with my macro lens excuse the oof these are only snapshots of a cat.

http://www.the-brothers-grim.com/photos/Holly/​hollyweird2.jpg

blah, dont you hate when you post and it doesnt work
here is my 50mm @ F1.4 at a distance
http://members.shaw.ca​/br.l/50mm.htm

up close, no problems.

I bought the 50 1.4 last week and while it seemed sharp enough at 1.4, it was backfocusing like mad at all apertures. Sent it back and the replacement should be here tommorrow.

Fingers crossed.

i thought mine was BF, but it was just mad CA

smaller apertures are sharp =D

dies anyone use a hood on their 50mm 1.4?