Canon 50mm F/1.8 to 50mm F/1.4?

[falafelicious]

So sadly it seems that my trusty "nifty fifty" is dying after being exposed to some salt water a while ago, but I am wondering if perhaps instead of just replacing it, it might be time to upgrade to the 50mm f1.4?

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with this lens about whether or not it's really worth the extra $200.

[inkista]

I think it's worth the money, but more importantly, is it really the focal length you want? I ended up going from the 50/1.8 II to an EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, and then eventually on to a 135 f/2L USM.

I know, I know. The wider maximum apertures are alluring. Hell, that's why I own an Oly OM-mount 50/1.2. But in practical terms, I've found that I have everything I need with an f/2 lens. Going wider than that is nice, but sometimes more trouble than it's worth, in terms of the size/weight of the lens, focus precision, and cost.

While upgrading to a USM lens is a great idea, you may want to take a look at your photos and consider whether you want a wider or longer lens than a 50mm. I find myself most comfortable these days, if I can only take two lenses with me, with my 135 f/2L and a 35mm f/2 prime. 50mm is just in an awkward spot for me on a crop body. YMMV, but I'd say do some data analysis on your zoom lens photo EXIFs and see if you actually sit naturally at 50mm, or if maybe swapping focal lengths might be more useful for you.

Canon offers a plethora of fast primes. There's no need to stick to 50mm simply out of habit. The 28/1.8, 35/2, 50/1.4, 85/1.8, 100/2, and 135/2.8 soft focus are all roughly in the same price range.

If you really really want a 50mm, then the 50/1.4 is probably worth the $200 "upgrade" if you care about things like manual focus usability, build quality, and having two-thirds of a stop more on the max. aperture. Otherwise, by image-quality, there's not a whole lot to choose between the two.

[falafelicious]

inkista - thank you for such a detailed and thoughtful response, I will take a look at some of the other lens you mentioned

[inkista]

BTW, take a look at dpreview's lens review data comparison between the 50/1.8 and 50/1.4 (on an APS-C sized sensor) to see why I don't think there's that much difference, image quality-wise between the two lenses.

[private]

I will say that I wish I got the 35 instead of the 50, but I love the speed of the 1.4 (meaning how long oit takes to focus) - but svaing for the 35 2.0...

[CaptainNH]

Here's another bid for the Sigma 50/1.4 from me.

Similar pricing to the Canon 1.4 - fast focussing like the Canon, but sharper, brighter and with, dare I say it, better bokeh than the Canon.

[falafelicious]

Okay so now I have no idea what to get lol.

Let me say that I already have a 55-250mm zoom. My primary interests are pet/people portraits so a wide aperture is important BUT I do travel a lot and it's kind of a pain without anything wider than 50mm, which makes me hesitant to get something even longer. And I would like to keep the price under $400.

Any suggestions given this information? I have been strongly considering the 85mm f/1.8 but now I'm wondering if maybe I should get the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. Or maybe I should just go for the 85 now and get a wider angle later?

Aghh!

[amellor]

Get the f/1.8 - it is awesome. Also, Ken Rockwell, Internet camera-stuff reviewer extraordinaire, says the f/1.8 is as good or better than the 1.4:

Canon 50mm f/1.8

[mlee]

I personally own a 50mm f/1.4 and has been once torn between 1.8 or 1.4. But after owning a 1.4, I must say I'm so glad I have it! The bokeh is silky smooth and the lens is fast. I have used it in badly lit areas and it has performed quite well.

If you prefer a wider prime lens, a 35mm f1.2 if you're a canon user, and a 35 mm of the lowest aperture you can get if you're a nikon user. I actually want one.

Just a few pictures I used the 1.4

» Pino @ The Promenade Shops
» Belly Rubs, Please!
» Little Golden.
» Waiting for Her Favorite Human (Dad)

Now, if you do have the budget - the new nikkor 24mm 1.4 would be awesome to have. Imagine a marriage between a 50mm 1.4 and a 24mm. Attach it to a wider dslr like a D700 --- it's a DREAM! (for me atleast ^_^ ...)

[falafelicious]

Well after going back and forth and looking at as many online comparisons & reviews as I could find, I decided to go for the 50mm F/1.4. I was really tempted by the 85mm for portrait photography but I do like the 50mm focal length, it works well for all my indoor stuff as well as landscape and I think that if I went with a longer lens I would end up regretting it, especially since I already have a telephoto zoom. And from what I've seen the 1.4 has better color & clarity than the 1.8 as well as the wider aperture (which is really the dealmaker for me). I liked the Sigma but for an extra $150 it just wasn't do-able.

Thanks everyone for your input.