Which 50mm option?

Oops, voted for the 50/1.4 (which is a great lens) before reading that you already own the NOINK.

Get the adapter and try it out. You should be able to manually focus it with the larger viewfinder on the 5D. Other than that, save for the 50/1.4.

Best regards,
Andy

What type of photography course is it? On a full frame I would go with an 85mm for portraits. Of the available 50s I would get the Canon 1.4. I dont yet have a 1.2 so can't speculate on how good that will be.

Hi Mdr,

well as with all things there is never an easy answer. Canon currently make four 50mm lenses, the 1.2L, 1.4, 1.8 and the one you missed from your list the 50mm f 2.5 macro lens. The macro has a lot to recommend it, also the MTF chart for the 2.5 is if anything slightly nicer than the 1.4. Photodo rates the 1.4 and the 2.5 at 4.4/50 which is a very respectable score. If you want to do some close shooting ir a bit of macro (only goes to half lifesize) then you may like to thing about the 50 2.5 compact macro.

Having said that, I like the 1.4, have the 1.0 and have used the 1.2 and will be keeping my 1.4.

All the best

BearSummer

I am looking to upgrade from the 1.8 and have ruled out the 1.2. I have been thinking along the line of BearSummers post, to get the 2.5 macro. I already have the LSC to make it 1:1 macro and while 2.5 is slower that 1.4 by a fair bit it is not that slow.

Hmmmm.....

I have a 1.8 which I have used for the last 2 years. It is a great lens if you have, or take the time to set up the shot just right. But I use the fast primes primarily for indoor sports. I finally got tired of its inconsistent performance and went for the 1.4.

The 85 1.8 is a stellar performer and I believe the 50 1.4 will perform just as well. I needed a little wider lens for basketball and the 1.8 just could not cut it due to focus issues.

BearSummer wrote in post #2212714
Hi Mdr,

Having said that, I like the 1.4, have the 1.0 and have used the 1.2 and will be keeping my 1.4.

BearSummer

Hmm....are you tacitly implying that you will not be keeping the 50 f/1.0 ?
(No, Bear, that's not a trick question, just curious.)

I love my Sigma 50mm Macro but it's f/2.8 (but really really sharp from f/2.8).
If I had to choose from the list I'd go with the f/1.4. $1,000 for better build, Ring USM, a red ring and 1/3 stop isn't worth it to me.

foxbat wrote in post #2210477
Stick with the Nikon. It's a very good lens and the lack of AF will help you concentrate on the important aspects of photography during your course, i.e. composition, framing and light.

What he said ... or the classic Pentax 50mm SMC 1.4 is one of the best 50mm's you can buy. Boxed and mint it will cost around £90 including a K mount/EOS adaptor. The Canon 1.4 is the easiest to use and a good compromise. The 50mm 1.8 is perfectly functional too if you want cheap AF. I'd stick to the Nikkor in your situation tho'.

IMO the Canon 50mm 1.4 is one of the greatest lenses , period. For under 300.00 you cannot go wrong.

Love the 50 1.4, can't vote for the 50 1.2L since I haven't tried it.

Get the 50mm f1.2 L.....think big

17-40L, 50, 70-200 is exactly what I love shooting =) I like my 1.8... pretty darn cheap you can't go wrong! I'm sure the 1.4 is decent too but the copy I played with was softsoftsoft...

//edit: Didn't see you had the Nikkor as an option! Definitely that one! She's sweeeet.

Master-9 wrote in post #2215559
Get the 50mm f1.2 L.....think big

Some good, sound & well reasoned advice there. I forgot it was BIG, It'll take much better images...

Poll is still open, but it looks like the 50mm f1.4 is going to win by a long shot.

Will be buying the 50mm f1.4 (can't justify the ridiculous price of the f1.2) as well as an EOS - AIS adaptor. Once I've got them, I'll post some comparison shots of the two.

For the few that suggested that I sell the 50mm f1.4 AIS, come on, think again. Why should I sell this 'oh so sweet' lens which I still use with my Nikon FE.

Just started 'The Art of Photography' course at the Open College of the Arts.

mdr - I have the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 (non-D version) on my F100 and it is a 'cracking' little lens, along with a 24mm Ai - it serves me well for landscape shots. (I'm looking for a decent s/h 85mm now)

Yes, I'd keep the 50 f/1.4 AIS and use that FE. (a real camera!)