Did I made a mistake?

I bought a 50mm f/1.2 L lens for doing portraits...should I have a bought a different one? Looks like most of the people here use 24L, 35L, ,85L, 135L but no alot to use 50mm. I was thinking of buying the brick or 17-55, but then again should I buy a different prime? Please show me the way.

Are you disappointed with the lens? Or just buyers remorse?

I'm not actually. In fact I'm loving every single bit of it. Its just, could It have gone better if I bought a 35L instead. It looks like most of the people (or so i thought) who had the 50L and traded it for a 35L are happier. Since I dont have the other lens mentioned above, I really can't compare. Should have I just bought the 50mm f/1.4 and the 35L? Or should I just collect every single prime I can be happy about LOL

The 50L is one of the most frustrating lens to use in the beginning. It has a steep learning curve but once mastered it is amazing.

Well since you are shooting a 7D, the 50 L has the field of view of 80 or so which is fairly ideal. So if you bought it for portraits on your body, then you picked well.

good choice.

Are you trying to shoot portraits at f/1.2? 1.2-2.8 are great apertures for creative portraits, or isolating an individual in candids, or artistic shots of any type, but there's nothing wrong with an f/2.8-f/5.6 portrait with the 50L. I love shooting shallow (1.2-2.0) for distance, environmental, portraits to get pop, but there are issues in doing so. High contrast will give you CA(any fast prime), which will make the images look soft. You need to learn what lighting works for these shots, and what doesn't. Shooting shallow, closeup gets old after a while, but always makes for a nice image or two as well. Shooting headshot/bust shots with the 50L, at f/2.8-f/5.6 will give you a VERY sharp image, with excellent background bokeh. No regrets here.

The 50L makes a great portrait lens for me, on a crop or full frame. But, everyone is different. A friend of mine prefers 85mm on her crop-body, which I tend to leave for my FF or 1d. She'd never consider 35mm for portrait work, where I'd use it on a crop, but not as much on FF. Its all in your style. Nothing wrong with the 50L, if you like the focal length.

You made the right choice!!! The previous explanations will tell you why.

I'm using a 50L myself. Never regret buying it. One of the best lens for me after I mastered using it.

When a crop was my main 50mm was my go to focal length. Nice choice. Use the lens a ton and give it a fair shake for a while. Then if you still are not sure. Sell it. I bet you'll keep it

Deciding whether or not to like a lens based on some forum posts is ridiculous-if you are happy with the results you are getting, don't worry if there are others that like a different lens. The 50mm on a crop body is a great portrait lens-I use my 85mm f1.8 on a full frame body a lot.

litratista wrote in post #11239349
I bought a 50mm f/1.2 L lens for doing portraits...should I have a bought a different one? Looks like most of the people here use 24L, 35L, ,85L, 135L but no alot to use 50mm. I was thinking of buying the brick or 17-55, but then again should I buy a different prime? Please show me the way.

Dude, the question is are YOU happy with the 50L? if so, Then whys it matter what others use? You use something different, nothin wrong with that

I got a kick out of Juza shooting portraits with the Sigma 500mm f/2.8..Most people would say 500mm is a LITTLE long for portraits...but it was different, and it worked well

Would be my choice on a crop for a torso portrait. I would go 85 on a FF for a torso portrait, on crop for head shot. 105 on FF for head shot.

It's a great lens! And if you ever go FF, you'll have the best 50 ever made..

I think you made a horrible mistake buying the Tokina 11-16mm and would suggest you trade it to me for my Canon 10-22