Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM

I am so blown away by the clarity. Has anyone tried on on a Canon 30D? If so, were the results similar?

YAYA-BOSSE wrote in post #8858541
I am so blown away by the clarity. Has anyone tried on on a Canon 30D? If so, were the results similar?

I've used it on a 400D and 40D, before getting the 5D and 5D II if that is of any help.

And yes, the clarity, bokeh and colour is very much the same. Flare resistance is second to none. You really have to try very hard to get flare . Do note that AF may be more of a hit-and-miss with anything prior to a 50D, even with a well-behaved specimen - sometimes the AF on a 40D or 400D in combination with a 50L misses focus completely, in 1 of 10 to 1 of 20 shots IME. You may find Ai Servo fixes this, most of the time anyway.

Of course, on FF it shines even more. It is in a class of its own on FF, where on APS-C, IMO, it is similar to the 85L, just different AoV.

I find that lately when I want to do (fairly static) macro, I grab the 50L with an extension tube, or two, rather than a macro lens, because of its rendering capabilities. It is the main reason why I sold my 100 macro recently.

Kind regards, Wim

It's kinda odd how I see so many people with the 50L when I've read so many posts about 50L's shift focusing problem... what's going on? I am planning to purchase one, but fear very much towards this issue. Can some one speak more about it? Should I take the plunge?

It's because it's a very real but over rated issue. But it's still the best autofocus 50mm ever made.

So... can some one tell me if I were to purchase this lens... what's the % of it having the shift focusing problem? I am getting ready to purchase it, but would hate to spend that much and finding out that it has that issue. Can anyone here verify that they do not have such an issue? And I am still new but I would like to know how do you tell if it's shift focusing b/c I never experience such problem. Pls ans my question as it's a do or die for me right now. And I need your replies to get an accurate decision ='[

I thought I'd do a quick check on mine this afternoon, even though I've never noticed it. So I focussed on a pen at 45 degree to me about 2 - 2.5 feet away. Set f2.8 and used the center point. All the scenarios that should bring out the shift.......... and it did. The true focus point was about 1/4 inch back from the nib that I was focusing on......... Noticeable in real life? Not for the kind of stuff I do and easily worked around anyway. May have been worse on a full frame or even a newer cropo, but on my 30D its fine. @YaYa-Bossie - Though I work mainly in B + W, the 50L has some special colour. Can't put my finger on it, richness? depth? ..... I don't know, but I love it on my 30 Sorry, can't seem to format this post

JVS wrote in post #8861267
So... can some one tell me if I were to purchase this lens... what's the % of it having the shift focusing problem? I am getting ready to purchase it, but would hate to spend that much and finding out that it has that issue. Can anyone here verify that they do not have such an issue? And I am still new but I would like to know how do you tell if it's shift focusing b/c I never experience such problem. Pls ans my question as it's a do or die for me right now. And I need your replies to get an accurate decision ='[

IMO, there is no better 50 mm lens for Canon bodies. So if it is do or die, IMO it is do.

Focus shift varies significantly from specimen to specimen, and a lot has been written on this topic here, including by myself. One can argue that it is always present, but may disappear within DoF with good specimens, or is prominentky present and not fixable by Canon, so it seems, with other specimens.

Generally, newer bodies like the 50D and 5D II, and likely the 7D and 1D Mk IV, will handle it better, due to improvements in the AF algorithms and AF systems. When you do encounter it, it varies from a relatively mild form of focus shift between apertures F/1.4 and F/2.8 at focusing distances between MFD and approximateley 5 or 6 ft, or 1.5 to 1.8 m. Essentially it will backfocus slightly, in those cases, probably up to about 2 to 4 cm (0.8 to 1.6 inch), varying with aperture from a few mm to a few cm IOW. Beyond a certain distance and/or a certain aperture the back focus will disappear in the DoF. With worse specimens it will only disappear at F/8, or sometimes never, apparently.

It does look like Canon produces specimens this year which are on average better than before, but even so, there is a chance that yiu get a bad one. Just make sure you get yours from a retailer with a good return policy, and return any not so good specimens until you obtain one that performs satisfactorily or well enough for you in the above mentioned "danger zone".

Personally I went through 5 specimens and 2 recalibrations, to keep the last one, which is fine and only shifts well within the limits of the AF system (shift of 1/6 of DoF at its most, at F/2, which is less than the focus shift my 85L II displays ). This was a few years ago by now, and your chance of getting a good one is a lot better now, IMO. It is worth it, however, if you'd ask me . The pictures in this thread speak for themselves, after all .

HTH, kind regards,
Wim

Well thanks guys I just ordered a 50L!

Newegg has them in stock for $1439.99 btw

Mike

Hmm if I had the ability to get this lens i would with no doubt, because I just love the rendering of colors from it and overall view angle But to pay for a lens this much (more than 1000 pounds) and not being able to use it properly because of the lack of skill is a different story...
So for me it is: first skill (being able to control F1.4) and than if needed this lens
Someday it will definitely make its way into my camera bag!
PS: deci - hilarious signature DD

Paulius, why not do like me and save yourself around £400, put the money straight into a used 'L' and let yourself grow into the lens. If you find you need time to get used to 1.4 first...... its there, but so's the magic 1.2

The sig is curtesy of Terry Pratchett and Discworld (I forget which book)

deci wrote in post #8866624
Paulius, why not do like me and save yourself around £400, put the money straight into a used 'L' and let yourself grow into the lens. If you find you need time to get used to 1.4 first...... its there, but so's the magic 1.2

The sig is curtesy of Terry Pratchett and Discworld (I forget which book)

Well although growing into lens is fun...but for me it is a bit too much growing at once I hear even pro photographers say that it has a learning curve...so i'm just saving for siggy 30 1.4 (i have a crop, and the FoV will be very similar to 50).
As i said, for me who has never used a lens that is faster than 2.8, first should come the understanding of what to expect of the lens like this, how to use it properly and just don't want write everything down as lens error just because i don't have the proper skill to focus correctly :/

That signature is so true, i thought that i have read it somewhere Kinda makes one actually appreciate what one has

Two from today. I love fall.

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ƒ/7.1 Why that aperture? Because my finger moved the dial from ƒ/8. Meh, I still got the DOF I wanted

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