[acedrew]

Technology marches along at a fairly standard pace, unfortunately, the lens makers don't update their designs everytime new tech comes out. It's understandable why, they invested a lot of time and money developing the design, making manufacturing tooling and what such, but it means that some lenses just aren't up to the same standards. I've actually never shot the Canon 50mm 1,4, but I did read a lot of the same stuff you did, which drove me to purchase the Sigma 50mm 1.4 "EX" which is kinda their version of "L" series. I was so impressed with the build quality of the lens, that I immediately ordered the Sigma 24mm 1.8 EX. Don't get me wrong, it's a great lens, and I've taken some incredible pictures with it, but it just doesn't compare to the overall build quality and feel of the 50mm. I say all that to say this, I think the manufactures should have to put a design date on the lens models so you can keep up with how old the design is and how likely it is to be redesigned in the near future.

A feature I use to determine if it's a newer lens is if it has the "slip clutch" so that you don't have to switch between manual and auto.

Yeah, I know, it'll never happen...

Andrew Rodgers
Perfected Perspectives -- Photography by Andrew Rodgers | Andrew Rodgers (acedrew) on Twitter | Login | Facebook