35L Not so sharp Wide open? Take a look

Just picked this lens up. Looks like it might need a trip to CPS to get calibrated. What do you think?

100% 1.4

It does look soft, but some ...different types of samples would be more helpful. Most likely send it in though.

What camera you shooting with? Try MFA if you've got it?

It looks soft to me too but image #2 looks noisy can you post some with better light on the subject.

The 35L is soft wide open. There are basically no fast primes that are really sharp at f/1.4. It is however difficult to judge from that shot if it falls under normal softness or if there is actually something wrong.

They were shot with a 5dmkii.

I'll get better lit pics. Any suggestions what to use for tests?

It's just obviously soft even on the camera LCD

my 50mm 1.4 wideopen is waaay sharper

denoir wrote in post #10269242
The 35L is soft wide open. There are basically no fast primes that are really sharp at f/1.4. It is however difficult to judge from that shot if it falls under normal softness or if there is actually something wrong.

I disagree..

Any lens isn't at its best wide open,,stop them down a stop or two and things heat up..
The argument is what is acceptably sharp for you..
Canon EF50mm f/1.4

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I love dachshunds. Get the gear on a tripod and be sure it's/not AF.

Your 35L sample is not sharp because it is clearly out of focus. Try calibrating it through the micro adjustment feature of your 5D2. If it doesn't work, send it to Canon.

If you want to determine how sharp you lens really is, then manually focus it through live view.

It looked focused in the viewfinder. I even moved the focusing ring a little both ways to see if that was the case.

Try manually focusing your 35L at full aperture.. Mounting your kit on a tripod is advisable.. The only way to test lens sharpness is by manually focusing..

Manually focusing will eliminate any communication problems between your lens and camera..

Just did mf with and without live view. Still comes out blurry. I had the camera set on my desk.
Same results doh. The camera seems to af fine too. I think something is up with the aperture blades or something. I'll take better samples tomorrow. Will send in next week definitely.

Down_Shift wrote in post #10269569
It looked focused in the viewfinder. I even moved the focusing ring a little both ways to see if that was the case.

Unless you have a Eg-S or split-prism focusing screen, it's unlikely you'd be able to focus an f/1.4 lens manually through the viewfinder. The stock focusing screen on a 5D2 isn't capable of representing accurate DoF for any aperture larger than f2.8.

Also, when you manually focus through Live View, make sure you're doing it at x10 magnification level. My 35L is ridiculously sharp in the center @ f1.4.

i think its horrible and u should switch me for my 30mm asap 8)

stargazer78 wrote in post #10269789
Unless you have a Eg-S or split-prism focusing screen, it's unlikely you'd be able to focus an f/1.4 lens manually through the viewfinder. The stock focusing screen on a 5D2 isn't capable of representing accurate DoF for any aperture larger than f2.8.

Also, when you manually focus through Live View, make sure you're doing it at x10 magnification level. My 35L is ridiculously sharp in the center @ f1.4.

whats the deal with these eg-s focussing screens i keep hearing about. are they really that much better?

never really looked into them much before.